Marie Félicie des Ursins (; 11 November 16005 June 1666) was the wife of

Henri de Montmorency, 4th Duke of Montmorency Henri de Montmorency, 4th Duke of Montmorency (1595 – 30 October 1632) was a French nobleman and military commander. Made Grand admiral in 1612, governor of Languedoc in 1614, and by 1620 was viceroy of New France. Despite defeating a Protesta ...

, governor of

Languedoc The Province of Languedoc (, , ; ) 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 . History ...

. She was born into the

House of Orsini The House of Orsini is an Italian noble family that was one of the most influential princely families in medieval Italy and Renaissance Rome. Members of the Orsini family include five popes: Stephen II (752–757), Paul I (757–767), Celes ...

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 ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

. She was daughter of Virginio Orsini, Duke of Bracciano and his wife Flavia Peretti, a niece of

Pope Sixtus V Pope Sixtus 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, where h ...

. 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 produce ...

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 People from Languedoc 17th-century French women 17th-century Italian women Marie-Felicie Marie-Felicie French duchesses by marriage {{France-noble-stub