Michelle of Valois

Part of Michelle's tomb

Although rumors persist that Michelle and her siblings were neglected by their parents, this was not the case. Queen Isabeau purchased luxurious toys, clothes and gifts for her children, and regularly wrote them letters when apart. In times of plague, she ensured they were sent to safety in the countryside.

In June 1409, Michelle married the future Philip III, Duke of Burgundy, later known as Philip the Good. She became melancholic in 1419 following the involvement of her brother, the future King Charles VII of France, in the murder of her father-in-law, John the Fearless. Michelle had borne a daughter, Agnes, but she died in infancy.

Michelle fell ill and died in Ghent in 1422 while her husband was away preparing for the battle of Cone. All of the inhabitants grieved, as she was much loved by the people. Michelle was interred in the monastery of St Bavon near Ghent. Only a fragment of her recumbent tomb still remains.

After her death, it was believed she had been poisoned by a lady attendant from Germany, Dame de Viesville, a close confidante who had been dismissed to Aire just before Michelle's death. The lady was never charged.