Gabrielle D' Estrees, mistress of Henry IV. of France, born in 1571, died April 10, 1599. Her father and mother were of noble birth. Gabrielle, who possessed remarkable beauty, was but 16 years old when her mother introduced her to the notice of Henry III.; but she retained his favor only a short time. She soon became well known for the number and rank of her lovers, among whom were the cardinal de Guise and the dukes de Bellegarde and Longue-ville. In 1590 she met Henry IV. for the first time at the chateau of Coeuvres, where she resided with her family. She inspired the monarch with a violent passion, which, however, did not interrupt her relation with her old lover, the duke de Bellegarde. The king caused her to take M. de Liancourt for her nominal husband, but subsequently divorced her, and raised her to the rank of marchioness of Monceaux, and in 1595 to that of duchess of Beaufort. He lavished riches upon her in great profusion, and at the time of her death she was the owner of more than a dozen estates, some of which are still pointed out in the vicinity of Paris. Her extravagance was unbounded.

Henry would have divorced himself (as he afterward did) from Margaret of Valois, his legitimate wife, for the purpose of raising Gabrielle to the throne of France, if it had not been for his minister and friend Sully, who was the only person with whose influence she was unable to cope. Even this Henry appeared inclined to override, when the sudden death of Gabrielle, which many believed to have been caused by poison, ended the matter. She had three children by the king.