Eléanor de Roucy de Roye

Eléanor de Roye
Born	France
Died	Château de Condé, France
Burial	France
Spouse	Louis I de Bourbon, prince de Condé
Issue	Henri I de Bourbon, prince de Condé François de Bourbon, prince de Conti Charles II de Bourbon-Vendôme
Father	Charles de Roye
Mother	Madeleine de Maillé

Eléanor (or Éléonore) de Roucy de Roye, princesse de Condé (24 February 1535 – 23 July 1564) was the eldest daughter and heiress of Charles, seigneur (sire) de Roye and de Muret, comte de Roucy. Her mother, Madeleine de Mailly, dame de 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 I de Bourbon, prince de 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 I de Bourbon, prince de 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 Eléanor de Roucy de Roye

16. Mathieu de Roye, seigneur de Muret               8. Jean de Roye, seigneur de Muret                       17. Catherine de Montmorency, dame de 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, comte de Roucy                                   20. Amé de Sarrebruck, seigneur de Commercy               10. Robert de Sarrebruck, comte de Roucy                       21. Guillemette de Luxembourg               5. Catherine de Sarrebruck, comtesse de Roucy                             22. Charles d'Amboise, seigneur de Chaumont               11. Marie d'Amboise                       23. Catherine de Chauvigny, dame de Ravel               1. Éléonore de Roye                                         24. Ferry de Mailly, seigneur de Conti               12. Adrien de Mailly, seigneur de Conti                       25. Marie de Breban               6. Ferry de Mailly, seigneur de Conti                             26. Jean de Glymes, seigneur de Berghes               13. Jeanne de Glymes                       27. Marguerite Rouveroy de Saint-simon               3. Madeleine de Mailly, dame de Conti                                   28. Jean II, seigneur de Montmorency               14. Guillaume, seigneur de Montmorency                       29. Marguerite d'Orgemont               7. Louise de Montmorency                             30. Guy Pot, comte de Saint-Paul               15. Anne Pot, dame de 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
• (FR)