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Marie Jeanne of Savoy-Nemours
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Princess Marie Jeanne Baptiste of Savoy-Nemours (April 11, 1644 - March 15, 1724), was regent of Savoy.
She was born in Paris, daughter of Charles Amadeus of Savoy, 6th Duke of Nemours (1624–1652), and Elisabeth of Vendôme, granddaughter of King Henry IV of France. Her younger sister Maria Francisca first married King Afonso VI of Portugal and then to his brother the future Peter II of Portugal.
In 1662 she was engaged to Charles V, Duke of Lorraine, but on May 10, 1665, she married Charles Emmanuel II, Duke of Savoy (1634-1675). They had one son, Victor Amadeus, future Duke of Savoy and king of Sicily and Sardinia.
After the early death of her husband, Marie Jeanne became regent of Savoy in name of her under age son. She was an energetic and ambitious woman and called herself Madama Reale, after her mother-in-law Christine Marie of France. She tried to gain the throne of Portugal for her son, by engaging him to his cousin Isabel Luísa, Princess of Beira, only daughter and heir. This would have left her in full control of the Duchy of Savoy.
But a second marriage of King Peter II of Portugal and a revolt in Piedmont supported by Victor Amadeus, forced Marie Jeanne to abandon her plans and give power to her son on March 14, 1684.
Retired from politics, she still had a great influence over her granddaughter Princess Marie-Adélaïde of Savoy, who married Louis, Duc de Bourgogne in 1697 and who became Dauphine in 1711. She instructed the young girl in the ways of the French court of Louis XIV by means of a continuing correspondence.
She lived in the Palazzo Madama, still named after her and her mother-in-law, and died in that city in 1724.
She was the last Countess of Geneva, which was united with Savoy after her death.