DIANE DE FRANCE (1538-1619), duchess of Montmor ency and Angouleme, was the natural daughter of Henry II. of France and a young Piedmontese, Filippa Duc. She was a beau tiful and accomplished girl. She married in 1553 Horace Farnese, son of the duke of Parma, who was killed at the siege of Hesdin shortly after the marriage. In 1559 she married Francois de Montmorency, one of the leaders of the politiques. After her husband's death she exercised a wise and moderating influence at the courts of Henry III. and Henry IV. successively.
See Brantome, ed. by Lalanne in the Coll. de la societe d'histoire de France, Vol. viii. (1875) ; J. de Thou, Historia sui temporis . . . ; Matthieu de Morgues, Oraison f unebre de Diane de France (Paris, 1619).