Élisabeth de Mac Mahon née Elisabeth Charlotte Sophie de la Croix de Castries (13 February 1834 – 20 February 1900) was the wife of the

President of France The president of France, officially the president of the French Republic (french: Président de la République française), is the executive head of state of France, and the commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces. As the presidency i ...

Patrice de MacMahon Marie Edme Patrice Maurice de MacMahon, marquis de MacMahon, duc de Magenta (; 13 June 1808 – 17 October 1893) was a French general and politician, with the distinction of Marshal of France. He served as Chief of State of France from 1873 to 1 ...

Biography

de la Croix de Castries was born in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

in 1834, the daughter of Comte Armand de la Croix de Castries (1807–1862), of the

House of Castries The house of la Croix de Castries () is a French noble family from Languedoc. The city of Castries in the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia was named after one of its members. History Their heraldic shield is "Azure (heraldry), azure, on a cross, ...

, a noble family from

Languedoc The Province of Languedoc (; , ; oc, Lengadòc ) is a former province of France. Most of its territory is now contained in the modern-day region of Occitanie in Southern France. Its capital city was Toulouse. It had an area of approximately ...

, by his wife Maria Augusta d′Harcourt, of the

House of Harcourt The House of Harcourt is a Duchy of Normandy, Norman family, and named after its Fief, seigneurie of Harcourt, Eure, Harcourt in Normandy. Its mottos were "Gesta verbis praeveniant" (Olonde branch), "Gesta verbis praevenient" (Beuvron branch), ...

. She married, on 14 March 1854, Patrice de Mac-Mahon, who was to become

Marechal de France Marshal of France (french: Maréchal de France, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished (1 ...

and Duke of Magenta in 1859. Her spouse became

in 1873. Élisabeth de Mac Mahon established and participated in representation, decorated the Presidential Palace, hosted balls where she mixed the old and new aristocracy, dressed in the latest fashion and became the president in the French Red Cross, where she started a charity project in making baby clothes for the poor. Élisabeth de Mac Mahon is known to have exerted influence upon the affairs of state during the presidency of Mac-Mahon. Her opinion about various political ministers and officials were respected, and she supported the claims of the count of Chambord on the throne of France. She played a part in the 16 May 1877 crisis, which ultimately led to her husband′s resignation in January 1879. In 1898, she had a paralytic attack, from which she only partially recovered, and she died in Paris on 20 February 1900. The Magentas left four children: *Marie–Armand Patrice de MacMahon (1855–1927), who succeeded as Duke of Magenta, and who married Princess Marguerite d′Orleans (1869-1940), daughter of

Prince Robert, Duke of Chartres Prince Robert, Duke of Chartres (Robert Philippe Louis Eugène Ferdinand; 9 November 1840 – 5 December 1910), was the son of Prince Ferdinand Philippe, Duke of Orléans, and thus grandson of King Louis-Philippe of France. He fought for the Unio ...

*Marie-Eugène de MacMahon, comte de MacMahon (1857–1907) *Marie-Emmanuel de MacMahon, comte de MacMahon (1859–1930) *Marie de MacMahon (1863–1964), who married Comte d′Halwin de Piennes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahon, Elisabeth de Mac 1834 births 1900 deaths Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery Spouses of French presidents