François IV Gonzague , in Italian Francesco IV Gonzaga , was a noble Italian born the May 7th 1586 with Mantoue and dead the December 22nd 1612 with Mantoue. It was the fifth duke of Mantoue (area of Lombardy in Italy) and third duke of Montferrat (area of the Piedmont).

Francois, oldest son of Vincent I {{er}} of Mantoue and Éléonore de Médicis, soon will be 26 years old when he succeeds his father who dies in 1612.

It remained in the history of Mantoue like a man of justice (and particularly very attentive with the rights of the Jews of its city). To face the many debts accumulated by his prodigal father, he saw himself constrained to separate from Claudio Monteverdi although he is a large music lover and from theater.

François Maria, the February 19th 1608 with Turin, with Marguerite of Savoy (1589-1655), girl of Charles-Emmanuel I {{er}}, duke of Savoy and Catherine of Spain. They had three children including two died in low age:

• Marie de Mantoue (1609-1660) which will marry, in 1627, Charles III (1609-1631), duke of Mayenne, a cousin far away from the “French” branch of Gonzague (they had the same great-grandfather Guillaume de Mantoue);

• Ludovico (1611-1612);
• Eleonora (1612-1612).

François is deceased, after 10 months of reign, in December 1612, 26 years old, victim of small the Vérole (variola).
A controversy occurred with the Maison of Savoy about the succession of the Montferrat. Charles-Emmanuel sent his son Victor-Amédée to seek their grand-daughter and niece, Marie, whom they regarded as the heiress of the duchy of Montferrat. The Gonzague family opposed an end of non-recevoir.
to them For lack of male descendant, the puîné brother of Francois, Ferdinand, succeeded to him.

See too

• House Gonzague
• List of the dukes of Mantoue

External bonds

• Itis.mn.it : Francesco IV - Quinto duca di Mantova, terzo del Monferrato
• Sardimpex.com: Gonzaga - Marchesi E Duchi sovrani di Mantova
• Genealogy.euweb.cz: Gonzaga family