Maria Gonzaga, Duchess of Montferrat

Maria
Regent of Mantua
File:Maria Gonzaga.jpg
Born	29 July 1609 Mantua
Died	Mantua
Spouse	Charles Gonzaga
Issue	Eleonora, Holy Roman Empress Charles II, Duke of Mantua and Montferrat
Full name Maria Gonzaga
House	House of Gonzaga
Father	Francesco Gonzaga
Mother	Margaret of Savoy
Religion	Roman Catholic

Maria Gonzaga or Maria of Mantua (29 July 1609 – 14 August 1660) was an Italian princess of the House of Gonzaga: she was Regent in Mantua during the minority of her son from 1637 until 1647, and reigning sovereign duchess of Montferrat from 1612 until 1660.

Biography

Maria was the eldest and only surviving child of Francesco IV Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua and Montferrat and Margaret of Savoy (1589–1655), daughter of Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy and Infanta Catherine Michelle of Spain.

Her father died aged 26 in 1612 when she was only three years old, and was succeeded as Duke of Mantua by his two brothers, who had no issue. This made Maria and her husband Charles of Nevers in 1627 successors to the two Duchies. Maria was already Duchess of Montferrat since 1612.
This led to the War of Mantuan Succession.
The outcome was that, after the death of her husband Charles in 1631, his father Charles became the new Duke of Mantua until his death in 1637.

Maria and Charles had two children:

• Charles Gonzaga (1629–1665) married Archduchess Isabella Clara of Austria and had issue;
• Eleanor Gonzaga (1630–1686), who married in 1651 Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor and had issue.

Maria exercised the regency of Mantua on behalf of her son for ten years, until 1647.
She died in 1660, aged 51.

See also

• House of Gonzaga
• Rulers of Mantua
• Rulers of Montferrat

Ancestry

Maria's ancestors in three generations

Maria Gonzaga	Father: Francesco IV Gonzaga	Paternal Grandfather: Vincenzo I Gonzaga	Paternal Great-Grandfather: Guglielmo I Gonzaga
			Paternal Great-grandmother: Eleonora of Austria
		Paternal Grandmother: Eleonora de' Medici	Paternal Great-Grandfather: Francesco I de' Medici
			Paternal Great-Grandmother: Johanna of Austria
	Mother: Margaret of Savoy	Maternal Grandfather: Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy	Maternal Great-Grandfather: Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy
			Maternal Great-Grandmother: Margaret of France
		Maternal Grandmother: Catherine Michelle of Spain	Maternal Great-grandfather: Philip II of Spain
			Maternal Great-Grandmother: Elisabeth of Valois

External links

• (Italian) Sardimpex.com : Gonzaga - Marchesi e Duchi sovrani di Mantova, indice L1
• (English) / (Italian)