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Diane de Poitiers

Type Figure Region France Time 1499–1566 Also known as Diane de Poitiers、Duchesse de Valentinois

A powerful woman of the French Renaissance court, long-time mistress of Henry II, created Duchess of Valentinois;…

Timeline

  1. 1551–1559Paris · Île-de-FranceAfter Henry II's accession her power grew, effectively influencing policy decisions and diplomatic appointments. She presided over royal ceremonies, reviewed some documents on the king's behalf, and was granted estates including the Château de Chenonceau. Between 1551 and 1559 she was the most influential woman at the French court.
  2. 1559–1566Amboise · Centre-Val de LoireHenry II died of injuries sustained in a joust in 1559; Queen Mother Catherine de' Medici forced her to surrender the Château de Chenonceau, and she moved to the Château d'Anet near Amboise. In her later years she stayed away from the center of politics, dying at Anet in 1566.

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