Charles II of Mantoue

Charles II Gonzague , in Italian Carlo II Gonzaga , was a prince free - Italian born the October 31st 1629 with Mantoue and dead the August 14th 1665 with Mantoue.

With five titles of duke, It one of noble was titrated of its time:

duke of Mayenne to death, in 1632, of his/her uncle Ferdinand de Mayenne

and, with died of his/her grandfather:

duke of Mantoue (area of Lombardy in Italy)
duke of Montferrat (area of the Piedmont)
duke of Nevers
duke of Rethel
like 2 {{E}} prince d' Arches, count de Rodigo and Rivalta, count de Villars, count de Tende and marquis de Sommerive.

Charles, only sons of Charles II of Nevers-Mantoue and Marie de Mantoue, is 8 years old when it succeeds his grandfather Charles I {{er}} which dies in 1637. His/her father having died in 1631, it is his mother who will ensure regency until in 1647, 18 years year of Charles.
It adopted an honest industrial relations policy and was made like of the people by reducing the taxes. Marie quickly gave up the policy pro-Frenchwoman of her father-in-law, to approach the Empire, much more present in Italy of north. To devote the bonds with the Habsbourg, it will organize engagement of her son to the niece of late the emperor Ferdinand II and those of her daughter Éléonore de Gonzague-Mantoue to the emperor Ferdinand III of Habsbourg itself, thus unchaining the anger of king de France, Louis XIV which saw there its enemy of the Guerre Thirty Year old taking the step on the French nobility. As of the effective beginning of its reign, in 1647, Charles was found confronted at worst the troubles. Mantoue had to face a terrible food shortage caused by the floods of the Mincio whose water, enlarged by the Po, submerged the countryside mantouane and reflects out of use all the moulins.
The capital of the duchy of Montferrat (Italy), Casal, was a subject of concern for Charles because, following the Traité of Westphalia, this citadel was occupied by the French troops. Charles, extremely of the new family ties woven with the imperial house of the Habsbourg, organized a forwarding against Casal to drive out of them French, helped in that by the Spanish troops. Charles justified this action near Louis XIV by the simple will to find his capital and guarantees to the French sovereign that the city would remain in the bosom mantouan.
However, Charles was a too expensive man and the economic situation of the duchy of Mantoue worsened. Charles came to France, in 1654, to negotiate the sale of his French possessions, in fact the duchy of Mayenne which it yielded to the cardinal Mazarin. This sale was insufficient and, in 1659, they were the duchies of Nevers and Rethel which were sold with same the acheteur.
Its many absences, often moved by visits with its mistress Marguerite della Rovere residing at Casal, had as a consequence the most complete carelessness in the management of the State and this, in spite of the action of its minister Ange Taracchia, who will be the scapegoat ( capro espiatorio ) of the degradation of the condition of the State and imprisoned. An economic crisis seized the duchy so much so that in 1658, the Emperor déchut Charles of the title of imperial vicar for the city of Mantoue and its load of généralissime of the Empire.

Charles Maria, the November 7th 1649, with Isabelle Claire of the Tyrol (1629-1685), girl of the archduke Léopold V, count de Tyrol and of Claudia de Médicis, princess of Tuscany. They had one child:

Charles Ferdinand which will succeed his/her father like 10th duke of Mantoue and 8th duke of Montferrat

Charles II died, in his 36e year, the August 14th 1665. It seems proven that it died poisoned by one of the potions aphrodisiacs which he used to increase his strength.

See too

House Gonzague
List of the sovereigns of Mayenne
List of the dukes of Nevers
List of the dukes of Rethel
List of the sovereigns of Mantoue
List of the sovereigns of Montferrat
List of the princes d' Arches

External bonds

Itis.mn.it : Carlo II Gonzaga Nevers - Nono duca di Mantova, settimo del Monferrato duca di Nevers E di Rethel
Sardimpex.com: Gonzaga - Marchesi E Duchi sovrani di Mantova
Genealogy.euweb.cz: Gonzaga family

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