Éléonore de Roye

Eléanor de Roye
Born	France
Died	Château de Condé, France
Burial	France
Spouse	Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Condé
Issue	Henri, Prince of Condé François, Prince of Conti Charles, "Cardinal de Bourbon"
Names Eléanor de Roucy
Father	Charles de Roye
Mother	Madeleine de Maillé

Eléanor (or Éléonore) de Roucy de Roye, Princess of Condé (24 February 1535 – 23 July 1564) was the eldest daughter and heiress of Charles, seigneur (sire) de Roye and de Muret, Count of Roucy. Her mother, Madeleine de Mailly, Dame of Conti, was the daughter of Louise de Montmorency and half-sister of Admiral Coligny, d'Andelot, and Cardinal de Châtillon. Eléanor was the first wife of Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Condé; as such, she was the sister-in-law of Antoine of Navarre and aunt of King Henry IV.

Eléanor inherited the county of Roucy through her father and the lordship of Conti through her mother. On 22 June 1551, she married Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Condé at age sixteen. They had eight children, of whom only two, Henri and François, were to have progeny.

During the first of the French Civil Wars, especially between 1560 and 1563, Eléanor and her mother were engaged in important political activities in support of her husband, the Prince of Condé. Twice while Condé was a prisoner of the ultra-catholic Guise family, his wife and mother-in-law systematically reinforced his alliances with Protestant German princes and with Elizabeth I of England. Armed with this support, Eléanor made negotiations by letter and by direct contact with the regent, Catherine de' Medici; the outcome was the Peace of Amboise and the release of her husband.

Eleonore was a loyal spouse, a devoted mother, and, above all, a fervent believer in the Reformed (Protestant) faith, having converted her husband Louis. She died on 23 July 1564, her final hours filled with loving admonitions to her family as well as prayers and meditations.

Ancestors

Family of Éléonore de Roye

16. Mathieu de Roye, Seigneur of Muret 8. Jean de Roye, Seigneur of Muret 17. Catherine de Montmorency, Dame of Breteuil 4. Antoine, seigneur de Roye 18. Jean-François du Bois des Querdes 9. Marguerite du Bois des Querdes 19. Catherine de Caumesnil 2. Charles de Roye, Count of Roucy 20. Amé de Sarrebruck, Seigneur of Commercy 10. Robert de Sarrebruck, Count of Roucy 21. Guillemette de Luxembourg 5. Catherine de Sarrebruck, Countess of Roucy 22. Charles d'Amboise, Seigneur of Chaumont 11. Marie d'Amboise 23. Catherine de Chauvigny, Dame of Ravel 1. Éléonore de Roye 24. Ferry de Mailly, Seigneur of Conti 12. Adrien de Mailly, Seigneur of Conti 25. Marie de Breban 6. Ferry de Mailly, Seigneur of Conti 26. Jean de Glymes, Seigneur of Berghes 13. Jeanne de Glymes 27. Marguerite Rouvroy 3. Madeleine de Mailly, Dame of Conti 28. Jean II, Seigneur of Montmorency 14. Guillaume, Seigneur of Montmorency 29. Marguerite d'Orgemont 7. Louise de Montmorency 30. Guy Pot, Count of Saint-Paul 15. Anne Pot, Dame of La Rochepot 31. Marie de Villiers de L'Isle-Adam

References

• Jules Delaborde, "Éléonore de Roye, Princesse de Condé, 1535-1564", Librairie Sandoz et Fischbacher, 1876
• Knecht, R.J. (2000). The French Civil Wars. Pearson Education Limited. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• (FR)Lachèvre, Frédéric (1917). "Poésies inédites de Jacques Grévin". Revue d'Histoire littéraire de la France. {{cite journal}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)