Nicolas, Duke of Mercœur


Nicolas of Lorraine, Duke of Mercœur was the second son of Antoine, Duke of Lorraine and Renée de Bourbon.

Biography

He was originally destined for an ecclesiastical career, being made bishop of Metz in 1543 and of Verdun in 1544. In June 1545, he became joint "tutor and administrator" for his nephew, Charles III, Duke of Lorraine, with his sister-in-law Christina of Denmark. However, the Estates of Lorraine, in November 1545, removed him in favor of Christina as sole regent. He opposed her pro-Imperial policies. Resigning his dioceses in 1548 in favor of his uncle Jean, Cardinal of Lorraine, he took the title Count of Vaudémont.
After seizure of the Three Bishoprics in 1552 by Henry II of France, he was re-appointed as sole regent for his nephew, a position he retained until 1559.
In 1551, Nomeny was detached from the Bishopric of Metz and given to him as a margraviate by Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor in 1567, in right of which he was recognized as an independent, hereditary Prince of the Empire.
In France, his mother's barony of Mercœur was likewise elevated to the status of a princedom in 1563, and raised to a ducal peerage in 1569. He was also created a knight of the Order of Saint Esprit.
He married three times. His first marriage, on 1 May 1549 in Brussels, was to Countess Marguerite d'Egmont, daughter of Count Jean IV of Egmont. They had:
  1. Marguerite of Lorraine, d. young.
  2. Catherine of Lorraine, d. young.
  3. Henri of Lorraine Count of Chaligny, d. young.
  4. Louise of Lorraine, married on 13 February 1575, at Reims, Henry III of France.
His second marriage was on 24 February 1555 at Fontainebleau, to Princess Joanna of Savoy-Nemours, daughter of Philippe, Duke of Nemours. By this marriage they had:
  1. Philippe Emmanuel of Lorraine, Duke of Mercœur.
  2. Charles de Lorraine, known as the Cardinal de Vaudémont, Bishop of Toul and of Verdun.
  3. Jean of Lorraine, d. young.
  4. Marguerite of Lorraine, married on 24 September 1581 in Paris Anne, Duke of Joyeuse, married on 31 May 1599 François de Luxemburg, Duke of Piney.
  5. Claude of Lorraine, d. young.
  6. François of Lorraine, Marquis of Chaussin.
His third marriage was on 11 May 1569 at Reims, to Princess Catherine of Lorraine-Aumale, daughter of Claude, Duke of Aumale. They had:
  1. Henri of Lorraine, Marquis of Mouy and Count of Chaligny, married on 19 September 1585 Claude de Mouy.
  2. Christine of Lorraine, d. young.
  3. Antoine of Lorraine, Abbot of Beaulieu and Bishop of Toul.
  4. Louise of Lorraine, d. young.
  5. Eric of Lorraine, Bishop of Verdun.