Claude de Rohan-Gié

Claude de Rohan-Gié (; also Claude de Thoury de Rohan, 1519–1579 CE), was a French lady-in-waiting, best known for being a mistress to Francis I of France.

Early life Jeanne de Saint-Severin,mother of Claude by an unknown artist. Claude was born in 1519 a member of the House of Rohan as the daughter of Charles de Rohan-Gié, vicomte de Fronsac (died in 1529) and his second wife, the Italian noblewoman Giovanna dei Principi Sanseverino di Bisignano.

Claude's paternal grandparents were Pierre de Rohan, and Francoise de Penhoet.

Claude had a brother, Francois de Rohan-Gie who became an ambassador. It is said the king decided to build Château de Chambord in order to be near his lover. The building of the chateau was however already begun in 1519 long before the birth of Claude.

The closeness to Claudes residence would however have been practical for the king to visit her manor Château de Thoury. Later Claude and her husband sold manor to Francis I and relocated to Château de Marais, in Muides-sur-Loire.

In 1541 she was married for the second time to Julien de Clermont-Savoie (died in 1563).

Through this marriage Claude became connected to Diane de Poitiers as Claudes brother in law Antoine III de Clermont had married Dianes sister, Francoise de Poitiers in 1532

In the period 1543–47, Claude served as lady in waiting to the Dauphine, Catherine de' Medici.

She is the subject of several legendary stories and has been portrayed in fiction.

Personal life Claude married two times. She was married in 1537 Claude de Beauvilliers, comte de Saint-Aignan (died in 1595); married Françoise de Noailles and had issue Louise de Clermont, married Annet de Pierrevive,seigneur de Lesigny.

Claudes descendant Amédée Marie de Clermont-Tonnerre (1781–1759), had a funeral monument commissioned from Aimé and Louis Duthoit . The cenotaph features praying sculptures in 16th century style of her and her husband in in 1852