John II, Duke of Lorraine in the context of René I of Naples

The House of Habsburg-Lorraine (German: Haus Habsburg-Lothringen) originated from the marriage in 1736 of Francis III, Duke of Lorraine and Bar, and Maria Theresa of Austria, later successively Queen of Bohemia, Queen of Hungary, Queen of Germany, Queen of Croatia and Archduchess of Austria, etc. etc. Its members form the legitimate surviving line of both the House of Habsburg and the House of Lorraine, and they inherited their patrimonial possessions from the female line of the House of Habsburg and from the male line of the House of Lorraine.

The House of Lorraine's branch of Vaudémont and Guise became the main branch after a brief interlude in 1453–1473, when the duchy passed in right of Charles de Bourbon's daughter to her husband, John of Calabria, a Capetian. Lorraine reverted to the House of Vaudémont, a junior branch of the House of Lorraine, in the person of René II, who later added to his titles that of Duke of Bar.

Nicholas of Anjou (July 1448 – 27 July 1473) was the son of John II, Duke of Lorraine and Marie de Bourbon.

Nicholas was born and died in Nancy. He succeeded his father in 1470 as Duke of Lorraine, and assumed the titles of Marquis of Pont-à-Mousson, Duke of Calabria, and Prince of Girona, as heir apparent of Bar, Naples, and Aragon respectively.

Marie de Bourbon (1428 – 7 July 1448) was a French noblewoman. She was the eldest daughter of Charles I, Duke of Bourbon and Agnes of Burgundy, and married John II, who was styled Duke of Calabria and acceded to the title of Duke of Lorraine after Marie's death. Marie was thus styled Duchess of Calabria.

The marriage contract was signed in April 1438, however, the ceremony took place around 1444 when she was older and would be able to consummate the marriage. Marie and John had five children: