Early life Margaret was born at the
Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye on 5 June 1523 the youngest daughter and child of King Francis I of France and Claude, Duchess of Brittany. Margaret was very close to her paternal aunt,
Marguerite of Angoulême, who took care of her and her sister
Madeleine during her childhood, and her sister-in-law
Catherine de' Medici. Near the end of 1538, her father and
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, agreed that Margaret should marry Charles' son, the future
Philip II of Spain. However, the agreement between Francis and Charles was short-lived and the marriage never took place. In 1557 she appointed as lady in waiting
Jacqueline d'Entremont, to whom she would remain close with later in life. On 29 April 1550, at the age of 26, she was created
suo jure Duchess of Berry.
Duchess consort of Savoy Shortly before her 36th birthday, a marriage was finally arranged for her by her brother King
Henry II of France and her former suitor Philip II as part of the terms stipulated in the
Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis which was signed by the ambassadors representing the two monarchs on 3 April 1559. The husband selected for her was Philip's ally,
Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy, Prince of Piedmont. At the time, Margaret was described as having been a "spinster lady of excellent breeding and lively intellect". King Henry died the following day. == Children ==