Nicholas Francis, Duke of Lorraine
Nicholas Francis of Vaudémont (* December 6, 1609; † January 25, 1670 ) was Bishop of Toul and Cardinal, as well as short time Duke of Lorraine and Bar He was the younger son of Duke Francis II and Christine of Salm.
Biography
Provided as a younger son for the church service, it was 1624 ( 13 - year) Bishop of Toul, and two years later a cardinal.
His brother, Duke Charles IV, had allied himself after his accession to the Emperor and the opponents supported Richelieu, so that France responded in September 1633 with the occupation of Lorraine. Karl thought it then for a feasible way to withdraw (19 January 1634), so be the French unloaded appearing brother could ascend the throne. Nicholas Francis received from Charles the permission to use his cousin Claudia to marry ( the sister of his sister-in ) of Lorraine. So the country should definitely stay in the family. He informed the Pope about the reasons for his resignation from the church offices, and married on 17 February 1634 - against the will of the French king.
This and the negative attitude of the people against the occupation of Lorraine brought the French to make the ducal family in their castle under house arrest. However, Nicholas and Claudia succeeded on 1 April 1634, the escape. They fled in the Franche Comté, to Italy, arrived in August 1636 to Munich and finally settled for 18 years in Venice.
1654, after the arrest of his brother, he put himself at the head of an army of Lorraine. After the refusal of Spain to participate in Karl release, he kicked and his son Karl Leopold in French (!) Services, and reached for his military achievements ( dunes battle June 14, 1658 at Dunkirk ) that his brother released and the following year, as Duke was reinstated.
Progeny
He married on 17 February 1634 Luneville his cousin Claudia von Lothringen (* 1612, † 1648), daughter of Duke Henry II and Margaret of Mantua. Their children were:
- Ferdinand Philipp (* 1639, † 1659)
- Charles V (* 1643, † 1690), titular of Lorraine
- Anne Eleonore (* 1645, † 1646)
- Anne Marie ( † young)
- Marie Anne Thérèse (* 1648, † 1661), Abbess of Remiremont