MARGARET OF NAVARRE, Queen of Navarre, sister of Francis I. of France, born in Angouleme, France, April 11, 1492; died Dec. 21, 1549. Her training was administered with much care at the court of Louis XII., and her intellectual strength and personal charms made her extremely popular. In 1509 she married the Duke of Alençon, who died in 1525, and two years later she became the wife of Henry of Navarre. Her influence was cast in favor of developing industrial arts, learning; and commercial enterprises, a task for which her culture and wisdom gave her particular fitness. She published "Marguerites de la Marguerite des Princesses," a collection of tales called: "Heptameron," and several volumes of poems. Her only child was Jeanne d'Albert, who became the mother of the French king, Henry IV. The latter was the founder of the royalty of the house of Bourbon.