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Henrietta Maria ( November 25, 1609 - September 10, 1669) was Queen Consort of England, Scotland and Ireland ( June 13, 1625 - January 30, 1649) through her marriage to Charles I. The U.S. state of Maryland (in LatinAlternative meanings: See Latin (disambiguation Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. It gained great importance as the formal language of the Roman Empire. All Romance languages are descended from Latin, and ma, "Terra Maria") was so named in her honour by Cæcilius CalvertCaecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore ( August 8, 1605 November 30, 1675), inherited on the death of his father George in 1632 the grant by Charles I of England of the new colony of Maryland. Caecilius, called Cecil, thus became Maryland's first Propriet, son of George Calvert, 1st Baron BaltimoreGeorge Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore ( 1580- 1632) was an English politician and coloniser. He was born in Yorkshire, England and educated at Trinity College. In 1606 he was made a clerk of the crown in Connaught province, Ireland and was made a clerk of t.

Henriette-Marie de Bourbon was the youngest daughter of Henry IV of FranceFrans Pourbus the younger. Henry IV ( December 13, 1553 May 14, 1610) was the first of the Bourbon kings of France, reigning from 1589 until 1610. As a Protestant he was involved in the Wars of Religion before acceding to the throne; as King he converted and Maria de Medici and the sister of the future Louis XIII of FranceLouis XIII ( September 27 1601 May 14 1643) was King of France from 1610 to 1643. Born at the Chateau de Fontainebleau, Louis was the first child of Henri IV and Marie de Medicis. He ascended to the throne at age nine after the assassination of his father. Her father was killed before she was one; her mother was banished in 1617.

She was born at the LouvreThe Louvre Museum Musee du Louvre , located in Paris, is one of the largest and most famous museums in the world. The building, a former royal palace (see below), lies in the centre of Paris, between the Seine river and the Rue de Rivoli. Its central cour Palace and brought up as a Roman CatholicThe Roman Catholic Church (often called simply the Catholic Church, but see Catholicism for other meanings of the term "Catholic Church") is a worldwide body of Christians in full communion with the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, and subscribing to the beliefs. This made her an unpopular choice of wife for the English King, whom she married by proxy on May 11 1625, shortly after his accession to the throne. They were married in person at St Augustine's Church, Canterbury, Kent, on June 13 1626. However, her religion made it impossible for her to be crowned with her husband in an Anglican service. Initially their relationship was cold. Henrietta Maria had brought many servants with her from France, all of them Catholic, and all costing the King a lot of money to maintain. It is said that eventually Charles sent this retinue home, only allowing his teenage bride to retain her chaplain and two ladies in waiting. Sadly watching the retinue depart for France at the window of a palace, Charles angrily and forcibly dragged his wayward queen away. Charles had intended to marry a daughter of Philip III of Spain, but a mission to Spain in 1623 had failed. Every time the two would meet, they would start arguing, and would separate, not seeing each other for weeks. They would meet again, and have to separate again, because they could not stop arguing.

Henrietta Maria was not close to George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, the King's favourite. Buckingham was murdered in August 1628, probably with the backing of Queen Henrietta and her French faction at the Royal court. After this her relationship with the King improved and they finally found deep bonds of love and affection. Her refusal to give up her Catholic faith alienated her from the people and certain powerful courtiers such as William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury and Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford. Charles, on the other hand, had definite leanings towards Catholicism, and, once he had reached maturity, did not share his father's sexual ambivalence. Henrietta Maria gave birth to ten children, six of whom survived into adulthood, and also had several miscarriages. Their surviving children were Charles (b. 1630), Mary, Princess Royal (later Princess of Orange) (b. 1631), James (b. 1633), Anne (b. 1637), Elizabeth (b. 1636), Henry, Duke of Gloucester (b. 1640), and Henrietta Anne, Duchess of Orleans (b. 1644).

Henrietta Maria increasingly took part in national affairs as the country moved towards open conflict through the 1630s. She allied with Puritan courtiers to deflect a diplomatic approach to Spain and sought a coup to pre-empt the Parliamentarians. As war approached she was active in seeking funds and support for her husband, but her concentration on Catholic sources like the Pope and the French angered many in England and hindered Charles' efforts.

In August 1642, when the conflict began, she was in Europe. She did not return to England until early 1643. She landed in Yorkshire and tried to rally support for the Royalists in northern England. The collapse of the king's position and his refusal to negotiate led her to flee to France with her sons in July 1644. Charles was executed in 1649, leaving her almost destitute.

She settled in Paris, appointing as her chancellor the eccentric Sir Kenelm Digby. She angered both Royalists in exile and her eldest son by attempting to convert her youngest son, Henry, to Catholicism. She returned to England following the Restoration in October 1660 and lived as 'Dowager Queen' at Somerset House in London until 1665 when she returned permanently to France. Her financial problems were resolved by a generous pension. She founded a covent at Chaillot, where she settled.

Henrietta Maria died at Château de Colombes, and was buried in the Royal tombs at Saint Denis Basilica near Paris.