Claude, Duke of Aumale

Claude of Lorraine, Duke of Aumale (August 18, 1526, Joinville – March 3, 1573, La Rochelle) was the third son of Claude, Duke of Guise and Antoinette de Bourbon. He was a prince of Lorraine by birth.

Claude, Duke of Aumale

Coat of arms of the Dukes of Aumale

As part of the Treaty of Boulogne which ended the war of the Rough Wooing, Claude, Marquis of Mayenne and François de Vendôme, Vidame de Chartres, were among six French hostages sent to England.[1] After his father died on 12 April 1550, Claude was allowed to come to Scotland, with a passport from Edward VI dated 11 May, to see his sister Mary of Guise and wrote from Edinburgh on 18 May that he would view the strong places of the realm.

On August 1, 1547, he married Louise de Brézé (c. 1518 – January 1577), dame d'Anet, the daughter of Louis de Brézé, seigneur d'Anet, and Diane de Poitiers.[2] They had eleven children:

• Henri (October 21, 1549, Château de Saint-Germain – August 1559), Count of Valentinois
• Catherine Romula (November 8, 1550, Saint-Germain – June 25, 1606), married on May 11, 1569 Nicholas, Duke of Mercœur
• Madeleine Diane (b. February 5, 1554), d. young
• Charles, Duke of Aumale (1555–1631)
• Diane (November 10, 1558 – June 25, 1586, Ligny), married on November 13, 1576 François, Duke of Piney-Luxemburg
• Antoinette (b. June 9, 1560, Nancy), d. young
• Antoinette Louise (September 29, 1561, Joinville – August 24, 1643, Soissons), Abbess of Soissons
• Antoine (b. November 12, 1562), d. young
• Claude (December 13, 1564 – January 3, 1591, Saint-Denis), called the "Chevalier d'Aumale", Abbot of St.-Pere-en-Valle, Chartres, Knight of the Order of Malta, General of the Galleys
• Charles (January 25, 1566 – May 7, 1568, Paris)
• Marie (June 10, 1565 – January 27, 1627), Abbess of Chelles

When his brother Francis acceded as Duke of Guise in 1550 he ceded to Claude the title of Duke of Aumale. He was killed by a culverin shot while besieging La Rochelle.