René I the Good

(1409-1480) (René le bon)

   nobility

   Born in Angers, René i the Good was the duke of Bar (1430-80), duke of Lorraine (1431-53) through his marriage with isabelle of Lorraine, duke of Anjou, count of Provence (1434-80), and titular king of Naples. The son of louis II of Anjou and Yolande of Aragon, he inherited the kingdom of Naples (1453) but could not take it from Alphonse V of Aragon (1438-42). René I gave his support to his brother-in-law charles vii of France during the hundred years' war. In his own domains, he created new taxes, centralized the administration, and earned for posterity the name "good king" René for his love of culture. A patron of the arts, he lived an active artistic and literary life in his various possessions, supporting notably the painter nicolas froment. Himself a writer of stories (Le Livre du cœur d'amour épris, 1457), a treatise (Traité de la forme et devis comme on fait les tournois, 1451-52), and poems, he left Provence to his nephew Charles of Maine, who died without issue, thus allowing king louis xi to unite that region with France. René I was the father of marguerite d'anjou.