''Dame d'atour'' was an office at the royal court of France. It existed in nearly all French courts from the 16th-century onward. The ''dame d'honneur'' was selected from the members of the highest

French nobility The French nobility (french: la noblesse française) was a privileged social class in France from the Middle Ages until its abolition on June 23, 1790 during the French Revolution. From 1808 to 1815 during the First Empire the Emperor Napol ...

History

At least from the

Isabeau of Bavaria Isabeau of Bavaria (or Isabelle; also Elisabeth of Bavaria-Ingolstadt; c. 1370 – September 1435) was Queen of France from 1385 to 1422. She was born into the House of Wittelsbach as the only daughter of Duke Stephen III of Bavaria-Ingols ...

's tenure as queen, there had been a post named ''demoiselle d'atour'' or ''femme d'atour'', but this had originally been the title of the queen's chambermaids and divided among several people. The office of ''dame d'atour'', created in 1534, was one of the highest-ranking offices among the ladies-in-waiting of the queen and given only to members of the nobility.Nadine Akkerman & Birgit Houben, eds. ''The Politics of Female Households: Ladies-in-waiting across Early Modern Europe'' Leiden: Brill, 2013 The ''dame d'atour'' had the responsibility of the queen's wardrobe and jewelry and supervised the dressing of the queen and the chamber staff of ''femme du chambre''. When the ''

dame d'honneur Dame d'honneur or Dame d’honneur was a common title for two categories of French ladies-in-waiting, who are often confused because of the similarity. Dame d'honneur can be: * Short for Première dame d'honneur, which were commonly shortened to ...

'' was absent, she was replaced by the ''dame d'atour'' as the supervisor of the female personnel of the queen.

List of ''Dames d'atour'' to the queens and empresses of France

Dame d'atour to
Catherine de' Medici Catherine de' Medici ( it, Caterina de' Medici, ; french: Catherine de Médicis, ; 13 April 1519 – 5 January 1589) was an Florentine noblewoman born into the Medici family. She was Queen of France from 1547 to 1559 by marriage to King ...
1547–1589

* 1547–1549 :

Marie-Catherine Gondi Marie Catherine Gondi, née ''de Pierrevive'', dame du Perron and dame d'Armentières (circa 1500 – 1570), was a French court official, a trusted favorite and confidant of the queen regent of France, Catherine de Medici. She served as ''Dame d'ato ...

* 1549-1552 : Jacqueline de l'Hospital Dame d'Aisnay * 1552–1559 :

Madeleine Buonaiuti Madeleine Buonaiuti (d. 1580), was a French court official.Jean-François Solnon, Catherine de Médicis' She served as ''dame d'atours'' to the queen of France, Catherine de' Medici from 1552, and as such the deputy ''Première dame d'honneur'' in ...

, Madame Alamanni, Mme de Gondi

Dame d'atour to Élisabeth d'Autriche

* 1570–1574: Marguerite de La Marck-Arenberg

Dame d'atour to
Louise of Lorraine Louise of Lorraine (french: Louise de Lorraine-Vaudémont; 30 April 1553 – 29 January 1601) was Queen of France as the wife of King Henry III from their marriage on 15 February 1575 until his death on 2 August 1589. During the first three mon ...
1575–1601

* 1575–1590: Louise de la Béraudière

Dame d'atour to Marie de' Medici 1600–1632

* 1600–1617: Leonora Dori
Marie de Medicis and the French court in the XVIIth century
' * 1617–1619: ''Vacant'' * 1619–1625: Nicole du Plessis de Mailly, marquise de Brezé * 1625–1631:

Duchesse d'Aiguillon Marie Madeleine de Vignerot du Pont de Courlay, Duchesse d'Aiguillon (160417 April 1675) was a French aristocrat, also remembered for her charitable work and her patronage of artists and mathematicians. Biography Courlay was the daughter of Car ...

Dame d'atour to
Anne of Austria Anne of Austria (french: Anne d'Autriche, italic=no, es, Ana María Mauricia, italic=no; 22 September 1601 – 20 January 1666) was an infanta of Spain who became Queen of France as the wife of King Louis XIII from their marriage in 1615 unti ...
1615–1666

* 1615–1619: Luisa de Osorio (jointly with de Vernet) * 1615-1626:

Antoinette d'Albert de Luynes Antoinette d'Albert de Luynes (died 1644) was a French court official. She served as the ''dame d'atour'' to the queen of France, Anne of Austria, between 1615 and 1626. Life She was the daughter of Honoré d'Albert, seigneur de Luynes, and Anne de ...

, Dame de Vernet (jointly with de Osorio) * 1626-1626:

Marie-Catherine de Senecey Marie-Catherine de Senecey, née ''de La Rochefoucauld-Randan'' (1588–1677) was a French courtier. She served as ''Première dame d'honneur'' to the queen of France, Anne of Austria, from 1626 until 1638, and royal governess to king Louis XIV of ...

* 1626-1630:

Madeleine du Fargis Madeleine du Fargis, née ''de Silly'' (died 1639), was a French courtier and agent. She served as ''dame d'atour'' to the queen of France, Anne of Austria, in 1626–1630. She was an intimate favorite and influential confidant of the queen. Life ...

* 1630–1657:

Catherine le Voyer de Lignerolles Catherine Le Voyer (1571-1657), was a French court official. Kleinman, Ruth: Anne of Austria. Queen of France. . Ohio State University Press (1985) She served as the ''dame d'atour''s to the queen of France, Anne of Austria in between 1630 and 165 ...

, Baronne du Bellay, Dame de la Flotte ** ''1637–1639:

Marie de Hautefort Marie de Hautefort (1616 – 1691), was a French noble and lady-in-waiting, a trusted confidante and adviser of King Louis XIII of France. They did not have a sexual relationship and she was thereby a favorite rather than a royal mistress. She w ...

, 'Madame de Hautefort' (deputy dame d'atour, first term)'' ** ''1643–1644:

, duchesse de Schomberg (second term as deputy)'' * 1657–1666: Louise Boyer, duchesse de Noailles

Dame d'atour to
Maria Theresa of Spain Maria Theresa of Spain ( es, María Teresa de Austria; french: Marie-Thérèse d'Autriche; 10 September 1638 – 30 July 1683) was Queen of France from 1660 to 1683 as the wife of King Louis XIV. She was born an Infanta of Spain and Portugal a ...
1660–1683

* 1660–1683: Anne Marie de Beauvilliers, Countess of Bethune

Dame d'atour to
Marie Leszczyńska Maria Karolina Zofia Felicja Leszczyńska (; ; 23 June 1703 – 24 June 1768), also known as Marie Leczinska, was Queen of France as the wife of King Louis XV from their marriage on 4 September 1725 until her death in 1768. The daughter of Stanis ...
1725–1768

* 1725–1731: Anne-Marie-Francoise de Sainte-Hermine, comtesse de Mailly * 1731-1742: Francoise de Mailly, duchesse de Mazarin * 1742–1768: Amable-Gabrielle de Noailles, duchesse de Villars

Dame d'atour to Marie Antoinette 1770–1791

* 1770-1771: Amable-Gabrielle de Villars * 1771–1775: Adelaide-Diane-Hortense Mancini-Mazarin, duchesse de Cossé * 1775–1775: Laure-Auguste de Fitz-James, Princess de Chimay * 1775–1781: Marie-Jeanne de Talleyrand-Périgord, duchesse de Mailly * 1781–1791:

Geneviève de Gramont Genevieve (french: link=no, Sainte Geneviève; la, Sancta Genovefa, Genoveva; 419/422 AD – 502/512 AD) is the patroness saint of Paris in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions. Her feast is on 3 January. Genevieve was born in Nanterre an ...

, comtesse d'Ossun

Dame d'atour to
Joséphine de Beauharnais Josephine may refer to: People * Josephine (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Josephine (singer), a Greek pop singer Places Josephine, Texas, United States Mount Josephine (disambiguation) * Josephine Count ...
1804–1809

* 1804–1809:

Émilie de Beauharnais Émilie de Beauharnais, comtesse de Lavalette (1781–1855), was a French court official, '' dame d'atour'' to Empress Joséphine of France. Life She was the daughter of François VI de Beauharnais and Françoise de Beauharnais and thus related ...

Dame d'atour to
Marie Louise Marie Louise or Marie-Louise may refer to: People Marie Louise of Orléans (1662–1689), daughter of Philippe I, Duke of Orléans, queen consort of Charles II of Spain Marie Louise of Hesse-Kassel (1688–1765), daughter of Charles I, Landgrave ...
1810–1814

* 1810–1814:

Jeanne Charlotte du Luçay Jeanne Charlotte du Luçay née ''Papillon d'Auteroche'' (1769-1842), was a French court official, '' Dame du Palais'' to Empress Joséphine and '' Dame d'atour'' to Empress Marie Louise of France. Life Jeanne Charlotte du Luçay was married to co ...

References

{{Reflist *

Mathieu da Vinha Mathieu da Vinha (born 15 March 1976) is a 21st-century French historian. He is the author of several studies or biographies relating to life under the reign of king Louis XIV. A research associate, he is the scientific director of the Palace of Ve ...

& Raphaël Masson: ''Versailles: Histoire, Dictionnaire et Anthologie'' * Anselme de Sainte-Marie & Ange de Sainte-Rosalie: ''Histoire généalogique et chronologique de la Maison Royale de France'' Ancien Régime Ancien Régime office-holders French monarchy Court titles in the Ancien Régime Gendered occupations French royal court

History

List of ''Dames d'atour'' to the queens and empresses of France

Dame d'atour to Catherine de' Medici Catherine de' Medici ( it, Caterina de' Medici, ; french: Catherine de Médicis, ; 13 April 1519 – 5 January 1589) was an Florentine noblewoman born into the Medici family. She was Queen of France from 1547 to 1559 by marriage to King ... 1547–1589

Dame d'atour to Élisabeth d'Autriche

Dame d'atour to Louise of Lorraine Louise of Lorraine (french: Louise de Lorraine-Vaudémont; 30 April 1553 – 29 January 1601) was Queen of France as the wife of King Henry III from their marriage on 15 February 1575 until his death on 2 August 1589. During the first three mon ... 1575–1601

Dame d'atour to Marie de' Medici 1600–1632

Dame d'atour to Anne of Austria Anne of Austria (french: Anne d'Autriche, italic=no, es, Ana María Mauricia, italic=no; 22 September 1601 – 20 January 1666) was an infanta of Spain who became Queen of France as the wife of King Louis XIII from their marriage in 1615 unti ... 1615–1666

Dame d'atour to Maria Theresa of Spain Maria Theresa of Spain ( es, María Teresa de Austria; french: Marie-Thérèse d'Autriche; 10 September 1638 – 30 July 1683) was Queen of France from 1660 to 1683 as the wife of King Louis XIV. She was born an Infanta of Spain and Portugal a ... 1660–1683

Dame d'atour to Marie Leszczyńska Maria Karolina Zofia Felicja Leszczyńska (; ; 23 June 1703 – 24 June 1768), also known as Marie Leczinska, was Queen of France as the wife of King Louis XV from their marriage on 4 September 1725 until her death in 1768. The daughter of Stanis ... 1725–1768