Marie Victoire Pauline Adrienne de Folliot de Crenneville (1766–1845) was an Austrian courtier. She was the royal governess (''Aia'') of
Marie Louise, Empress of the French. She had a great deal of influence over the Austrian affairs of state due to her connections in circa 1792-1806.
Life
She was born to French nobleman François Méderic
Folliot de Crenneville (1735-1802) and Anne Pierrette Charlotte du Poutet (b. 1746). She married three times. First to the French baron Charles de Poutet. Secondly to the Austrian count Franz de Paula Karl von
Colloredo-Mansfeld
The House of Colloredo-Mansfeld () is an originally Italian noble family of which a branch came to Austria in the late 16th century. There they were raised to barons in 1588, imperial counts in 1727 and imperial princes (in primogeniture) in 1763. ...
. She married for the third time in 1816 to
Charles Eugene, Prince of Lambesc
Charles Eugène of Lorraine (25 September 1751 – 2 November 1825) was the head of and last male member of the House of Guise, the cadet branch of the House of Lorraine which dominated France during the Wars of Religion, remained prominent as '' p ...
. She divorced Lambesc in 1817.
She was appointed to the office of Imperial governess to the emperor's eldest daughter Marie Louise, in succession to Countess Wrbna. She was a friend of the State Minister, Thugut, who recommended her to the position. Marie Louise became very devoted to her, and her daughter Victoire de Poutet became the playmate and life long correspondent of Marie Louise from 1799 onward.
Crenneville reportedly aided Colloredo in having minister Schloisnig removed from his position, and getting Thugut in to the cabinet. After the fall of Schloisnig, Colloredo came in a position of power, with state affairs now influenced by "a camarilla of ladies" consisting of the Empress, her mother, and Crenneville, who were referred to by
Talleyrand as "the sovereigns of Vienna." The Imperial court and government came to be divided in the view on Napoleon by the Peace Party consisting of Manfredini, Ligne, Thugut and Archduke Charles; and the War Party consisting of Cobenzel, Colloredo, the Empress and Victoire de Folliot de Crenneville. Napoleon referred to her as "the intriguing countess".
[Cuthell, Edith E: ]
Vol 1: An imperial victim : Marie Louise, Archduchess of Austria, Empress of the French, Duchess of Parma
', 1911
When Napoleon attacked and occupied Vienna in 1805, the Emperor and Empress fled to Olmütz with their youngest daughter Leopoldine, while the rest of the imperial children were evacuated to Budapest and then to Galicia under the supervision of Victoire de Folliot de Crenneville. The same year, however, came the fall of Colloredo, and she lost her position in parallel with her spouse. They were both banished to their estates. Marie Louise was allowed to correspond with her after her dismissal.
References
{{reflist
* Cuthell, Edith E:
Vol 1: An imperial victim : Marie Louise, Archduchess of Austria, Empress of the French, Duchess of Parma', 1911
Austrian ladies-in-waiting
Governesses to Austrian royalty
1766 births
1845 deaths
