Many fairy tales have real prototypes from the most ordinary life. The tale of Cinderella can have many prototypes, because there were many examples in history when a girl from a simple family married a prince and ascended to the top of the world. Only life stories have never completely repeated a fairy tale.

The stories of real Cinderella were more often like a scary or sad fairy tale, embellished with luxurious flowers and jewelry. Life for Louise of Lorraine is not easy. It all started like a fabulous Cinderella, but then she ascended much higher than just Cinderella, though not everyone will be able to understand the meaning of her actions.

Louise de Vaudemont, as the future Queen of France was originally called, was born 7 years earlier than Elizabeth Bathory, in 1553. She was the daughter of Nicolas of Mersorsky and Marguerite Egmont. The first three children of the young couple died immediately after birth, and Louise was the fourth child, whom the parents were immensely pleased with.



However, in the good old days, happiness did not last long, exactly one year after the birth of the long-awaited daughter, the young countess died, leaving her daughter an orphan, and her inconsolable spouse a widower.

Jeanne of Savoy became the second wife of the count. She is a warm-hearted and kind-hearted woman. She gave birth to four children to the count, and raised the orphan Louise as her own daughter. However, she too soon died.

The third wife of the count was 19-year-old Catherine, who was only 3 years older than Louise. Together with her, the harsh everyday life of Cinderella came into Louise's life - an unloved, extra daughter of an evil stepmother. Catherine, not feeling confident in her new home, where after the death of her previous wife, young Louise took over all the household chores, began to persecute the eldest daughter of her elderly husband.

She tried to convince the Count that it would be better for Louise to become a nun. Thus, Catherine wanted to save money on outfits, going to balls and on dowry. Or maybe Catherine was simply jealous of Louise, because she was to live with an old man, while Louise's beauty could provide a truly bright future.



The count agreed with Catherine and began to prepare his daughter for monastic life. Louise was often sent on a pilgrimage and even left to live in a monastery. Louise did not want to be a nun, but the pilgrimage to monasteries changed her spiritual state in many ways, which will change completely many years later.

In addition to visiting monasteries, there were books in Louise's life, and balls and amusements were forbidden for her. Louise was in her 20s, a critical age for a bride at that time. Louise understood that for a few more years she would not be able to get married, which meant that she would have to put on monastic vestments.

However, an incredible fairytale life was prepared for her. Louise prayed and asked for family happiness, and her prayer was answered. She will meet her prince very soon!



Heinrich of Valois, the fourth and beloved son of the almighty Catherine de Medici, who was 22 years old, by the will of fate stayed at the Château de Vaudemont, during his long journey to Poland. The Polish Sejm elected him their king, and his mother Catherine de Medici decided to send her son away from the court and the problems associated with religious confrontation.

Heinrich was the only one of his family who openly sympathized with the Huguenots. And with this he put himself in jeopardy. In addition, his heart was broken by an unhappy love for Maria of Cleves, who could not break off the engagement with her cousin, and later died shortly after the wedding, plunging Henry into a prolonged depression.

Here at the Chateau Vaudemont, when Heinrich and Louise met, what is called "love at first sight" happened between them.A week of communication was enough for Henry to inform his mother about his meeting with the amazing Louise in the first letter. Louise, on the other hand, although she was completely captured by the new feeling, understood that she could not count on such a brilliant party, and therefore made every effort not to even think about such a thing.

For the next year, Heinrich dreamed of Louise. As soon as circumstances developed in such a way that Heinrich had the opportunity to leave Poland in order to take the French throne, he immediately announced to his mother his desire to see only Louise de Vaudemont as his wife.

Catherine de Medici at first she did not make the decision of her son, because this marriage was unequal. Louise by birth was not supposed to take the place of the queen. But on reflection, she came to the conclusion that this is even better. After all, this will allow her to maintain her influence in the kingdom. And power for Catherine de Medici was the main goal of life. Therefore, she blessed the choice of her son.




In the early morning, Louise woke up to the fact that her hated stepmother and father stood in front of her bed in a low bow. Not understanding what was happening, Louise hastened to apologize for being still in bed so late. However, her father interrupted her apology, saying that the king of France wants to marry her. And from now on everyone will refer to her as "Your Highness."

The French royal court was struck by this strange desire of the king to marry an unknown girl from a seedy noble family, when so many opportunities were open before him and the daughters of all the royal families of Europe would have considered it an honor to accept his marriage proposal.

The marriage did not promise any benefits, and the bride's dowry was more than modest. After all, a girl of Louise's level, until now, could only count on the place of a royal favorite among many and no more. Even more French courtiers were struck by the sincere love between the spouses.

The surviving correspondence between the king and queen testifies to the deep tenderness between them. Moreover, Heinrich, unlike his predecessors, was a faithful spouse, he did not have numerous affairs with his wife's maids of honor, or even an official favorite. In general, the couple's family life was more than successful.



This concludes the beautiful and romantic part of the "fairy tale of Cinderella".

Despite the fact that Henry was fond of his wife, and Louise herself fell to an unattainable height for her, having received the royal title and a loving spouse, which was an inaccessible success for all her predecessors, the marriage was overshadowed by the absence of children. A year passed, then the second, then the third, fourth, sixth. And the long-awaited pregnancy of the queen still did not come.

The best healers tried to apply the latest practices, all kinds of potions, amulets from deer antlers and earth from holy monasteries, but fate, which so easily distributes descendants to the poorest peasants, deprived the royal couple of children.

"Well-wishers" from among the nobles began to advise the king to start a divorce, motivating him with the fact that the queen is barren like a dry aspen. But Heinrich responded with a categorical refusal, even after 11 years of fruitless marriage. And convincing him to leave Louise was not possible.

Queen Louise prayed daily and asked God to give them a child. In 1579, she went on a pilgrimage on foot, for a time made a vow of silence, and walked barefoot in the pouring rain among ordinary people for several weeks, cutting her legs in blood, not used to walking on stones.

However, the All-Seeing Lord knows what will be best for everyone, even for the queen. The pilgrimage did not bring the desired pregnancy. Instead, the queen was beset by illness. Her husband supported Louise, and spent most of his days at her bedside.

Some time passed, and the most important test in Louise's life followed. The next blow of fate was the death of her beloved husband. Henry believed that for the good of France it was necessary to reconcile Catholics and Protestants.He issued a series of laws enshrining freedom of conscience and religion, which was regarded by convinced Catholics as a betrayal.

One clear morning, the monk Jacques Clement came to the palace to convey a secret message to Henry. He handed the scroll to the king, and while he was unfolding the letter, the monk stabbed him in the stomach with a hidden knife and inflicted a mortal wound on the king. The monk was immediately killed by the royal guard. And Heinrich died within 24 hours in the arms of Louise.


After the death of her husband, Queen Louise put on white royal mourning and almost stopped talking. Having retired to her castle, she ordered to remove the luxurious interior decoration, hang the windows with black curtains, and even paint the walls black. And instead of courtiers, she settled nuns.



All the remaining years she spent in a voluntary retreat among the nuns in daily prayers. For 11 years, the queen lived in seclusion, not taking part in the life of the country. Only occasionally did she agree to take part in Council meetings when it was necessary to promote reconciliation.

Her life is considered tragic and sad, but is it really so? If you look at life exclusively from a worldly point of view, which says that you need to have fun until the very end and get all kinds of earthly pleasures from life, the queen really did a stupid thing, depriving herself of the joys of life.

But if you look at the life of Louise of Lorraine from the spiritual side, she did everything right. Life will end in any case, and we all will someday part with earthly joys.



An important role in the queen's decision to retire to a voluntary retreat was played by her youth. If she fell in love with balls and entertainment from childhood, it is unlikely that, left without a husband, the queen gave up a fun life. But as we remember, Louise spent her youth in pilgrimages and monasteries.

In her youth, she did not want to become a nun and resisted this in every possible way. She was given the chance to marry the king and become queen. She lived with her husband in love and harmony, and then, when he was gone, she voluntarily devoted the remaining years of her life to serving God. For the past 11 years, Louise of Lorraine was essentially a nun, and this is the highest spiritual ministry.

Therefore, only very limited worldly people can call Louise's life tragic. There were difficulties and trials in her life, a lot of happiness and joy, and at the end there was a spiritual feat. After all, Louise could lead a very free riotous life, left without a husband, but she made a different choice, which is incomprehensible to most people. And maybe she became not only the White Queen, but also a real saint ...