Marie Félicie des Ursins ( it, Maria Felice

Orsini Orsini is a surname of Italian origin, originally derived from Latin ''ursinus'' ("bearlike") and originating as an epithet or sobriquet describing the name-bearer's purported strength. Notable people with the surname include the following: *Angel ...

; 11 November 16005 June 1666) was the wife of Henri de Montmorency, 4th Duke of Montmorency, governor of

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 ...

. She was born into the

House of Orsini The House of Orsini is an Nobility of Italy, Italian noble family that was one of the most influential princely families in Middle Ages, medieval Italy and Renaissance Rome. Members of the Orsini family include five popes: Pope Stephen II, Steph ...

in the

Pitti Palace The Palazzo Pitti (), in English sometimes called the Pitti Palace, is a vast, mainly Renaissance, palace in Florence, Italy. It is situated on the south side of the River Arno, a short distance from the Ponte Vecchio. The core of the present ...

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...

. She was daughter of

Virginio Orsini, Duke of Bracciano Virginio Orsini (September 1572 – 9 September 1615) was the second Duke of Bracciano, member of the Orsini family and knight of the order of the Golden Fleece. He was the son of Paolo Giordano I Orsini and Isabella de' Medici, and inherited h ...

and his wife Flavia Peretti, a niece of

Pope Sixtus V Pope Sixtus V ( it, Sisto V; 13 December 1521 – 27 August 1590), born Felice Piergentile, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 24 April 1585 to his death in August 1590. As a youth, he joined the Franciscan order ...

. Wise and pious, very focused on charity and good works, she lived at the Château of Chantilly, choosing to reside in a cottage ("Sylvie's House") in the park in order to escape the bustle of the main building. She retired permanently to the Convent of the Visitation at Moulins-sur-Allier after her husband was executed for treason on 30 October 1632. She died there, aged 65. Her inspiring life and character, combining tenderness and strength, earned her the admiration of contemporaries and the praise of many poets. It was

Théophile de Viau Théophile de Viau (159025 September 1626) was a French Baroque poet and dramatist. Life Born at Clairac, near Agen in the Lot-et-Garonne and raised as a Huguenot, Théophile de Viau participated in the Huguenot rebellions in Guyenne from 1615� ...

who gave her the nickname "Sylvie" in reference to her love of woodland animals. She gave the libertine poet her friendship and protection. '' La Silvanire'' by

Jean Mairet Jean (de) Mairet (10 May 160431 January 1686) was a classical french dramatist who wrote both tragedies and comedies. Life He was born at Besançon, and went to Paris to study at the Collège des Grassins about 1625. In that year he produced ...

is dedicated to her.

Bibliography

* ''Mémoires sur la vie de Marie Félicie des Ursins de Montmorency.'' Mgr. Paul Fliche. Poitiers: H. Oudin frères, 1877. (2 vols) * ''Le journal des Demoiselles'', A. Chevalier, 15 October 1900. 1600 births 1666 deaths 17th-century Italian nobility 17th-century French women 17th-century Italian women Marie-Felicie Marie-Felicie French duchesses by marriage {{France-noble-stub