She had many siblings, including her brothers Francis and James, her father's heirs as rulers of Nevers and Rethel, Henri (who died young), Catherine, and Marie.

[8] As members of the French nobility, the Duc and Duchesse of Nevers, Louis de Gonzaga and Henriette of Cleves, were intimately involved in the religious turmoil, scandalous rumours circulating about their actions and connections.

The Duc was believed to have instigated the bloody Saint Bartholomew’s Day Massacre in August 1572, which led to the deaths of Protestant leaders and sparked the “fourth war” of the conflict.

Henriette was a close friend of Marguerite’s and her rumoured affair with Annibale Coconna one of the Malcontents executed for his role in the attempt to assassinate the king, did further damage to the Nevers reputation.

[9] Perhaps to assuage the doubts of their commitment to France and “the Catholic Apostolic and Roman religion”, on 13 November 1573, the Duc and Duchesse proclaimed the establishment of their charity for the poor girls in their rural domain of Nevers.

From the extant documents, the foundation continued into the eighteenth century, over 200 years after it was established and potentially 1,200 poor girls benefitting from the “good and holy intent” of the Duc and Duchesse.