Françoise de Lorraine, Duchess of Vendôme

Who was Françoise de Lorraine, Duchess of Vendôme?

Françoise de Lorraine-Mercœur was a princess of Lorraine and daughter-in-law of Henry IV of France. Sometimes known as Françoise de Mercœur, she belonged to the Mercœur cadet branch of the sovereign Dukes of Lorraine and was a niece of Louise of Lorraine, wife of the previous King Henry III. Françoise was the heiress of her father and, as such, was the Duchess of Mercœur and Penthièvre suo jure.