Entragues, Henriette d' (1579–1633)
Entragues, Henriette d' (1579–1633)
Marquise de Verneuil. Name variations: Henriette d'Estraigues. Born Catherine Henriette de Balzac d'Entragues in 1579; died 1633; dau. of Charles Balzac d'Entragues and Marie Touchet (who was the mistress of Charles IX); mistress of Henry IV, king of France.
Ambitious and somewhat conniving, was the mistress of Henry IV, king of France, and succeeded in inducing a promise to marry her after death of his other mistress Gabrielle d'Estrées, a promise which led to bitter scenes at court when Henry married Marie de Medici; carried her spite so far as to be deeply compromised in a plot with Marshal Biron against the king (1606); though Biron was convicted of treason and conspiracy with Spain, escaped with only a slight punishment; returned to favor by Henry (1608); seems then to have been involved in the Spanish intrigues which preceded the assassination of the king in 1610.