Charles III, Duke of Lorraine

Charles III, copper engraving by Dominicus Custos, 1600/02

Charles III (February 18, 1543 – May 14, 1608), known as the Great, was Duke of Lorraine from 1545 until his death.

History

He was the eldest surviving son of Francis I, Duke of Lorraine and Christina of Denmark. His mother served as the regent during his minority.

During his childhood, his aged great-grandmother Philippa of Gelderland died in 1547, leaving her inheritances to the young Charles.

He is sometimes numbered as Charles II of Lorraine.

His dynasty claimed the kingdom of Jerusalem and used also the title of Duke of Calabria as symbol of their claims to the Neapolitan kingdom. Additionally, they had a claim to the Duchy of Gelderland, inherited from Charles of Egmont, Duke of Gelderland.

==Family==

He married Claude of Valois, princess of France, daughter of king Henry II and Catherine de' Medici. He had the following children:

Henry II, Duke of Lorraine (1563-1624)
Christine (1565-1637), married Ferdinando I de Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
Charles (1567-1607), Cardinal of Lorraine and Bishop of Metz (1578-1607), Bishop of Strasbourg (1604-1607)
Antoinette (1568-1610), marriehttp://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Donate

Donate to Wikipediad [[John William, Duke of Julich-Cleves-Berg|Jean-Guillaume, Duke of Julich-Cleves-Berg]]

Charles III's ancestors in three generations Charles III, Duke of Lorraine Father:
Francis I, Duke of LorrainePaternal Grandfather:
Antoine, Duke of LorrainePaternal Great-grandfather:
René II, Duke of LorrainePaternal Great-grandmother:
Phillipa of GueldersPaternal Grandmother:
Renée of Bourbon-Montpensier Paternal Great-grandfather:
Gilbert, Count of MontpensierPaternal Great-grandmother:
Chiara Gonzaga Mother:
Christina of DenmarkMaternal Grandfather:
Christian II of DenmarkMaternal Great-grandfather:
John of DenmarkMaternal Great-grandmother:
Christina of SaxonyMaternal Grandmother:
Isabella of HabsburgMaternal Great-grandfather:
Philip I of CastileMaternal Great-grandmother:
Joanna of Castile