Maria was the eldest and only surviving child of
Francesco IV Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua and
Montferrat and
Margaret of Savoy (1589–1655), daughter of
Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy and Infanta
Catalina Micaela of Spain. Maria's father died aged 26 in 1612 when she was only three years old, and was succeeded as Duke of Mantua by his two brothers, who had no issue. This made Maria and her husband
Charles of Nevers in 1627 successors to the two Duchies. Maria was already Duchess of Montferrat since 1612. This led to the
War of Mantuan Succession. The outcome was that, after the death of her husband Charles in 1631, his father
Charles became the new Duke of Mantua until his death in 1637. Maria exercised the
regency of Mantua on behalf of her son for ten years, until 1647. She died in 1660, aged 51. ==Issue==