Anne Marie Louise D'Orléans, Duchess Of Montpensier
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Anne Marie Louise d'Orléans, Duchess of Montpensier, (,  – ) known as ''La Grande Mademoiselle'', was the only daughter of Gaston d'Orléans with his first wife,
Marie de Bourbon, Duchess of Montpensier Marie de Bourbon (15 October 1605 – 4 June 1627), Duchess of Montpensier, and Duchess of Orléans by marriage, was a French noblewoman and one of the last members of the House of Bourbon-Montpensier. Her parents were Henri de Bourbon, '' D ...
. One of the greatest heiresses in history, she died unmarried and childless, leaving her vast fortune to her cousin
Philippe I, Duke of Orléans ''Monsieur'' Philippe I, Duke of Orléans (21 September 1640 – 9 June 1701), was the younger son of King Louis XIII of France and his wife, Anne of Austria. His elder brother was the "Sun King", Louis XIV. Styled Duke of Anjou from bir ...
. After a string of proposals from various members of European ruling families, including Charles II of England,
Afonso VI of Portugal Afonso VI (; 21 August 164312 September 1683), known as "the Victorious" (), was the second king of Portugal of the House of Braganza from 1656 until his death. He was initially under the regency of his mother, Luisa de Guzmán, until 1662, whe ...
, and
Charles Emmanuel II of Savoy Charles Emmanuel II ( it, Carlo Emanuele II di Savoia); 20 June 1634 – 12 June 1675) was Duke of Savoy from 1638 to 1675 and under regency of his mother Christine of France until 1648. He was also Marquis of Saluzzo, Count of Aosta, Geneva, M ...
, she eventually fell in love with the
courtier A courtier () is a person who attends the royal court of a monarch or other royalty. The earliest historical examples of courtiers were part of the retinues of rulers. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the official ...
Antoine Nompar de Caumont Antoine Nompar de Caumont, duc de Lauzun (, 163219 November 1723) was a French courtier and soldier. He was the only love interest of the "greatest heiress in Europe", Anne Marie Louise d'Orléans, Duchess of Montpensier, cousin of Louis XIV. ...
and scandalised the court of France when she asked
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
for permission to marry him, as such a union was viewed as a '' mésalliance''. She is best remembered for her role in the ''
Fronde The Fronde () was a series of civil wars in France between 1648 and 1653, occurring in the midst of the Franco-Spanish War, which had begun in 1635. King Louis XIV confronted the combined opposition of the princes, the nobility, the law cour ...
'' and her role in bringing the famous composer Jean-Baptiste Lully to the king's court,Cowart, p 19 and her ''Mémoires''.


Early years

Anne Marie Louise d'Orléans was born at the
Palais du Louvre The Louvre Palace (french: link=no, Palais du Louvre, ), often referred to simply as the Louvre, is an iconic French palace located on the Right Bank of the Seine in Paris, occupying a vast expanse of land between the Tuileries Gardens and the ...
in Paris on 29 May 1627. Her father was Gaston, Duke of Orléans; as the eldest surviving brother of King
Louis XIII Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown ...
, he was known at court by the traditional honorific Monsieur. Her mother, 21-year-old
Marie de Bourbon, Duchess of Montpensier Marie de Bourbon (15 October 1605 – 4 June 1627), Duchess of Montpensier, and Duchess of Orléans by marriage, was a French noblewoman and one of the last members of the House of Bourbon-Montpensier. Her parents were Henri de Bourbon, '' D ...
, was the only surviving member of the Montpensier branch of the House of Bourbon. When she died five days after giving birth, she left the newborn Anne Marie, the new Duchess of Montpensier, heiress to an immense fortune which included five
duchies A duchy, also called a dukedom, is a medieval country, territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess, a ruler hierarchically second to the king or queen in Western European tradition. There once existed an important difference between " ...
, the Dauphinate of Auvergne, and the sovereign Principality of Dombes, found in the historical province of Burgundy. As the eldest daughter of ''Monsieur'', Anne Marie Louise was officially known as ''Mademoiselle'' from the time of her birth, and, because she was the granddaughter of a King of France, Henry IV, her uncle Louis XIII created for her the new title of ''
petite-fille de France ''Fils de France'' (, ''Son of France'') was the style and rank held by the sons of the kings and dauphins of France. A daughter was known as a fille de France (, ''Daughter of France''). The children of the dauphin (a title reserved for the ki ...
'' ("Granddaughter of France"). Mademoiselle was moved from the Louvre to the
Palais des Tuileries The Tuileries Palace (french: Palais des Tuileries, ) was a royal and imperial palace in Paris which stood on the right bank of the River Seine, directly in front of the Louvre. It was the usual Parisian residence of most French monarchs, ...
and placed under the care of Madame de Saint Georges, the governess of royal children, who taught her how to read and write. Mademoiselle always had a great sense of self-importance and when asked about her maternal grandmother
Henriette Catherine de Joyeuse Henriette Catherine de Joyeuse (8 January 1585 – 25 February 1656) was the daughter of Henri de Joyeuse and Catherine de Nogaret Nogaret de La Valette. She married her first husband, Henri de Bourbon, Duke of Montpensier, on 15 May 1597 an ...
she replied that she was not her grandmother, because her grandmother was "not a queen". She grew up in the company of Mademoiselle de Longueville, as well as the sisters of the '' Maréchal de Gramont''. Mademoiselle was very close to her father Gaston, Duke of Orléans. Gaston was involved in multiple conspiracies against Louis XIII and his chief advisor Cardinal Richelieu, and generally on bad terms with the court. When Gaston fell in love with
Marguerite of Lorraine Marguerite of Lorraine (22 July 1615 – 13 April 1672), Duchess of Orléans, was the wife of Gaston, younger brother of Louis XIII of France. As Gaston had married her in secret in defiance of the King, Louis had their marriage nullified when it ...
, Louis XIII refused to give his brother permission to marry— France and Lorraine were enemies, and a prince of the blood and heir to the throne was not legally allowed to marry without the king's permission. Nonetheless, Gaston secretly married Marguerite in January 1632.Velde, François. Heraldica.org. Morganatic and Secret Marriages in the French Royal Family.
Royal Consent: the case of Gaston d'Orléans
'. Retrieved 27 February 2010
When Louis found out, he had the marriage annulled and the couple exiled from court. As a child, Mademoiselle lived with her governess at the
Palais des Tuileries The Tuileries Palace (french: Palais des Tuileries, ) was a royal and imperial palace in Paris which stood on the right bank of the River Seine, directly in front of the Louvre. It was the usual Parisian residence of most French monarchs, ...
. Gaston resided at
Blois Blois ( ; ) is a commune and the capital city of Loir-et-Cher department, in Centre-Val de Loire, France, on the banks of the lower Loire river between Orléans and Tours. With 45,898 inhabitants by 2019, Blois is the most populated city of the ...
, where Mademoiselle visited him frequently. After his secret marriage, Mademoiselle did not see her father for two years. When she finally did see him again in October 1634, the seven-year-old Mademoiselle "flung herself into his arms". After learning that Cardinal Richelieu, her godfather, was behind her father's exile, Mademoiselle would sing street songs and
lampoons A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its s ...
in the presence of the cardinal himself, earning her a scolding from the cardinal. At the birth of the future
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
in 1638, the determined Mademoiselle decided that she would marry him, calling him "her little husband" to the amusement of
Louis XIII Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown ...
. Richelieu subsequently reprimanded her for her remarks. Her father on the other hand wanted her to marry
Louis, Count of Soissons Louis de Bourbon, Comte de Soissons (May 1604 – 6 July 1641) was the son of Charles de Bourbon, Count of Soissons and Anne de Montafié. A second cousin of Louis XIII of France he was a '' prince du Sang'', those considered part of the Roy ...
, a descendant of Charles, Duke of Vendôme, one of his old co-conspirators. The marriage never materialised. When Mademoiselle's governess, Madame de Saint Georges, died in 1643, Mademoiselle's father chose Madame de Fiesque as her replacement. Mademoiselle was devastated at the death of her former governess and, not keen on having a new governess, was an awkward student; she later recalled that she once locked Madame de Fiesque in her room and Madame de Fiesque's grandson in another. On his deathbed in May 1643, Louis XIII finally accepted Gaston's plea for forgiveness and authorized his marriage to Marguerite; the couple were married in July 1643 before the Archbishop of Paris and, as the Duke and Duchess of Orléans, were finally received at court. Louis XIII's death left Louis XIV (then about 6 years old) as King of France, and Louis XIII's widow Queen Anne as regent during her son's minority. When the wife of
Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand III Ferdinand III (Ferdinand Ernest; 13 July 1608, in Graz – 2 April 1657, in Vienna) was from 1621 Archduke of Austria, King of Hungary from 1625, King of Croatia and Bohemia from 1627 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1637 until his death in 1657. Fe ...
died in May 1646, Mademoiselle considered marriage to Ferdinand, but the regent, Queen Anne, under the influence of Mazarin, ignored Mademoiselle's pleas. Louis XIV (then 8 years old) and his younger brother,
Philippe, Duke of Anjou Philippe, Duke of Anjou (Philippe Louis; 30 August 1730 – 7 April 1733) was a French prince and the second son of king Louis XV of France and Marie Leszczyńska. He was styled Duke of Anjou from birth. Biography Philippe was born at the Pala ...
(then 6 years old) were too young to be married. Queen Anne suggested her brother, Cardinal Ferdinand of Austria, but Mademoiselle declined. The "wealthiest single princess of Europe" was left without suitable marriage prospects.


Fronde

One of the key areas of the life of Mademoiselle was her involvement in the period of French history known as the ''
Fronde The Fronde () was a series of civil wars in France between 1648 and 1653, occurring in the midst of the Franco-Spanish War, which had begun in 1635. King Louis XIV confronted the combined opposition of the princes, the nobility, the law cour ...
'', a
civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
in France marked by two distinct phases known as the ''Fronde Parlementaire'' (1648–1649) and the ''Fronde des nobles'' (1650–1653). The former was precipitated by a tax levied on judicial officers of the
Parlement of Paris The Parliament of Paris (french: Parlement de Paris) was the oldest ''parlement'' in the Kingdom of France, formed in the 14th century. It was fixed in Paris by Philip IV of France in 1302. The Parliament of Paris would hold sessions inside the ...
that was met with a refusal to pay and the emergence of Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Condé (future ''Grand Condé''), as a rebel figure who took the city of Paris by siege. The influence of
Cardinal Mazarin Cardinal Jules Mazarin (, also , , ; 14 July 1602 – 9 March 1661), born Giulio Raimondo Mazzarino () or Mazarini, was an Italian cardinal, diplomat and politician who served as the chief minister to the Kings of France Louis XIII and Louis X ...
was also opposed. At the
Peace of Rueil The Peace of Rueil (french: Paix de Rueil, or ), signed 11 March 1649, signalled an end to the opening episodes of the Fronde (a period of civil war in the Kingdom of France) after little blood had been shed. The articles ended all hostilities ...
of 1 April 1649, the Fronde Parlementaire ended, and the court returned to Paris in August amid great celebration. Mademoiselle caught
smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by variola virus (often called smallpox virus) which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) c ...
, but survived the illness. Having convalesced, Mademoiselle befriended Claire Clémence de Brézé, ''Madame la Princesse'', the unwanted wife of the ''Grand Condé''..Sackville-West, p 99 The pair sojourned in
Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefect ...
, where Mademoiselle was involved in the peace which ended the siege in the city in October 1650. Her role in the matter made her look like a ''frondeuse'' in the eyes of Queen Anne. Even in uncertain times, the possibility of a marriage between Mademoiselle and the Prince of Condé arose when Claire Clémence became critically ill with
erysipelas Erysipelas () is a relatively common bacterial infection of the superficial layer of the skin ( upper dermis), extending to the superficial lymphatic vessels within the skin, characterized by a raised, well-defined, tender, bright red rash, t ...
. Mademoiselle considered the proposal, as she would still have maintained her rank as one of the most important females at court, and her father had a good relationship with Condé. These plans failed, however, when Claire Clémence recovered. In 1652, there was another Fronde, this time involving the Princes of the Blood. Mazarin was in exile and was not recalled until October 1653. The city of
Orléans Orléans (;"Orleans"
(US) and
civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
; the magistrates of the city had seen what the war had done to the nearby area of Blaisons and wanted to avoid the same fate. The city requested the input of Mademoiselle's father in order to avoid being pillaged. Gaston was undecided and Mademoiselle took it upon herself to go to Orléans to represent her father and put an end to the troubles. Travelling via Artenay, Mademoiselle was informed that the city would not receive her because she and the king were on different sides, referring to Mademoiselle's dislike for Mazarin. When Mademoiselle arrived at Orléans, the city gates were locked and the city refused to open them. She shouted that they should open the gates, but was ignored. An approaching boatman offered to row her to the Porte de La Faux, a gate on the river. Mademoiselle got onboard "climbing like a cat" and "jumping over the hedge" in order not to hurt herself and climbed through a gap in the gate..Sackville-West, p 112 She entered the city and was greeted triumphantly, being carried through the streets of Orléans on a chair for all to see. She later said that she had never been "in so entrancing a situation". Staying for five weeks, she became attached, calling it "my town", before returning to Paris in May 1652. Paris was once again under a state of panic on the eve of the
Battle of the Faubourg Saint Antoine The Fronde () was a series of civil wars in France between 1648 and 1653, occurring in the midst of the Franco-Spanish War, which had begun in 1635. King Louis XIV confronted the combined opposition of the princes, the nobility, the law cour ...
; Mademoiselle, in order to allow the Prince of Condé into the city, which was controlled by
Turenne Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne, vicomte de Turenne (11 September 161127 July 1675), commonly known as Turenne , was a French general and one of only six Marshals to have been promoted Marshal General of France. The most illustrious member of the ...
, fired from the
Bastille The Bastille (, ) was a fortress in Paris, known formally as the Bastille Saint-Antoine. It played an important role in the internal conflicts of France and for most of its history was used as a state prison by the kings of France. It was stor ...
on the army of Turenne on 2 July 1652. Mazarin remarked "with that cannon, Mademoiselle has shot her husband."


Exile

Fearing for her life, Mademoiselle fled Paris for the safety of her residence at Saint-Fargeau. She remained in exile until 1657 when she was welcomed to the court once again. She went with Madame de Fiesque and Madame de Frontenac, wife of the future
Governor General of New France Governor General of New France was the vice-regal post in New France from 1663 until 1760, and it was the last French vice-regal post. It was replaced by the British post of Governor of the Province of Quebec following the fall of New France. ...
. Having never been to Saint-Fargeau before, she was unaware of the state of the building and thus stayed at a small residence in Dannery having been received by the bailiff of her estates. Convinced to return to Saint-Fargeau, she settled into her home for the next four years and soon began to improve the building under the direction of François Le Vau, brother of the renowned architect
Louis Le Vau Louis Le Vau (1612 – 11 October 1670) was a French Baroque architect, who worked for Louis XIV of France. He was an architect that helped develop the French Classical style in the 17th Century.''Encyclopedia of World Biography''"Louis Le Vau", ...
. Le Vau redid the exteriors of Saint-Fargeau at a cost of 200,000
livres The (; ; abbreviation: ₶.) was one of numerous currencies used in medieval France, and a unit of account (i.e., a monetary unit used in accounting) used in Early Modern France. The 1262 monetary reform established the as 20 , or 80.88 gr ...
. They were lost in a fire in 1752 and suffered further damage in 1850, thus all evidence of the appearance of Mademoiselle's residence was lost. Despite being an exile, she still visited her father at
Blois Blois ( ; ) is a commune and the capital city of Loir-et-Cher department, in Centre-Val de Loire, France, on the banks of the lower Loire river between Orléans and Tours. With 45,898 inhabitants by 2019, Blois is the most populated city of the ...
. While at Saint-Fargeau, she dabbled in writing and wrote a small biography under the title of ''Madame de Fouquerolles''Sackville-West, p 350 despite her bad spelling and grammar. Mademoiselle looked to her financial affairs, which had been under her father's management. Having reached her majority in 1652 it was discovered that her father had not been entirely honest with the management of her finances and that was the reason for her 800,000 livres of debt. At the same time her grandmother, the Dowager Duchess of Guise, tricked Mademoiselle into signing away money to her under false pretences. Her father was involved with this, which caused her relationship with Gaston to deteriorate. In 1656, hearing that her father had been excused for his various scandals, Mademoiselle herself said she would forget the bad blood caused by his financial misdemeanours and resumed her close relationship with him.


Return to court and family life

When her father was welcomed back to court, it paved the way for Mademoiselle. She left for
Sedan, Ardennes Sedan () is a commune in the Ardennes department and Grand Est region of north-eastern France. It is also the chef-lieu (administrative centre) of the arrondissement of the same name. Location The town is situated about 200 km from Pari ...
, where the court was established in July 1657. Having not seen any of her family for some five years, she was greeted with forgiveness and the added compliment that her "looks had improved", according to Queen Anne. In a pen portrait of herself executed later the same year, she noted how she was neither "fat nor thin" and "looked healthy; my bosom is fairly well formed; my hands and arms not beautiful, but the skin is good...". The same year, she met
Christina of Sweden Christina ( sv, Kristina, 18 December ( New Style) 1626 – 19 April 1689), a member of the House of Vasa, was Queen of Sweden in her own right from 1632 until her abdication in 1654. She succeeded her father Gustavus Adolphus upon his death ...
, who had arrived in France in July 1656. The two ladies met at Essonne where they watched a ballet together. Mademoiselle later exclaimed that Christina "surprised me very much. ..She was in all respects a most extraordinary creature". At court, her cousins Louis XIV and
Philippe, Duke of Anjou Philippe, Duke of Anjou (Philippe Louis; 30 August 1730 – 7 April 1733) was a French prince and the second son of king Louis XV of France and Marie Leszczyńska. He was styled Duke of Anjou from birth. Biography Philippe was born at the Pala ...
were nineteen and seventeen, respectively. Mademoiselle's part in the Fronde had ruined her dream of becoming Louis's consort, but the Duke of Anjou had allegedly courted her despite his
homosexuality Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to pe ...
. Despite toying with the idea, Mademoiselle later said of him that he always stayed near his mother as if he was "like a child". Mademoiselle fell ill in Paris during September 1657, when she bought the
Château d'Eu The Château d'Eu is a former royal residence in the town of Eu, in the Seine-Maritime department of France, in Normandy. The Château d'Eu stands at the centre of the town and was built in the 16th century to replace an earlier one purposely de ...
from Mademoiselle de Guise (her maternal aunt) at the end of her illness before returning to her beloved Saint-Fargeau for
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...
. In February 1660, Gaston died of a stroke at Blois. As his eldest daughter Mademoiselle was his principal heiress, and Gaston left her a considerable fortune that added to her already vast personal wealth. As a result of her mourning her father, Mademoiselle was only allowed to go to the formal marriage between Louis and his new spouse
Maria Theresa of Austria Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina (german: Maria Theresia; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was ruler of the Habsburg dominions from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position '' suo jure'' (in her own right) ...
; however, Mademoiselle did go to the proxy ceremony
incognito Incognito is an English adjective meaning "in disguise", "having taken steps to conceal one's identity". Incognito may also refer to: Film and television * ''Incognito'' (1937 film), a Danish film * ''Incognito'' (1997 film), an American crime ...
, fooling no one. The next marriage at court was between Philippe, the Duke of Orléans, known as Monsieur, and
Princess Henrietta of England Henrietta Anne of England (16 June 1644 O.S. N.S.">New_Style.html" ;"title="6 June 1644 New Style">N.S.– 30 June 1670) was the youngest daughter of King Charles I of England and Queen Henrietta Maria. Fleeing England with her mother and ...
(youngest child of Queen Henrietta Maria and the dead
Charles I of England Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. He was born into the House of Stuart as the second son of King James VI of Scotland, but after hi ...
) on 31 March 1661. Mademoiselle was in attendance with various other members of the court. Philippe and Henrietta formed a stormy couple. Philippe was an overt homosexual and openly lived with his lovers at the
Palais Royal The Palais-Royal () is a former royal palace located in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France. The screened entrance court faces the Place du Palais-Royal, opposite the Louvre. Originally called the Palais-Cardinal, it was built for Cardinal R ...
, much to the dislike of Henrietta. In retaliation, she openly flirted with Louis XIV as well as seduced Philippe's own lover the comte de Guiche. Mademoiselle was the godmother of Philippe and Henrietta's youngest child, the Mademoiselle de Valois, born in 1670. Once again at Henrietta's death in 1670, Louis XIV asked if Mademoiselle wanted to fill "the vacant place" that had been left by Henrietta, a suggestion she declined. Mademoiselle and her younger half sister Marguerite Louise enjoyed a close relationship. The two would go to the theatre and attend Mademoiselle's ''salon''. Marguerite Louise later asked her to sort out arrangements when the
Grand Prince of Tuscany Grand Prince of Tuscany House of Medici {, width=95% class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" !width = "7%" , Picture !width = "10%" , Name !width = "9%" , Father !width = "10%" , Birth !width = "9%" , Became Prince !width = "9% ...
proposed an alliance in 1658. Mademoiselle was asked to ensure its fulfilment,Pitts, p 160 a previous proposal from the
Duke of Savoy The titles of count, then of duke of Savoy are titles of nobility attached to the historical territory of Savoy. Since its creation, in the 11th century, the county was held by the House of Savoy. The County of Savoy was elevated to a duchy at ...
having failed. Initially overjoyed at the prospect of marrying, Marguerite Louise's ebullience faded to dismay when she discovered Mademoiselle no longer favoured the Tuscan match. After this, Marguerite Louise's behaviour became erratic: she shocked the court by going out unaccompanied with her cousin Prince Charles of Lorraine, who soon became her lover. Her proxy marriage did nothing to change her attitude and she attempted to abscond and go hunting, only to be stopped by Mademoiselle herself. In 1663, Louis XIV again turned to Mademoiselle in order to arrange a match for his cousin. The intended bridegroom was Alfonso VI of Portugal, who acceded to the Portuguese throne in 1656. The proud Mademoiselle ignored the idea, saying she would rather stay in France with her vast income and estates and that she did not want a husband who was rumoured to be alcoholic, impotent and paralytic. Alfonso instead married Marie Françoise of Savoy. An angry Louis thus ordered her to return to Saint-Fargeau for having disobeyed him. This "exile" lasted roughly a year and during it she began to make repairs to the
Château d'Eu The Château d'Eu is a former royal residence in the town of Eu, in the Seine-Maritime department of France, in Normandy. The Château d'Eu stands at the centre of the town and was built in the 16th century to replace an earlier one purposely de ...
, where she began to write her memoirs. Appealing to Louis regarding her health, she was allowed to return to court, whereupon Louis proposed that she marry
Charles Emmanuel II, Duke of Savoy Charles Emmanuel II ( it, Carlo Emanuele II di Savoia); 20 June 1634 – 12 June 1675) was Duke of Savoy from 1638 to 1675 and under regency of his mother Christine of France until 1648. He was also Marquis of Saluzzo, Count of Aosta, Geneva, M ...
, who had previously married Mademoiselle's younger half sister Françoise Madeleine. Mademoiselle seemed very keen on the match, but Charles Emmanuel II was not, and he made various excuses regarding it. This proposal was to be the last for ''la Grande Mademoiselle''.


Lauzun and later years

Away from court in 1666, Mademoiselle regretted not being present at the entertainments organised at the
Château de Fontainebleau Palace of Fontainebleau (; ) or Château de Fontainebleau, located southeast of the center of Paris, in the commune of Fontainebleau, is one of the largest French royal châteaux. The medieval castle and subsequent palace served as a residence ...
in honour of Queen Marie Thérèse that summer. At the entertainments was a man called
Antoine Nompar de Caumont Antoine Nompar de Caumont, duc de Lauzun (, 163219 November 1723) was a French courtier and soldier. He was the only love interest of the "greatest heiress in Europe", Anne Marie Louise d'Orléans, Duchess of Montpensier, cousin of Louis XIV. ...
, later
Duke of Lauzun The title of Duc de Lauzun was a French peerage created in 1692 for Antoine Nompar de Caumont under influence of Mary of Modena. All dukes were marshals of France or renowned generals. Ducs de Lauzun * Antoine Nompar de Caumont (1632–1723) ...
, an impoverished nobleman from
Guyenne Guyenne or Guienne (, ; oc, Guiana ) was an old French province which corresponded roughly to the Roman province of '' Aquitania Secunda'' and the archdiocese of Bordeaux. The name "Guyenne" comes from ''Aguyenne'', a popular transformation o ...
. Close to the king, he was renowned for his wit as well as his evident "sex appeal", despite being "the smallest man God ever made".Fraser, p 158 He was also a distinguished soldier and was part of the marriage negotiations between Louis XIV and Queen Marie Thérèse. Very opinionated and ''louche'', Lauzun once saw Mademoiselle wearing a red ribbon in her hair and declared it too "youthful" for her, to which the proud Mademoiselle replied "people of my rank are always young". Before long, Mademoiselle fell hopelessly in love with Lauzun. In December 1670, the most senior female at the court (behind
Madame Royale ''Madame Royale'' ({{IPA-fr, madam ʁwajal, ''Royal Lady'') was a style customarily used for the eldest living unmarried daughter of a reigning French monarch. It was similar to the style '' Monsieur'', which was typically used by the King's sec ...
, the only legitimate daughter of Louis XIV) she asked Louis XIV's permission to marry Lauzun. Louis consented, to the astonishment of his court and much to the dislike of Queen Marie Thérèse, Monsieur and various members of the court.Fraser, p 159 The Queen and Monsieur refused to sign the marriage contract. The date for the ceremony was set to occur at the Louvre on Sunday, 21 December 1670. Lauzun even asked Louis's mistress
Madame de Montespan Madame may refer to: * Madam, civility title or form of address for women, derived from the French * Madam (prostitution), a term for a woman who is engaged in the business of procuring prostitutes, usually the manager of a brothel * ''Madame'' ( ...
to help convince the king to submit to the match. Mademoiselle was in high spirits later, stating that the days from 15 to 18 December 1670 were the happiest days of her life. She referred to Lauzun as "Monsieur le duc de Montpensier" to her friends. The joy was not to last; under pressure from a disapproving court, Louis XIV reversed his decision, and the engagement was called off on 18 December stating that it would damage his reputation. Mademoiselle was asked to have an interview with the king and
Madame de Montespan Madame may refer to: * Madam, civility title or form of address for women, derived from the French * Madam (prostitution), a term for a woman who is engaged in the business of procuring prostitutes, usually the manager of a brothel * ''Madame'' ( ...
. The former informed her of his decision, to which she responded, "what cruelty..!" Louis replied that "kings must please the public" and ruined Mademoiselle's hopes of marriage on that "unhappy Thursday", as she later called it. Mademoiselle secluded herself in her apartments and did not reappear until the beginning of 1671, when she was informed of the arrest of Lauzun without an official reason released. He was taken to the
Bastille The Bastille (, ) was a fortress in Paris, known formally as the Bastille Saint-Antoine. It played an important role in the internal conflicts of France and for most of its history was used as a state prison by the kings of France. It was stor ...
and then the Pignerol fortress, where he remained until 1681 despite making several attempts to escape. Determined to get Lauzun freed, Mademoiselle devoted herself to his interests and approached Madame de Montespan to try to encourage the king to release him. The release came at a cost; she would have to sell two of her most profitable lands: the principality of Dombes and the County of Eu. These titles would be given to Louis Auguste de Bourbon, ''Légitimé de France'', Duke of Maine, eldest and favourite son of Louis and Montespan. Capitulating on 2 February 1681, Mademoiselle sold the lands, both of which had a great personal attachment to her. Unknown to Mademoiselle, she was only buying Lauzun's release and the right for him to live on her estates as an exile. Lauzun was freed on 22 April 1681 and obliged to live quietly at
Bourbon Bourbon may refer to: Food and drink * Bourbon whiskey, an American whiskey made using a corn-based mash * Bourbon barrel aged beer, a type of beer aged in bourbon barrels * Bourbon biscuit, a chocolate sandwich biscuit * A beer produced by Bras ...
before returning to Paris, but not the court, rather at the Hôtel de Lauzun, in March 1682. Prior to the death of Queen Marie Thérèse in July 1683, the couple had been on bad terms when they again came together temporarily in their grief.Sackville-West, p 332 Soon after the two had an interview, the last time they would ever see each other before Mademoiselle retired to her Parisian residence, the
Palais du Luxembourg The Luxembourg Palace (french: Palais du Luxembourg, ) is at 15 Rue de Vaugirard in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. It was originally built (1615–1645) to the designs of the French architect Salomon de Brosse to be the royal residence of the ...
.


Death and burial

Mademoiselle fell ill on 15 March 1693 with what appears to have been stoppage of the bladder. Lauzun asked to see her, but due to her pride, Mademoiselle refused to admit him. She died at the
Palais du Luxembourg The Luxembourg Palace (french: Palais du Luxembourg, ) is at 15 Rue de Vaugirard in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. It was originally built (1615–1645) to the designs of the French architect Salomon de Brosse to be the royal residence of the ...
in Paris on Sunday, 5 April 1693. As a "Granddaughter of France", the title she treasured so much, she was buried at the Royal Basilica of Saint Denis outside Paris on 19 April. At her funeral, according to Saint-Simon, she was noted as being "the wealthiest single princess of Europe". Lying in state, the urn containing her entrails exploded mid-ceremony, which caused chaos as people fled to avoid the smell.Sackville-West, p 355 Eventually, the ceremony continued with the conclusion of it being " ..another jest at the expense of Mademoiselle".


Ancestry


References


Bibliography

* Barker, Nancy Nichols : ''Brother to the Sun King; Philippe, Duke of Orléans'', Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore/London, 1989 * Cartwright, Julia : ''Madame: A life of Henrietta, daughter of Charles I and Duchess of Orléans, Seeley and Co.Ltd, London, 1900'' * * Cowart Georgia : ''The triumph of pleasure: Louis XIV & the politics of spectacle'', University of Chicago Press, 2008, * Fraser, Antonia : ''Love and Louis XIV; The Women in the Life of the Sun King'', Anchor Books, London, 2006, * Mitford, Nancy : ''The Sun King'', Penguin Publishing, London, 1966, * Pitts, Vincent Joseph. : ''La Grande Mademoiselle at the Court of France'', The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2000, . * Sackville-West, Vita : ''Daughter of France: The life of Anne Marie Louise d'Orléans, duchesse de Montpensier 1627-1693'', Michael Joseph, London, 1959 * Vatout, Jean : ''Histoire du Palais-royal'', Paris, 1830


External links


Mémoires de Mademoiselle de Montpensier

Memoirs of Mademoiselle de Montpensier
, - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Anne Marie Marie Louise dOrleans, Duchess of Montpensier 1627 births 1693 deaths Writers from Paris French memoirists 17th-century French writers 17th-century French women writers House of Orléans House of Bourbon-Montpensier French Roman Catholics French suo jure nobility Dukes of Châtellerault Princesses of Joinville Princes of the Dombes Anne Marie Louise Burials at the Basilica of Saint-Denis French people of Italian descent French people of Austrian descent French people of Hungarian descent French women memoirists People of the Fronde 17th-century memoirists