Charles III (February 18 1543 – May 14 1608), known as the Great, was Duke of Lorraine from 1545 until his death.
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History
He was the eldest surviving son of Francis I, Duke of Lorraine and Christina of Denmark. His mother served as the regent during his minority. During his childhood, his aged great-grandmother Philippa of Gelderland died in 1547, leaving her inheritances to the young Charles. He is sometimes numbered as Charles II of Lorraine. His dynasty claimed the kingdom of Jerusalem and used also the title of Duke of Calabria as symbol of their claims to the Neapolitan kingdom. Additionally, they had a claim to the Duchy of Gelderland, inherited from Charles of Egmont, Duke of Gelderland.
Family
He married Claude of Valois, princess of France, daughter of king Henry II and Catherine de' Medici. He had the following children:
- Henry II, Duke of Lorraine (1563-1624)
- Christine (1565-1637), married Ferdinando I de Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
- Charles (1567-1607), Cardinal of Lorraine and Bishop of Metz (1578-1607), Bishop of Strasbourg (1604-1607)
- Antoinette (1568-1610), married Jean-Guillaume, Duke of Julich-Cleves-Berg
- Anne (1569-1676)
- Francis II, Duke of Lorraine (1572-1632)
- Catherine (?-1618), married Charles I, Duke of Nevers
- Elisabeth Renata (1574-1635), married Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria
- Claude, 1575-1576.
Ancestors
| Charles III, Duke of Lorraine | Father: Francis I, Duke of Lorraine |
Paternal Grandfather: Antoine, Duke of Lorraine |
Paternal Great-grandfather: René II, Duke of Lorraine |
| Paternal Great-grandmother: Phillipa of Guelders |
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| Paternal Grandmother: Renée of Bourbon-Montpensier |
Paternal Great-grandfather: Gilbert, Count of Montpensier |
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| Paternal Great-grandmother: Chiara Gonzaga |
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| Mother: Christina of Denmark |
Maternal Grandfather: Christian II of Denmark |
Maternal Great-grandfather: John of Denmark |
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| Maternal Great-grandmother: Christina of Saxony |
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| Maternal Grandmother: Isabella of Habsburg |
Maternal Great-grandfather: Philip I of Castile |
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| Maternal Great-grandmother: Joanna of Castile |
See also
| Preceded by Francis I |
Duke of Lorraine and Bar and Marquis of Pont-à-Mousson 1545-1608 |
Succeeded by Henry I |
