Diane de France (1538 - January 11, 1619) was the natural (illegitimate) daughter of Henry II, King of France and a Piedmontese, although some sources claim that she was the daughter of Diane de Poitiers.
Diane was born in Paris, France during 1538 and was formally legitimised in 1547. She was married in 1553 to Orazio Farnese, Duke of Castro, but was later widowed in the same year after Orazio was killed in battle. Diane's second marriage was to Francis de Montmorency in 1559, who was the eldest son of Anne, Constable of France. Diane was widowed for a second time in 1579, after helping her to make her husband a leader of the Politiques, a moderate Roman Catholic group in France.
Diane became of favourite of Henry III, King of France, who made her Duchess of Angouleme in appanage (during her life time only) during 1582. Diane also enjoyed much respect during in the court of Henry IV, King of France and superintended the education of his son Louis XIII, King of France.
Diane died on January 11, 1619 in Paris, France. Her surviving letters portray her as a woman of great courage and tolerance.
Executive summary: Daughter of Henri II DianedeFrance, Duchess of Montmorency and Angoulême, was the natural daughter of Henri II of France and a young Piedmontese, Filippe Due.
Catherine de Medici was greatly incensed at this affront, and took her revenge by having the constable disgraced on the death of Henri II.
She was a perfect horsewoman and dancer, played several musical instruments, knew Spanish and Italian, and "estoit très belle de visage et de taille." Legitimated in 1547, she was married in 1553 to Horace Farnese, second son of the Duke of Parma, but her husband was killed soon afterwards at the siege of Hesdin.
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