Margaret of Austria, Duchess of Savoy

The "Dame de deuil" - Lady of Mourning, a title given to her by her court historian and poet Jean Lemaire de Belges, - Margaret of Austria, Duchess of Savoy vowed to never remarry after her second husband Philibert II, Duke of Savoy died after three years of marriage. She broke new ground for women rulers as she first became the only woman elected as its ruler by the representative assembly of Franche-Comté. Her father, the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Maximilian named her governor of the Low Countries and guardian of her nephew Charles until he came of age and became Holy Roman Emperor himself. Her reign has brought relative peace and prosperity, she has negotiated a treaty of commerce with England favorable to the Flemish cloth interests, negotiated the Treaty of Cambrai, the so-called Ladies' Peace, together with Louise of Savoy and she acts as as intermediary between her father and her nephew's subjects in the Netherlands. Charles has recognized Margaret as one of his wisest advisers, after a short period where he rebelled against her influence.