Ana Katharina (Henriette) Rénard (1685 – 26 May 1721), was a mistress of

Augustus the Strong Augustus II the Strong (12 May 1670 – 1 February 1733), was Elector of Saxony from 1694 as well as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1697 to 1706 and from 1709 until his death in 1733. He belonged to the Albertine branch of the ...

, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony and mother of his daughter, the later Countess Anna Karolina Orzelska.

Life

Family

Anna Katharina, mostly known in sources as ''Henriette'', was a member of the Rénard family, from French origin but established in

Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...

probably from

Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...

, where they are involved in trade. Her father Andreas Rénard, appears in documents from 1693 and 1698 as a merchant. His wife was probably Theresa von Waldstein, but some historians believe that in fact she was Andreas' daughter-in-law. Henriette had certainly two brothers: Jan Baptiste, who was a colonel in the Saxon army and

Benedict Benedict may refer to: People Names *Benedict (given name), including a list of people with the given name *Benedict (surname), including a list of people with the surname Religious figures * Pope Benedict I (died 579) *Pope Benedict II (635– ...

, who was an architect.P. Smykała, R. Kubik R.: ''Ród Renardów...'', Strzelec Opolski, 2009-11-24.

Relationship with Augustus II the Strong

At the end of 1701 or 1706 Henriette met

Augustus II the Strong Augustus II the Strong (12 May 1670 – 1 February 1733), was Elector of Saxony from 1694 as well as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1697 to 1706 and from 1709 until his death in 1733. He belonged to the Albertine branch of the H ...

, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland. According to

Karl Ludwig von Pöllnitz Karl Ludwig Freiherr von Pöllnitz (25 February 1692 – 23 June 1775) was a German adventurer and writer from Issum. Life His father, Wilhelm Ludwig Freiherr von Pöllnitz (d. 1693), was in the military service of the elector of Brandenb ...

in his work ''La Saxe galante'', she drew the attention of the Elector-King with her extreme beauty, and soon became in his mistress. In the summer of 1702 or 26 November 1707, Henriette gave birth to Augustus II's daughter, named Anna Karolina or Anna Katharina. According to von Pöllnitz, the reason of the separation between them was the jealousy of the official royal mistress, Countess Anna Constantia of Cosel. Henriette's affair with Augustus II allowed her family to gain titles and estates in Poland.

Later years

During the relationship with Augustus II the Strong, Henriette was probably already married with François Drian,S. Szenic: ''Królewskie kariery warszawianek'', Warsaw 1959, p. 59. wine trader from Warsaw, who died before 1716, probably during the plague epidemic of 1708–1712. In 1716, Henriette remarried; her second husband was Claude Henri de Morel de Carrières, who since 1705 was a colonel in the army of

Francis II Rákóczi Francis II Rákóczi (, ; 27 March 1676 – 8 April 1735) was a Hungarian nobleman and leader of the Rákóczi's War of Independence against the Habsburgs in 1703–1711 as the prince () of the Estates Confederated for Liberty of the Kingdom of ...

Prince of Transylvania The Prince of Transylvania (, , , Fallenbüchl 1988, p. 77.) was the head of state of the Principality of Transylvania from the late-16th century until the mid-18th century. John Sigismund Zápolya was the first to adopt the title in 1 ...

. After his marriage with the King's former mistress, Claude received from Augustus II the position of supervisor of the bathrooms at

Ujazdów Park Ujazdów Park () is one of the most picturesque parks of Warsaw, Poland. It borders '' Aleje Ujazdowskie'' (Ujazdów Avenue), with its many embassies and Sejm building. History From the late Middle Ages the area had been occupied by the vill ...

, who belonged to the

House of Lubomirski The House of Lubomirski is a Polish princely family. The Lubomirski family's coat of arms is the Drużyna coat of arms, which is similar to the Szreniawa coat of arms but without a cross. Origin and the coat of arms The Lubomirski f ...

. Claude died certainly before 6 June 1720, because that day Henriette (as a widow) and her brothers were raised to the ranks of polish barons. Henriette died on 26 May 1721 and was buried three days later in St. John's Archcathedral at the great altar from the sacristy. On 19 September 1724, Anna Karolina, Henriette's daughter, was formally recognized by Augustus II and received the title of Countess Orzelska.S. Szenic: ''Królewskie kariery warszawianek'', Warsaw 1959, pp. 64-66. On 30 August 1730, she married with Prince Charles Louis of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck, and divorced three years later.

Notes

References

* J. Bartoszewicz: ''Znakomici mężowie polscy w XVIII wieku: wizerunki historycznych osób skreślone przez Juljana Bartoszewicza. T. 2.'', Petersburg 1856, pp. 270–278.
Library University of Warsaw (in Polish)
* K. L. von Pöllnitz: ''Ogień pałającej miłości'', Czytelnik, Warsaw 1973, pp. 151–161. * S. Szenic: ''Królewskie kariery warszawianek'', Iskry, Warsaw 1959, pp. 52–61, 64–66.
M. Zgórniak: ''BENEDYKT RENARD – ARCHITEKT POLSKI XVIII W''
etrieved 6 January 2015 {{DEFAULTSORT:Renard, Henriette Mistresses of Augustus II the Strong 1720s deaths 1685 births