Louisa of Canary

Louisa of Canary (20 November 1386-11 August 1453), was Queen of Auwyland from 1408 to 1421 as the second wife of Henry III. She was born to King Enrique III of Nyeesa and his wife Christina of Belpha, whose sister Charlotte was wife of King Conan V of Belpha. Her marriage to Henry III was a result of Nyeesa supporting Auwyland in the War of Losland Throne. She was recognized as elegant and graceful, who won much respect in Auwyland although she never gain power. She outlived her husband. When she retired from the court as the queen dowager, she demanded to return to Nyeesa, but Henry IV didn’t permit. Henry IV gave her concession, to allow her to remarry Charles VI, Duke of Jacquen.

Early life
Louisa was a daughter of Enrique III, King of Nyeesa, and his wife Christina of Belpha. She had 2 brothers and 4 sisters. Her brothers, Enrique IV and Carlos II, were made kings in succession, both of whom had issue, thus their cousin Fernando of Lomenault ascended the throne after Carlos II, who was hence known as Fernando I. Her eldest sister, Charlotte, was Queen of Belpha out of her marriage to King Conan V, who was grandmother of Catherine, Edward III’s mother, which was to say, Louisa was a great grand aunt of Edward III. Her second sister Maria was Duchess of Romula out of her marriage to Carlos IV. Her third sister Catalina was wife of Fernando I, later Queen of Nyeesa. Her youngest sister Juana died when she was 9. She was engaged with King Francis I of Caliland when she was young, and was sent to Caliland and raised with Francis I by his mother Marie de’ Mesarol. But the contract was denied in 1394, after Nyeesa started to support Auwyland in the War of Losland Throne. In 1394, Francis I engaged with Elizabeth of Monaunt, while Louisa fell into embarrassment in Caliland. In August, Louisa returned Nyeesa under her father’s order. She participated in her sister Maria’s wedding in Romula the next year, and traveled there for 3 months. From 1403, she ran a monastery in Fransburg.

Queen of Auwyland
In 1407, Auwish king Henry III’s wife Jeanna of Valieusailles died. Louisa was considered to be the second wife of Henry III, one reason, to appreciate Nyeesa’s help in the War of Losland Throne, the other, Louisa with a good reputation and called Louisa “the Pious”. On 6 March 1408, Louisa married Henry III and was crowned Queen of Auwyland a week later. She started to take responsibility of taking care of Henry III’s children although no one asked her to. She didn’t have any child with Henry III, but all of Henry III’s children took her as their mother. Louisa was always elegant and graceful in the court. According to the queen’s ladies-in-waiting, Louisa wanted to show perfectly in the palace, because she thought she should be a role model of nobles as the first lady in Auwyland. Not everyone liked Louisa, but almost everyone acknowledged Louisa was respectable; when she demanded others’ behaviors, she’d use the same standard to demand herself. Henry III, flirty and outrageous, didn’t like his wife’s style, who had many mistresses. Sophie d’ Agnes was installed the chief mistress since 1410. Pretentious Sophie regarded Louisa as fake, and often sneered her in back; sometimes even in face, Sophie didn’t cover her scorn to Louisa. Sophie created many jokes to shade the queen, and shared them in the court. Henry III never restrained his mistress, because he thought those jokes were funny. Some scholars thought although Henry III had no negative judgement towards Louisa, he was sick of his wife, deep in his heart, he accepting that Louisa was fake. She treated Margaret de’ Reims as a friend, who was Henry IV’s wife, later Queen of Auwyland succeeding Louisa’s position. Margaret had a little hostility to her, but they got along with each other in the following days. When Margaret was annoyed by her husband’s mistresses, Louisa comforted her, “Woman will get titles from husband, not love.”

Remarriage
Henry III died in 1421. Louisa’s stepson, Henry IV, became King of Auwyland. Louisa still stayed in the court in the first 2 years to help the king to maintain the friendship with Nyeesa. Nevertheless, Nyeesa didn’t stop allying Losland and Caliland. Henry IV conferred other officials to deal with diplomatic problems with Nyeesa after Louisa’s failure. Louisa felt her stepson began to suspect her, and she may be unsafe in Auwyland, so she required to leave for her homeland. Henry IV didn’t allow her request, calling her “my trusted friend”, but the king permit her retirement. Louisa moved to Bansmount, where Henry III sent her a manor as a wedding present. She ever wrote letters to Fernando I, telling her situation in Auwyland, and hoped Fernando I could let her back Nyeesa. To her disappointment, Fernando I never replied her.

With considerable volume of wealth, 37-year-old Louisa became a popular woman to marry. She was not an abbess with an unknown future anymore, now, as the former queen with wealth and good reputation, she having chances to start a new life. She encountered her future husband in 1424 when she went to Hadley to participate in a wedding. Charles VI, Duke of Jacquen, was brother of the bride, who lost his wife 9 years ago and didn’t remarry. At the banquet, Charles asked Louisa to dance with him. Louisa was attracted by this charming and handsome man. They soon developed their relationship. In July, Charles VI traveled to Connet, Louisa with him. There were rumors spreading that Duke of Jacquen took the queen dowager for his mistress. Charles VI’s mother Blanche of Carthe heard this message. Astonished, Blanche told the king about this. Henry IV sent 2 messagers to certify this. When Henry IV knew this rumor was true, he was angry at the first place, who considered to arrest Louisa and Charles, but soon, he calmed down. Finally, he decided to permit Louisa to remarry. On 25 April 1425, with the king’s permission and blessing, 38-year-old Louisa married 27-year-old Charles VI, and was installed Duchess of Jacquen. Louisa gave 2 daughters to her husband, Marie and Charlotte. She and her mother-in-law, Blanche of Carthe, hated each other. Blanche thought Louisa ruined her son’s fame, while Louisa was disappointed that Blanche wanted to control everything. Louisa’s impact surpassed Blanche in the later years. As a great stepmother in her first marriage, she did the same in her second marriage.

Death
Louisa became a widow again due to Charles VI’s death in 1446. She got a good care of her husband’s successor, Charles VII, who promised his father that never deserted his stepmother. She moved to St. Duban Convent to live in rest of her life. She fell into a bad health situation. She couldn’t stop coughing and tearing. She may contract pneumonia or allergy to something. Louisa passed away on 11 August 1453, at the age 66. She was entombed in Houdley Church. Her coffin was opened 3 times and moved twice, and eventually buried in Reinsta.

Issue
With the first husband, Henry III, she had no child.

With the second husband, Charles VI, she had issue, 2 daughters.

1. Marie, born on 7 February 1426, died in November 1471.

2. Charlotte, born on 13 May 1427/1428, died on 19 March 1488.