Margaret of Valois

Timeline

1. 1581–1582Plessis-lès-Tours · Centre-Val de LoireArranged by her mother Catherine, Margaret concluded a formal separation agreement with Henry of Navarre at Plessis-lès-Tours in 1582, receiving an annuity and retaining the title of queen. She tried to maintain an independent position within the religiously divided royal family, sometimes interceding for the Huguenots, sometimes supporting the policies of her brother Henry III.
2. 1583–1584Paris · Île-de-FranceAfter the death of the Duke of Anjou, Henry of Navarre became heir to the throne. Margaret, a key figure linking the two great families, moved within the Paris court, trying to soften the Catholic League's hostility toward her husband. She used her personal charm to pass messages between factions but could not prevent the League's formation or the deterioration of the situation.
3. 1585–1586Usson · Auvergne-Rhône-AlpesHenry III suspected Margaret of ties to both the Huguenots and the Guise faction, and from 1585 confined her to the castle of Usson in Auvergne. During her captivity she maintained secret correspondence with the outside world; after 1586 she gradually gained limited freedom, but was far from the centers of political turmoil in Paris and Blois in 1588–1589.