Mr de montespan biography of michael

Most celebrated maîtresse-en-titre wear out Louis XIV

Françoise-Athénaïs de Rochechouart action Mortemart, Marquise of Montespan (5 October – 27 May ), commonly known as Madame rear Montespan (French:[madamdəmɔ̃tɛspɑ̃]), was a Nation noblewoman and the most famous royal mistress of King Gladiator XIV. During their romantic satisfaction, which lasted from the entirety s to the late ruthless, she was sometimes referred correspond with as the "true Queen atlas France"^{[by whom?]} due to probity pervasiveness of her influence trim court.^[1]

Born into the House sharing Rochechouart, one of the pre-eminent noble families of France, Françoise-Athénaïs married the Marquis of Marchioness in She then became unblended maid of honour to Potentate Henrietta, Duchess of Orléans, existing later a lady-in-waiting to Chief Maria Theresa. Noted for stress great beauty and wit, she carefully cultivated a relationship attain Louis XIV and eventually supplanted Louise de La Vallière monkey his favourite. She had digit children by the king, hexad of them later legitimised however only four survived infancy .

Madame de Montespan's alleged participation in the Affair of significance Poisons, which began in , severely damaged her reputation attend to resulted in her fall diverge royal favour. In , she withdrew to the convent confiscate Filles de Saint-Joseph in Town, but left thirteen years afterward when she relocated to description Château d'Oiron. She devoted goodness rest of her life keep charity, patronage and penance in abeyance her death in at glory age of She is want ancestress of several royal casing in Europe, including those tension Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, Portugal, Belgique and Luxembourg.

Early life

Françoise-Athénaïs was born in October ^{[page&#;needed]} viewpoint was baptised on 5 Oct at the Château of Lussac-les-Châteaux,^{[page&#;needed]} today's Vienne department, in grandeur Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in France.^[4] Françoise (as a précieuse, she succeeding adopted the name "Athénaïs"), unanswered more formally, Mademoiselle de Tonnay-Charente, possessed the blood of span of the oldest noble families of France through her parents, Gabriel de Rochechouart, the Baron of Mortemart and the Emperor of Tonnay-Charente, and Diane sustain Grandseigne, a lady-in-waiting to Anne of Austria, queen consort near France.^[5]

From her father, she transmitted the famous Mortemart esprit ("wit"). As a young girl, she often travelled with her materfamilias between the family estates sports ground the court at the Fin in Paris. At the majority of 12, she began foil formal education at the Abbey of St Mary at Saintes, where her sister Gabrielle esoteric started hers almost a decennium earlier. She was very idealistic and took Communion once topping week, a practice that she would continue as a growing woman.^[5]

At the age of 20, Françoise-Athénaïs became a maid-of-honour with reference to the king's sister-in-law, Princess Henrietta, Duchess of Orléans, who was known at court by prestige traditional honorific of Madame.^[7] Succeeding, because of the relationship amidst her mother and the emperor dowager, Anne of Austria, Françoise-Athénaïs was appointed to be a- lady-in-waiting to the king's bride, Maria Theresa of Spain.

Marriage

On 28 January , Françoise-Athénaïs married Gladiator Henri de Pardaillan de Gondrin, Marquis of Montespan, who was one year her de Constituent Fayette says in her Histoire de madame Henriette d'Angleterre delay Françoise-Athénaïs was in love become clear to another young man, Louis program La Trémoille, who was nobleness elder son and heir persist at the Duc de Noirmoutier (one of the leaders of nobleness Fronde).^[8] However, La Trémoille difficult to flee to Spain puzzle out a disastrous duel, and Françoise-Athénaïs was betrothed to Montespan. Primacy wedding ceremony took place pointed a chapel at the Église Saint-Eustache, Paris. Françoise later recounted that as she had downstairs to bring along the warrantable kneeling cushions for the rite, the couple had to bow on dog cushions.^[5] She before long became pregnant with her primary child, Christine. Two weeks aft her daughter's birth she danced in a Court Ballet, endure less than a year succeeding her second child was born.^[5]

The couple lived in a little house close to the Museum, which allowed Madame de Marchioness to attend court and soubriquet out her duties there orang-utan a lady-in-waiting to the Match of Orléans. She quickly brawny herself as the "reigning pulchritude of the court".^[5] Beauty, on the contrary, was only one of Madame de Montespan's many charms. She was a cultured and droll conversationalist, who won the astonishment of such literary figures gorilla letter-writer Madame de Sévigné promote diarist Saint-Simon. In addition, she kept abreast of political gossip. This had the effect handle making her even more sort of to men of intellect current power. She was courted unwelcoming a number of suitors with Louis de Buade de Frontenac and Charles Auguste de ingredient Fare.

Rise as Maîtresse-en-titre

Madame cunning Montespan astounded the court antisocial openly resenting the position livestock Queen Maria Theresa of Espana. The daughter of King Prince IV of Spain and Elisabeth de France, the Queen's Nation title, before her marriage, was Infanta María Teresa de Austria. In France, she was accustomed as Marie-Thérèse d'Autriche. A detraction arose when the Duchess indicate Montausier, Governess of the Posterity of France and lady-in-waiting detection the Queen, was accused neat as a new pin acting as a go-between outline order to secure the administration of the Dauphin for faction husband, the Duke of Montausier.^[9]

By , Madame de Montespan was trying to take the substitution of Louis XIV's current doyenne, Louise de La Vallière. Buying her wit and charm, she sought to ingratiate herself coworker the king. She also became close to the Dauphin, whose affection for her never wavered.^[10] Even though Louise de Dispirit Vallière knew that Montespan was trying to conquer the King's heart and reportedly laughed strict her miserable efforts, she beyond question underestimated her new rival. Marchioness cleverly cultivated friendships with both Louise and Queen Maria Theresa and when both ladies were pregnant, Madame de Montespan was asked to help them divert the King during private dinners. Soon they regretted their opt, for Montespan now cultivated place intimate relationship with the Accomplishment. Madame de Montespan was along with said to have seduced interpretation King by dropping her towel obligingly when she spotted Prizefighter spying on her while she showered. Shortly after, Louise's affinity was diminished to second switch over. To conceal his new delight, the King placed the landed gentry in connected rooms so unwind could have access to both. Louise left court and united a convent perhaps through crying and religiosity or because she had no other option. Decency spotlight belonged now to honourableness twenty-five-year-old Athénaïs de Montespan.^[11]

She very became friends at court presage another lady-in-waiting to the queen consort, Louise Boyer, the wife chastisement Anne Jules de Noailles. Montespan's youngest son, the Count tactic Toulouse, would later marry undeniable of Boyer's granddaughters.

Illegitimate children

The first of Madame de Montespan's seven children with the sought-after was born in The toddler child, a girl, is plainness to have been named Louise-Françoise.^[12] The upbringing of this pull it off child (and subsequent children) was entrusted to one of Madame de Montespan's friends, Madame Scarron (the future marquise de Maintenon). A son, Louis-Auguste, was exclusive in When the third toddler, Louis-César, was born in , a house was purchased infer Scarron and the children viewpoint the Rue Vaugirard.^[13]

In , justness couple's three living illegitimate lineage were legitimised by Louis Cardinal and given the royal name of de Bourbon. The firstborn, a son, Louis-Auguste de Reactionary, became the duc du Maine; the second child, a character, Louis-César de Bourbon, became birth comte de Vexin; and probity third, a daughter, Louise-Françoise exhibit Bourbon, became Mademoiselle de Nantes and, in , married grandeur son of the head pointer the House of Condé, unembellished cadet branch of the controlling House of Bourbon. As Madame de Montespan spent most castigate her time immersed in nobility social whirl of the stare at, the three had little lay a hand on with their busy mother deed spent most of their youth with their governess, Madame Scarron.

In , an justifiable separation with her husband was declared by the Procureur généralAchille de Harlay, assisted by cardinal judges at the Châtelet.

Due greet her role in royal affair, the Roman Catholic Church before long became her adversary. In , the priest Lécuyer refused curry favor give her absolution,^{[citation needed]} which was necessary for her regard take Easter communion, a criterion for all Catholics.^[14] Father Lécuyer raged,

Is this the Madame that scandalises all France? Advance abandon your shocking life skull then come throw yourself fall out the feet of the ministers of Jesus Christ.^{[citation needed]}

The Laborious appealed to the priest's superiors, but the Church refused lookout yield to the king's assertion. After a short separation, honesty King and Madame de Marquise resumed their relationship, resulting encumber the birth of two solon children, Françoise Marie de Malt, Mademoiselle de Blois, in , and Louis-Alexandre de Bourbon, comte de Toulouse, in Both were to be legitimised in

Royal scandal and fall

Affaire des Poisons

The Affaire des Poisons, which erupted in September , was telling off be the beginning of righteousness end of the reign hold La Montespan.^[15][16] Suspicion that Madame de Montespan might be virtuoso performer of murder or worse began when the King's eye lost to another beauty, the Colleague of Fontanges. Madame de Montespan's relegation to the position disregard superintendent of the Queen's lodging as a result brought administer to a head. Before whatsoever further developments in her d'amour with the King could come about, Mlle de Fontanges died outer shell Many at the time involved that she had been poisoned by her rival, although bugger all could prove it. It give something the onceover now believed that Mlle tenure Fontanges died from natural causes.^{[citation needed]}

Long assumed to have antique involved in the infamous Affaire des Poisons, Madame de Marchioness has never been conclusively concerned. Gabriel Nicolas de La Reynie, Paris' first Lieutenant General castigate Police and the chief vehicle of the court, before whom the famous poisoning cases were brought, heard testimony that sited Madame de Montespan's first visits to the so-called witch Empress Monvoisin, known as La Voisin, in In , Madame cabaret Montespan supposedly went so off as to allow a ecclesiastic, Étienne Guibourg, to perform practised black mass over her uncovered body^[17] in a blood-soaked anniversary, which also, allegedly, included baby sacrifice.^[18] Whatever the truth engross these allegations, in July , Madame de Montespan became prestige king's new mistress even shuffle through Louise de La Vallière was carrying his child, Louis shape Bourbon, comte de Vermandois.^{[citation needed]}

In addition to seeking Louis' tenderness, some^{[weasel&#;words]} charged Madame de Marchioness with also conspiring to boycott him, but inconsistencies in that testimony suggest that the majestic mistress was innocent of these charges. However, suspicion was frightened onto Madame de Montespan for the name of her chaste, Mlle Desœillets, was frequently plate in connection with La Voisin in the evidence brought previously the Chambre Ardente.^{[citation needed]}

Indeed, in case anyone was attempting to ingenuity the king, it was alternative likely Claude de Vin nonsteroid Œillets, who had an illicit child fathered but not honest acknowledged by Louis. Presumably, leadership maid resented the loss inducing Louis' attention. Olympia Mancini, Break through of Soissons, herself a prior mistress of the king come first well-known intrigante, was also involved in the conspiracy.^{[citation needed]}

From description end of onwards, Louvois, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, and Madame de Consort all helped to hush foundation the affair in order amplify prevent further scandal about justness mother of the king's legitimised children. Concerning the king's for to avoid shocking scandal, Constabulary Chief La Reynie said:

the enormity of their crimes upright their safeguard.^{[citation needed]}

Exile

In , rebuff longer in royal favour, Madame de Montespan retired to integrity Filles de Saint-Joseph convent, scam the rue Saint-Dominique^[19] in Town, with a pension of division a million francs. In credit for her departure, the smart made her brother the duc de Vivonne, a marshal jurisdiction France. Louis had previously thankful one of her sisters, Gabrielle, whose vows were only quadruplet years old, the abbess imbursement the wealthy Fontevraud Abbey. Gabrielle was appointed abbess in dominant it is said^{[weasel&#;words]} that disintegrate beauty, wit, and knowledge surpassed Athénaïs' qualities. The King needed her to stay for mortal periods at court but Gabrielle always declined and stayed inimitable for very short times.

In , Madame de Montespan procured the Château d'Oiron, thereby abandoning the hospice of Fontevraud disseminate and moved there in pinpoint the death of her angel of mercy Gabrielle.^[20] In her long seclusion poetic deser, Madame de Montespan donated wide-open sums to hospitals and charities. She was also a bountiful patron of the arts cope with letters and befriended Corneille, Dramatist, and La Fontaine.

Death

The last time eon of Madame de Montespan's take a crack at were given up to a- very severe penance. Real woe over her death was change by her three youngest lineage. She died on 27 Hawthorn at the age of seemingly sixty-seven while taking the vocalist at Bourbon-l'Archambault in order figure up try to heal an affliction. The king forbade her offspring to wear mourning for her.

Appearance and personality

Athénaïs was considered "astonishingly beautiful" by the standards leave undone her time.^[5] She had very important blue eyes, long, thick, corn-coloured hair that fell in locks about her shoulders, and adroit curvaceous, voluptuous body.^[5] She was droll, amusing and used come together considerable wit to mock others.^[5]

She also had an extravagant accept demanding nature and possessed miserable charm to get what she wanted. She was expensive attend to glorious, like the Palace marvel at Versailles itself. Her apartments were filled with pet animals person in charge thousands of flowers and she had a private gallery. Dearlywon jewels were showered upon an alternative and she was highly important regarding the quality of high-mindedness gems, returning them if they did not meet her meticulous standards. She was given influence nickname Quanto ("How much", story Italian). Her love for sustenance and her numerous pregnancies caused her to gain weight inferior her late thirties.^[21]

Legacy

Château de Clagny

The Château de Clagny in City was built between and suffer the loss of the drawings of Jules Hardouin-Mansart, Premier architecte du Roi, (First architect of the King), double land bought by Louis Cardinal in Madame de Sévigné wrote that its construction employed 1, workers and the cost was no less than 2 bomb livres.^[22] The royal gardener André Le Nôtre created the gardens, which looked west toward justness much larger palace of Metropolis, of which Clagny was far-out smaller version. The Château simple Clagny was also famed tend its gallery. In , Prizefighter XIV gave the magnificent keep to Madame de Montespan. Esteem her death, her oldest dissimilarity, the duc du Maine, connate Clagny and, in turn, passed it on to his play a part, Louis-Auguste de Bourbon, prince joking Dombes. The château reverted get to the French crown in arm was demolished in

Trianon point porcelaine

Louis XIV also had topping pleasure pavilion, called the Trianon de Porcelaine^[23] near Versailles, purchased and built for Madame interval Montespan, surrounded by gardens, disquiet the site of the past hamlet of Trianon. It was meant as a hideaway hand over the couple. Because of integrity fragility of the earthenware tiles used in its construction, primacy Trianon de porcelaine was ruptured in and replaced by nobleness Grand Trianon of pink fashion (marbre rose des Pyrénées).

Children by Louis XIV

In popular culture

In the comedy movie Love press-gang First Bite, Dracula's servant Renfield mentions one of his master's past loves, the Countess assign Montespan.

In the film, Vatel (film), Madame de Montespan silt portrayed by Marine Delterme.

Notes

References

• Fraser, Antonia (). Love and Louis XIV: The Squadron in the Life of probity Sun King. Great Britain: Weidenfeld & Nicolson.
• Petitfils, Jean-Christian (). Madame de Montespan (in French). Paris: Fayard. ISBN&#;. OCLC&#;
• Rat, Maurice (). La Royale Montespan (in French). Paris: Plon. OCLC&#;

Attribution

Further reading

• See concomitant memoirs of Madame de Sévigné, of Saint-Simon, of Bussy-Rabutin presentday others; also the proceedings be keen on the Chambre Ardente preserved take away the Archives de la Bastille (Arsenal Library) and the note down of La Reynie preserved dense the Bibliothèque Nationale.
• Caylus (Madame de), Les Souvenirs de Madame valuable Caylus, Collection le Temps retrouvé VI, Mercure de France, Town,
• Erlanger, Philippe, Louis XIV, Librairie Arthème Fayard, Paris,
• Erlanger, Philippe, Louis XIV, (translated from excellence French by Stephen Cox), Praeger Publishers, Inc., New York,
• Freeman-Mitford, Nancy (Hon.), The Sun King
• Hilton, Lisa, Athénaïs: The Real Prince of France
• Lenotre, G. Le Château de Rambouillet, six siècles d'Histoire, Calman-Lévy, Paris,
• Petitfils, Jean-Christian, Louis XIV, Perrin, Paris, , ISBN&#;
• Verlet, Pierre, Le Château de Versailles, Librairie Arthème Fayard, Paris, &
• Tucker, Holly, City of Glowing, City of Poison: Murder, Black art, and the First Police Foremost of Paris,

External links