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| Anne de Rochechouart de Mortemart Duchesse d'Uzes @Wikipedia |
Wife of: Emmanuel de Crussol, 12th Duc d'Uzes (1840-1878), mar 1867.
Armand de La Rochefoucauld, 7th Duc de Doudeauville. (1902-1995)
4th Duca di Bisaccia.
His lover was:
Renee Clementine Elisabeth Brandt (1911-?)
Renee Clementine Elisabeth Brandt (1911-?)
Duc d'Epernon & Pair de France, Duc de Candale & Pair de France, Colonel-General of France, Prince-Captal de Buch, Sire de L'Esparre, Governor & Lieutenant General in Bourgogne and Bresse.
Son of: Jean-Louis de Nogaret de La Valette, Duc d'Epernon & Marguerite de Foix-Candale.
Husband of:
1. Gabrielle-Angelique de Verneuil, legitimized daughter of Henri IV of France & Marquise de Verneuil, mar 1622
2. Marie Decambau, a niece of Cardinal Richelieu, mar 1634
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| Anne-Genevieve de Bourbon @Wikipedia |
Anne-Genevieve de Bourbon
Duchesse de Longueville.
(1619-1679)
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| Henri II d'Orleans @Wikipedia |
Wife of: Henri II d'Orleans, Duc de Longueville (1595-1663), mar 1642.
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Anne de Bourbon Duchesse de Longueville la Belle Conde |
One of the loveliest women of her time.
"Contemporary opinion seems to have been unanimous in considering her one of the loveliest women of her time, and when she first appeared at Court, at the age of fifteen, in 1609, Henri IV fell in love with her. Having prevented her union with the man to whom her hand had been promised, he married her to his cousin, the Prince de Conde, from whom he expected a subserviency which the latter was not disposed to show. Good King Henri's heart remained to the end as susceptible as it had always been, and the young Princess was destined to be his last passion. . . ." (The Life of Madame de Longueville (Anne-Geneviève de Bourbon): 4)
Lovable qualities, well-known imperfections.
"Madame de Longueville, nevertheless, possessed the characteristics of her sex; she had alike its lovable qualities and its well-known imperfections. In a sphere where gallantry was the order of the day, that young and fascinating creature, married to a man already in the decline merely followed the universal example. Tender by nature, the senses, she herself says in her confessions---the humblest ever made---played no minor part in the affairs of the heart. But, surrounded unceasingly by homage, she found pleasure in receiving it. Very lovable, she centred her happiness in being loved. Sister of the Great Conde, she was not insensible to the idea of playing a part which should occupy public attention; but, far from pretending to domination, there was so much of the woman in her that she allowed herself to be led by him whom she loved. Whilst, around her, interest and ambition assumed so frequently the hues of love, she listened to the dictates of her heart alone, and devoted herself to the interest and ambition of another. . . ." (Political Women: Being Biographical Notices of Anne de Bourbon, Vol. 1: 15)
Physical appearance & personal qualities.
" . . . Madame de Longueville, a captivating princess whose husband was governor of Normandy, (was) one of the most glamorous women of her time and a fearless spirit in the revolt. . . ." (Rebels and Rulers, 1500-1660: Vol 2, Provincial Rebellion: 205)
Love Life.
" . . . The duchess de Longueville, a sister of the great Conde, was first attached to the duke de Beaufort, whom she changed for the prince de Marsillac, afterwards duke de Rochefoucault, and at length sacrificed the duke de Rochefoucault to the duke de Nemours. The fair duchess atoned for the deviations of her youth, by the exemplary piety of her mature years. . . ." (History of the Female Sex, Vol 2 : 218)
Her lovers were:
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| Maurice de Coligny @geneanet |
1) Maurice de Coligny, Comte de Coligny (1618-1644)
Son of: Gaspard III, Duc de Coligny & Anne de Polignac.
"Married by her father to the Duke of Longueville, 25 years her senior and already had a mistress, the Duchess of Montbazon, she takes a lover, Count de Coligny, who is killed in a duel for her." (Herodote)
" . . . When after some hesitation she yielded to the request of her friends and attended a court ball, her beauty and remarkable personal traits created a sensation which tempted her to become a regular habitue of the royal circle. The prince de Joinville, to whom she had been betrothed, having died in the flower of his manhood while in Italy, she was in 1842 prevailed upon to bestow her hand upon the duke de Longueville, a widower who was double her age, and whose former mistress, Mme. de Montbazon, caused great annoyance to the duchess by accusing her of a love intrigue with Coligni (sic), for which at that time there does not seem to have been any foundation. . . ." (The New American Cyclopaedia: A Popular Dictionary of General Knowledge: 647)
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Henry II of Savoy |
2) Henri II de Savoie, 7th Duc de Nemours (1625-1659)
" . . . Afflicted by the loss of her mother, who had died in 1650, and by the desertion of her lover, for whom she retained a lively affection,notwithstanding his egotism and indifference, and in spite of her temporary intimacies with the duke of Nemours and others, and baffled in her schemes against the court, which, after all, she had cherished more for her lover's than for her own sake, she resolved to renounce the world. . . ." (The New American Cyclopaedia: 647)
" . . . The Duke de Nemours undoubtedly possessed the most brilliant courage, but he had neither the talents nor the steadiness of a general. Still absorbed with his passion for Madame de Chatillon, who, as has been said, had long retained him in the party of peace, he found in Berri a counter-attraction in Madame de Longueville who drew him towards that of war, and it would seem that he occupied himself more with paying court to the lovely lady than of raising and arming soldiers and making Berri a focus of resistance, both political and military; for very speedily the Prince de Conti and he were reduced to defend themselves in Bourges instead of being able to operate in the open and making any advance. . . ." (Political Women: 262)
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| Francois VI Duke of Rochefoucauld @Wikipedia |
3) François VI de La Rochefoucauld (1613-1680)
Duc de La Rochefoucauld
Lover in 1645-1650.
" . . . The duke [her husband] was sent to Munster in 1645. During his absence from Paris, the duchess occasionally saw the duke de La Rochefoucauld (prince de Marsillac); and it being reported that she was not indifferent to his attentions, the duke de Longueville caused his wife to join him in Westphalia, where she remained till 1647, following with interest the negotiations of the treaty of peace of Munster, and imbibing a fondness for politics, which on her return to Paris she displayed most actively in the part which she took in the Fronde. Her principal source of inspiration, however, in throwing herself with the whole genius and impetuosity of her her ardent but disinterested nature into that movement, was her love for La Rochefoucauld, one of its chief leaders. Among others who joined it were her brother Conti and the duke de Bouillon; but as it was intimated that they were both wavering in their revolutionary zeal, Mme. de Longueville was detained in the Hotel de Ville as hostage for her brother, and Mme. de Bouillon for her husband. While there, in the night of Jan. 26, 1649, the duchess gave birth to a son (Charles, who became a noted gallant, and was killed in the campaign against Holland in 1672), of whom La Rochefoucauld was supposed to be the father. In order to punish the duchess, her brothers and husband were arrested by order of Anne of Austria, the regent, in 1650; but the brave woman persisted in her resistance to the court, and after failing to shake the loyalty of the people of Normandy and barely escaping with her life on her flight from Dieppe, she gained Rotterdam and repaired to the citadel of Stenay in Flanders, of which she took the command, and succeeded in making Turenne, whom she met there, join the Fronde and accept the assistance of the king of Spain in levying troops against France. . . ." (The New American Cyclopaedia: 647)
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| Henri I de La Tour d'Auvergne Viscount of Turenne @Wikipedia |
4) Henri I de La Tour d'Auvergne (1611-1675)
Vicomte de Turenne
Marshal of France, Marshal General of France.
Son of: Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne, Vicomte de Turenne, Duc de Bouillon & Elizabeth of Orange.
Husband of: Charlotte de Caumont mar 1652.
"Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne, vicomte de Turenne (1611-1675), who was regarded as the greatest military leader of his time. He was only thirty-three years old when Mazarin made him marechal de France, and in 1660 he became marechal de general des camps et armees du Roi. During the Fronde, he was firs persuaded by his brother, the duc de Bouillon, and by the duchesse de Longueville, with whom Turenne as in love, to fight on the side of the Parlement members and the princes who were in revolt, but in 1651 he made his peace with the court and took command of the royal army. In a famous encounter, he sent the prince de Conde into retreat, pursued his forces into the Faubourg Saint-Antoine, and would have chased them into Paris proper if Mademoiselle de Montpensier, another of the illustrious Frondeuses, had not commanded the cannon of the Bastille to fire on the royal troops. Turenne was killed by a cannon shot in July 1675. Madame de Sevigne wrote many letters about the general shock and grief over his death, and about the burial that the king accorded him in the royal necropolis of Saint-Denis. . . ." (Memoirs: 53)
Duchesse de Castries.
Her lover was:
Viktor, Prince von Metternich-Winneburg.
"The Castries family came back to Paris during the Restoration. The eldest son, Edmond-Eugène Philippe, had married Claire-Clemence Henriette-Claudine de Maillé in 1816. The marriage was a failure, and the Duchess of Castries had an affair with Victor de Metternich, the fragile son of the Austrian chancellor, and then, after his death, had a platonic relationship wit . . . ."
| Louise-Henriette Duchess of Bouillon @Balwina |
Wife of: Emmanuel Théodose de La Tour d'Auvergne, Duc de Bouillon (1668-1730)
Physical Traits and Personal Qualities.
"'She was described as very pretty; rather tall than short; neither stout nor slender; an oval face; a broad forehead; black eyes and eyebrows; brown hair; very wide mouth and very red lips'." (Wikipedia)
Her lovers were:
Lover in 1744.
"He started an affair with his step mother, the notably attractive Louise Henriette Françoise de Lorraine in around 1744. He was a year older than she."
2) Louis de Bourbon, Comte de Clermont
Lover in 1730.
"From 1730, he was a lover of Louise Henriette Françoise de Lorraine, wife of the Duke of Bouillon, mother of the Princess of Beauvau." (Wikipedia)
Wife of:
1) Louis de Clermont d'Amboise, Marquis de Reynel, mar 1701
2) Francois Marie Spinola, Duc de Saint-Pierre, mar 1704
1) Louis de Clermont d'Amboise, Marquis de Reynel, mar 1701
2) Francois Marie Spinola, Duc de Saint-Pierre, mar 1704
Her lover was:
Comte de Forcalquier.
This lady, recently widowed from a much older Spanish nobleman, was a young-looking fifty-three and most determined to make up for time lost in the stifling atmosphere of the Spanish court where she had lived under the jealous surveillance of her husband since 1704. The merry widow began taking the 23-year-old comte de Forcalquier as her lover, and the three of them painted the town red with all the decorum of their station and condition. . . . " (Voltaire Almighty: A Life in Pursuit of Freedom)
"Du Chatelet felt at home in these surroundings, and the duchesse de Saint-Pierre was a generous friend. She had married first a marquis and then, when he died, the duc de Saint-Pierre. Widowed for the second time in 1727, when she was in her late forties, she had money, rank, and thus independence. Madame de Grandigny described the duchesse during this period of her life as 'silly, but a good woman, kind, gay, loving of every kind of pleasure.'. . . ." (Zinsser: 56)
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| Marie de Rohan Duchesse de Chevreuse |
Marie de Rohan
Duchess de Chevreuse
(1600-1679)
Duchess de Chevreuse
(1600-1679)
French princess
Lady-in-waiting to & confidante of Queen Anne of Austria; Controller of the Queen's Household 1618.
Daughter of: Hercule de Rohan, Duc de Montbazon (1568-1654), Lieutenant of the King in Normandy, Governor of Picardy & Madeleine de Lenoncourt.
A beauty that had a great share in her destiny.
"But first a word of he beauty of Madame de Chevreuse, for this beauty had a great share in her destiny. All her contemporaries unite in celebrating it. A portrait nearly of life-size, which is in the possession of the Duke de Luynes, and which he has courteously shown to us, gives here an enchanting figure, a charming face, large blue eyes, fine and luxuriant chestnut-hair, a beautiful bust, and a piquant mingling of refinement and vivacity, grace and passion in her whole person. This indeed was the character of the beauty of Madame de Chevreuse; we find it again in the excellent engraving of Daret, which Harding has republished in England, and also in the picture of Ferdinand Elle, which represents her as a widow and aged. We feel in this last portrait that acuteness, dignity, vivacity and grace are still surviving." (Secret History of the French Court: 5)
The power of her eyes to captivate men of great stations.
"Chalais and Chateauneuf, de Jars and de Thou, Holland and Buckingham, King Philip of Spain and Duke Charles of Lorraine, Montresor, Montagu, Campion, and even the great Richelieu himself---all were to fall under the spell of those lovely haunting eyes and cast prudence to the winds for a smile from these red lips." (The Intriguing Duchess: 18)
Marie de Rohan's physical appearance and personal qualities.
" . . . A portrait in the possession of the late Duke de Luynes represents her as having an admirable figure, a charming expression of countenance, large and well-opened blue eyes, chestnut-tainted fair hair in great abundance, a well-formed neck, with the loveliest bust possible, and throughout her entire person a piquant blending of delicacy, grace, vivacity, and passion. . . ." (Political Women, Vol 1 @hotfreeboks)
Naturally vivacious & dashing, with beauty & captivating manners.
" . . . Marie de Rohan was naturally vivacious and dashing, and, yielding herself up to the seduction of youth and pleasure, she had lovers and her adorers drew her into politics. Her beauty and captivating manners were such as to fascinate and enthrall the least impressible who crossed her path, and their dangerous power was extensively employed in influencing the politics of Europe, and consequently had a large share in framing her own destiny. . . ." (Political Women: 18)
Her eyes had a mysterious power of penetration.
"She was rather small with the dainty trim lines of a racing yacht---delicate strong hands, tiny feet and slender limbs. Her hair was true gold, a mass of crisp curls. The straight nose with its quivering sensitive nostrils, the oval face and arched eyebrows showed her aristocratic lineage; the well-modelled mouth with its full scarlet lips betrayed her passionate, generous nature. But her yes were her chief beauty and allure. Large, dark blue with absurdly long lashes, they were now dreaming, not alight with laughter. At one moment they had 'a mysterious power of penetration'; at the next they were melting and languorous and drove the man who gazed into their violet depths temporarily mad." (The Intriguing Duchess: 18)
Interest of the men she loved paramount to the Duchesse.
" . . . Mdme. de Chevreuse, in fact, possessed almost all the qualities befitting a great politician. One alone was wanting, and precisely that without which all the others tended to her ruin. She failed to select for pursuit a legitimate object, or rather she did not choose one for herself, but left it to another to choose for her. Mdme. de Chevreuse was womanly in the highest possible degree; that quality was alike her strength and her weakness. Her secret mainspring was love, or rather gallantry,[10] and the interest of him whom she loved became her paramount object. It is this which explains the wonderful sagacity, finesse, and energy she displayed in the vain pursuit of a chimerical aim, which ever receded before her, and seemed to draw her on by the very prestige of difficulty and danger. La Rochefoucauld accuses her of having brought misfortune upon all those whom she loved;[11] it is equally the truth to add that all those whom she loved hurried her in the sequel into insensate enterprises. It was not she evidently who made of Buckingham a species of paladin without genius; a brilliant adventurer of Charles IV. of Lorraine; of Chalais a hair-brained blunderer, rash enough to commit himself in a conspiracy against Richelieu, on the faith of the faithless Duke d’Orleans; of Châteauneuf, an ambitious statesman, impatient of holding second rank in the Government, without being capable of taking the first. Let no one imagine that he is acquainted with Mdme. de Chevreuse from having merely studied the foregoing portrait traced by De Retz, for that sketch is an exaggeration and over-charged like all those from the same pen, and was destined to amuse the malignant curiosity of Mdme. de Caumartin—for without being altogether false, it is of a severity pushed to the verge of injustice. Was it becoming, one might ask, of the restless and licentious Coadjutor to constitute himself the remorseless censor of a woman whose errors he shared? Did he not deceive himself as much and for a far longer period than she? Did he show more address in political strategy or courage in the dangerous strife, more intrepidity and constancy in defeat? But Mdme. de Chevreuse has not written memoirs in that free-and-easy and piquant style the constant aim of which is self-elevation, obtained at the expense of everybody else. There are two judges of her character the testimony of whose acts must be held to be above suspicion—Richelieu and Mazarin. Richelieu did all in his power to win her over, and not being able to succeed, he treated her as an enemy worthy of himself. . . ." (Political Women, Vol. 1: 22)
A born schemer.
"Madame de Chevreuse was a born schemer: she had the both a vocation a a genius for intrigue. Involved in the conspiracy of Henry de Talleyrand, come de Chalais (1599-1626) against Richelieu in 1626, she was exiled to Lorraine after his execution. She then became the mistress of the guard of Sceaux Chateauneuf, who was arrested on 25 February 1633 and imprisoned for 10 years in Angouleme, the duchess herself was then banished to Touraine (until 1627). There she continued her machinations. Richelieu was perfectly aware of her scheming, but he considered it too risky to banish her from the realm. 'Her mind is so dangerous, that, if she lives abroad, it could carry matters to new levels of unrest that we cannot foresee.' Indeed, it was shee who, having full control over the mind of Charles IV, duc de Lorraine, persuaded him to offer asylum to the duc d'Orleans. It was also she who pushed England to war, and she was the soul of the opposition to Richelieu. After she managed to flee from Touraine, she went to Spain, later moving on to England and then to Flanders, where she participated in the conspiracy of the comte de Soissons to such a degree that Louis XIII, who said she was the devil incarnate, condemned her to permanent exile in his declaration of 20 April 1643." (Political and Historical Encyclopedia of Women: 45)
Duchesse de Chevreuse's personal & family background.
"She came of that old and illustrious race the issue of the first princes of Brittany, and was the daughter of Hercule de Rohan, Duke de Montbazon, a zealous servant of Henri IV, by his first wife Madeleine de Lenoncourt, sister of Urbain de Laval, Marshal de Bois-Dauphin. Born in December, 1600, she lost her mother at a very early age, and in 1617 was married to that audacious favourite of Louis XIII, De Luynes, who from the humble office of 'bird-catcher' to the young King, rose to the proud dignity of Constable of France., and who, upon the faith of a king's capricious friendship, dared to undertake the reversal of the Queen-mother, Marie de' Medici's authority; hurl to destruction her great favourite, the Marshal d'Ancre, combat simultaneously princes and Protestants, and commence against Richelieu the system of Richelieu. Early becoming a widow, Marie, next, in 1622, entered the house of Lorraine by espousing Claude, Duke de Chevreuse, one of the sons of Henry de Guise, great Chamberlain of France, whose highest merit was the name he bore, accompanied by good looks and that bravery which was never wanting to a prince of Lorraine; otherwise disorderly in the conduct of his affairs, of not very edifying manner of life, which may go far to explain and extenuate the errors of his young wife. The new Duchess de Chevreuse had been appointed during the sway of her first husband, surintendante (controller) of the Queen's household, and soon became as great a favourite of Anne of Austria as the Constable de Luynes was of Louis the Just. (Political Women: 17)
"She was the daughter of Hercules de Rohan, Duke de Montbazon, a zealous servant of Henri IV, Peer and Master of the Hounds, and Governor of Paris and of the Isle of France, and of his first wife, Madeleine de Lenoncourt, sister of Urbain de Laval, Marshal de Bois-Dauphin. Born almost with the seventeenth century, in December, 1600, she lost her mother at a very early age, and in 1617 espoused that audacious favorite of Louis XIII, who, on the faith of the fickle friendship of a king, dared attempt to overthrow the authority of the queen-mother, Marie de Medicis, destroyed the Marshal d'Ancre, combated the Princes and the Protestants at the same time, and attempted against Richelieu himself the system of Richelieu. . . ." (Secret History of the French Court: 6)
" . . . A daughter of the first marriage of Hercule de Rohan, duc de Montbazon (and thus the stepdaughter of Madame de Montbazon, who was 12 years younger than she), on her father's side she was a descendant of the illustrious princely house of Bretagne. On the side of her mother, Madeleine de Lenoncourt, she was descended from a very old and significant family in Lorraine. Born in 1600, she had in 1618 been named superintendent of the hose of Anne of Austria, the young queen, and had become her favorite. In 1622, she married Claude de Lorraine, duc de Chevreuse, one of the sons of Henri de Guise." (Political and Historical Encyclopedia of Women: 46)
Her father, the Duke de Montbazon.
"Born of this house, with centuries of unbroken lineage behind him, Hercule de Rohan, Duke de Montbazon, was worthy of his race and name. He was a handsome swaggering giant of a man who faced the world with head flung back and a 'you-be-damned' air that proved irresistible to the opposite sex. The haughty head was not over-burdened with brains, and Hercule was credited with having 'the morals of a horse-trooper,' but he had a few shining virtues. He spoke the truth at any cost, feared neither man nor devil and was absolutely unwaveringly loyal to his chosen cause." (The Intriguing Duchess, Marie de Rohan, Duchesse de Chevreuse: 16)
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| Charles d'Albert 1st Duc de Luynes |
1. Charles d'Albert, Duc de Luynes (1578-1621), 1st Duke of Luynes, Constable of France, mar 1617.
" . . . At seventeen Marie (b.1600) married the duc de Luynes, the king's chief falconer and favorite. Marie was from an old and distinguished noblesse d'epee family while Luynes was a simple ecuyer elevated by his relationship to the king; the marriage was clearly to the advantage of Luynes at Marie's expense. Nonetheless, through Luynes' offices, Marie was selected to be the head of the queen consort's household in 1618, beginning an intimate friendship between the two women." (Le Ballet de l'Acier).
" . . . (I)n 1617 (she) was married to that audacious favourite of Louis XIII, De Luynes, who from the humble office of 'bird-catcher' to the young King, rose to the proud dignity of Constable of France . . . ." (myladyweb blogspot)
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| Claude de Lorraine Duc de Chevreuse |
2. Claude de Lorraine, Duc de Chevreuse (1578-1657), Grand Chamberlain of France, mar 1622.
" . . . She [Marie] and her husband had been on excellent terms during his life-time, but de Luynes had been away from Paris. During his absence Marie had found consolation in the arms of the most charming gallant at court, Claude de Lorraine, now Duke de Chevreuse. While de Luynes was alive, the lovers had met at the house of Claude's sister, the Princess de Conti. After his death, the intrigue was carried on so flagrantly that the whole Court was talking about it, and one contemporary writer says: 'they flaunted their love shamelessly before the whole of Paris.' The scandal gave Louis the opportunity he wanted. He first ordered Marie to move from the Louvre to her own town house. As Superintendent of the Queen's Household, however, it was necessary for her to have her apartments in the Palace. He compromised by having her moved from her luxurious suite to a smaller apartment high up under the eaves. . . ." (The Intriguing Duchess: 43)
" . . . She left the Court a widow. She returned in triumph leading in the flowery chains of matrimony the dazed but blissful Claude de Lorraine. At the time of his marriage Claude de Lorraine was over forty but was considered one of the most eligible bachelors in France. His portraits show a long face with high cheek-bones and finely-cut aristocratic features. He was tall, slender, a graceful dancer and a superb swordsman. He would flirt with a woman or run his rapier through a man with the same ineffable courtliness. It is no wonder that his path was strewn with the petals of fallen virtue. (: 46-47)
" . . . The duchesse de Luynes was engaged again by 1622, marrying the duc de Chevreuse of the powerful family of Guise. A powerful courtier but an indifferent husband, the duc provided Marie the means of remaining at court and she provided him a fortune he quickly turned to gambling and mistresses. The duchesse proved no less amorous than her husband; indeed, it's rumored that the duc was her lover before the death of Luynes. . . ." (Le Ballet de l'Acier)
" . . . Early becoming a widow, Marie next, in 1622, entered the house of Lorraine by espousing Claude, Duke of Chevreuse, one of the sons of Henry de Guise, grand Chamberlain of France, whose highest merit was the name he bore, accompanied by good looks and that bravery which was never wanting to a prince of Lorraine; otherwise disorderly in the conduct of his affairs, of not very edifying manner of life, which may go far to explain and extenuate the errors of his young wife. . . ." (myladyweb blogspot)
Her lovers were:
1) Alexandre de Campion (1610-1670)
French poet & diplomat.
Lover in 1641.
Campion's personal & family background.
" . . . We see in these letters that Alexandre de Campion, born in 1610, of a noble family of Normandy, in 1634 entered, at the age of twenty-four, into the service of the young Count de Soissons in the quality of gentleman, followed him in his different campaigns, distinguished himself therein, and gradually shared his confidence with Beauregard, Saint Ibar and Varicarville---brave officers and men of honor, but restless and somewhat turbulent, who flattered the ambition of their master and urged him on in concert to play a conspicuous role in France by overthrowing the Cardinal de Richelieu. . . ." (Secret History of the French Court under Richelieu and Mazarin: 68)
"Beaufort, once inveigled, drew in also his intimate friend, Count de Maille's son, the Count de Beaupuis, cornet in the Queen's horse-guards. To them Madame de Chevreuse adjoined Alexandre de Campion, the elder brother of Henri. 'She loved him much,' remarks the latter, and in a way which, added to certain ambiguous words of Alexandre, excites suspicion whether the elder Campion were not in fact one of the numerous successors of Chalais. He was then thirty-three, and his brother confesses that he had caught from the Count de Soissons the taste for and the habitudes of faction. Beaupuis and Alexandre de Campion approved of the plot when communicated to them, 'the former,' says Henri, 'believing that it would be a means for him of attaining to a position of greater importance, and my brother seeing therein Madame de Chevreuse's advantage and by consequence his own." (Political Women, Vol 1: 89)
" . . . In the service of M. de Beaufort were the two brothers, Alexandre and Henri de Campion. Alexandre was devoted to Madame de Chevreuse, and ready to risk his life to purchase her favour. He was a man of bold, reckless bearing, expert in the use of pistol or dagger, and restrained by no principle of honour. A few days after the exile of Madame de Montbazon, Alexandre de Campion wrote to assure her, of his devotion to her interests. 'Despair not, Madame,' writes he, 'there are at least half a dozen stout hearts which no craven fears. Your illustrious friend (Madame de Chevreuse) does not intend to abandon you.'. . . ." (The Regency of Anne of Austria: 106)
" . . . This gentleman was named Alexandre de Campion. He met Madame de Chevreuse at Brussels, and confided to her the mission with which he was charged. She eagerly hastened to second it with all her influence. As we shall see this personage reappear more than once in the midst of the most tragic adventures in the life of Madame de Chevreuse, we must pause for a few moments to introduce him to our readers." (Secret History of trhe French Court under Richelieu and Mazarin: 68)
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Charles IV of Lorraine |
2) Charles IV de Lorraine (1604-1675)
Duc de Lorraine 1625-1634 & 1661-1675.
He was a slave to feminine charms & wiles.
"In the Duke of Lorraine, Madame de Chevreuse found a ready and willing ally. Charles IV had espoused his cousin Nicole, eldest daughter of Duke Henry of Lorraine and Marguerite de Gonzague, and heiress of the duchy. The duke was a vacillating, unsteady man; a slave to feminine charms and wiles; and indifferent to his consort, whose attachment he repaid by attempts, after their marriage, to set aside her claims on the duchy and to assert those of his father the Count de Vaudemont, as the nearest male heir of the late duke his father-in-law. Charles received Madame de Chevreuse with distinction; he assigned for her use the beautiful palace of Blamont; and abetted her intrigues to bring about a coalition of the Powers against France. The campaign was to be inaugurated by the succour of La Rochelle. The Duke always inclined to the alliance of Austria, rather than to that of France. . . ." (The Married Life of Anne of Austria, Volume 1: 175)
Physical appearance.
"Charles IV who had succeeded to the ducal throne of Lorraine in 1624, by virtue of the abdication of his father, Francois I, Comte de Vaudemont, brother of the Duc Henri II, was at this time in his twenty-third year. In build be was extremely thin, but well proportioned, wiry, and muscular; his features were regular and very pleasing, and illuminated by a pair of piercing blue eyes; and, in contrast to the carelessness in his personal appearance which he affected in later years, he wore his fair hair in long curls. . . ." (A Fair Conspirator: Marie de Rohan: 81)
One of the earliest adorers.
"Charles IV was one of the earliest adorers of the duchesse de Chevreuse, who made so much noise during the minority of Louis XIV. He died in 1675, and was succeeded by his nephew Charles V." (Illustrations of the Passion of Love, Vol 1-2: 127)
Duc de Lorraine 1625-1634 & 1661-1675.
He was a slave to feminine charms & wiles.
"In the Duke of Lorraine, Madame de Chevreuse found a ready and willing ally. Charles IV had espoused his cousin Nicole, eldest daughter of Duke Henry of Lorraine and Marguerite de Gonzague, and heiress of the duchy. The duke was a vacillating, unsteady man; a slave to feminine charms and wiles; and indifferent to his consort, whose attachment he repaid by attempts, after their marriage, to set aside her claims on the duchy and to assert those of his father the Count de Vaudemont, as the nearest male heir of the late duke his father-in-law. Charles received Madame de Chevreuse with distinction; he assigned for her use the beautiful palace of Blamont; and abetted her intrigues to bring about a coalition of the Powers against France. The campaign was to be inaugurated by the succour of La Rochelle. The Duke always inclined to the alliance of Austria, rather than to that of France. . . ." (The Married Life of Anne of Austria, Volume 1: 175)
Physical appearance.
"Charles IV who had succeeded to the ducal throne of Lorraine in 1624, by virtue of the abdication of his father, Francois I, Comte de Vaudemont, brother of the Duc Henri II, was at this time in his twenty-third year. In build be was extremely thin, but well proportioned, wiry, and muscular; his features were regular and very pleasing, and illuminated by a pair of piercing blue eyes; and, in contrast to the carelessness in his personal appearance which he affected in later years, he wore his fair hair in long curls. . . ." (A Fair Conspirator: Marie de Rohan: 81)
One of the earliest adorers.
"Charles IV was one of the earliest adorers of the duchesse de Chevreuse, who made so much noise during the minority of Louis XIV. He died in 1675, and was succeeded by his nephew Charles V." (Illustrations of the Passion of Love, Vol 1-2: 127)
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Charles de l'Aubespine Marquis de Chateauneuf @Wikipedia |
3) Charles de L'Aubespine, Marquis de Chateauneuf (1580-1653)
French diplomat & government official.
Ambassador in Holland 1609; Ambassador in Habsburg Netherlands 1611-1616; Ambassador in the Valtellina 1626; Ambassador in England 1629-1630; Keeper of the Seals 1630-1633, 1650-1651 (Minister of Justice)
"Permitted by Richelieu to return to France in 1628, Mme de Chevreuse was exiled to Touraine in 1633 for betraying to Spain state secrets extracted from her lover, the Marquis de Chateauneuf, keeper of the seals. France went to war with Spain in 1635, and two years later Richelieu discovered that the Queen and Mme de Chevreuse were conducting treasonable correspondence with the Spanish court. The Duchesse fled in disguise to Spain." (Britannica)
"Charles de l'Aubespine, Marquis de Chateauneuf, of an ancient family of counsellors and secretaries of state, had succeeded Michael Marillac in the office of Keeper of the Seals in 1630...The cardinal had loaded him with favours... Chateauneuf had been appointed chancellor of the royal orders, and Governor of Touraine. He was a consummate man of business, laborious and active, and endowed with that quality which best pleased the cardinal, resolution; but he had an inordinate ambition which he retained though life, and which when joined with love, rendered him blind to all but his purpose... Chateauneuf amused Madame Chevreuse with public affairs...Chateauneuf was then fifty years of age, and the sentiment that he had conceived for Madame de Chevreuse must have been one of those fatal passions which precede and mark the final departure of youth. . . ." (Secret History of the French Court Under Richelieu and Mazarin)
"Permitted by Richelieu to return to France in 1628, Mme de Chevreuse was exiled to Touraine in 1633 for betraying to Spain state secrets extracted from her lover, the Marquis de Chateauneuf, keeper of the seals. France went to war with Spain in 1635, and two years later Richelieu discovered that the Queen and Mme de Chevreuse were conducting treasonable correspondence with the Spanish court. The Duchesse fled in disguise to Spain." (Britannica)
"Charles de l'Aubespine, Marquis de Chateauneuf, of an ancient family of counsellors and secretaries of state, had succeeded Michael Marillac in the office of Keeper of the Seals in 1630...The cardinal had loaded him with favours... Chateauneuf had been appointed chancellor of the royal orders, and Governor of Touraine. He was a consummate man of business, laborious and active, and endowed with that quality which best pleased the cardinal, resolution; but he had an inordinate ambition which he retained though life, and which when joined with love, rendered him blind to all but his purpose... Chateauneuf amused Madame Chevreuse with public affairs...Chateauneuf was then fifty years of age, and the sentiment that he had conceived for Madame de Chevreuse must have been one of those fatal passions which precede and mark the final departure of youth. . . ." (Secret History of the French Court Under Richelieu and Mazarin)
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Francois VI de Rochefoucauld @Wikipedia |
4) Francois VI, Duc de La Rochefoucauld (1613-1680)
Prince de Marcillac 1613.
French aristocrat & author
Lover in 1645
Husband of: Andree de Vivonne, mar 1628
"Under the patronage of Madame de Chevreuse, whom he met at this time, the first of the three celebrated women who influenced his life, he joined the service of Queen Anne of Austria. In one of Madame de Chevreuse's quarrels with Cardinal Richelieu and her husband, a scheme apparently was conceived by which Marcillac was to carry her off to Brussels on horseback. Other cabals against Richelieu once resulted in Marcillac being sentenced to eight days in the Bastille, and he was occasionally required to leave the Court, exiled to his father's estates. In the power vacuum following Richelieu's death in 1642, Marcillac among others took an active role in urging the queen and Condé to act together against Gaston, Duke of Orléans. However, the growing reputation of Mazarin impeded the ambition of the plotters, and Marcillac's 1645 liaison with Duchess of Longueville made him irrevocably a frondeur (aristocratic rebel). He was a conspicuous figure in the siege of Paris, fought in many of the frequent military engagements, and was seriously wounded at the siege of Mardyke." (Wikipedia)
" . . . The Prince de Marcillac, afterwards celebrated as Duke de la Rochefoucauld, was then the favoured lover of Madame de Chevreuse; and, being in that character necessarily devoted to the queen's service, he was consulted by her on the feasibility of her escape. . . ." (The Biographical Dictionary of the Society of the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, Vol II, Part II: 795)
5) Geoffroy de Laigues, Marquis de Laigues (1614-1674)
Captain of the Guards of Duc d'Orleans
Lover in 1649.
"The Marquis de Laigues, having gone to Brussels, found Madame de Chevreuse there and formed an intimacy with her, as Alexandre de Campion had in 1641. . . Laigues was young and pleasing in his person. . . He succeeded and both became so strongly attached that they never separated. (Secret History of trhe French Court under Richelieu and Mazarin: 168)
" . . . She had found a last friend in the Marquis de Laigues, captain of the guards of the Duke d'Orleans, a man of spirit and of resolution, whom she loved till the end, and with whom after the death of M. de Chevreuse in 1657, she probably united her destiny by one of those mariages de conscience then very much in fashion. . . ." (Secret History of the French Court: 168)
"At the time when her third exile terminated, Madame de Chevreuse was in her fiftieth year. Few traces of that radiant beauty which had captivated so many hearts remained, but her vivacity and her charm of manner had survived her physical attractions, and she was still eminently fascinating. Needless to say, she had not yet renounced gallantry, and had, indeed, just found a new, and, as it was to prove, a last lover, in the person of the Marquis de Laigues, who, at the beginning of 1649, had been sent by the Frondeur nobles to Brussels to negotiate the treaty with Spain." (A Fair Conspirator @hathitrust.org: 255)
Comte de Chalais
Lover in 1621?.
French aristocrat & royal favourite
Master of the King's Wardrobe; Councillor of State 1613.
Son of: Daniel de Talleyrand-Perigord, Prince de Chalais & Jeanne-Francoise de Lasseran-Massencome, daughter of Marechal de Montluc.
Husband of: Charlotte de Castille, mar 1623, widow of Comte de Charny.
Her lover or not?.
"Henri successfully defended himself, but this did not put the fire back into the marital bed. Instead, Henri's loins turned toward Marie de Rohan-Montbazon, duchesse de Chevreuse. Madame de Chevreuse, former lover of Henry Rich (later Earl of Holland), had a string of lovers, and it's questionable whether Henri was among them. Whether he was or not, she ignited in him a passion that would lead to his execution. . . ." (Executed Today)
"Henri successfully defended himself, but this did not put the fire back into the marital bed. Instead, Henri's loins turned toward Marie de Rohan-Montbazon, duchesse de Chevreuse. Madame de Chevreuse, former lover of Henry Rich (later Earl of Holland), had a string of lovers, and it's questionable whether Henri was among them. Whether he was or not, she ignited in him a passion that would lead to his execution. . . ." (Executed Today)
At her feet and her slave to command.
Henry de Talleyrand, Count de Chalais, was of good family and had been one of the 'children-of-honour' in attendance on the royal infants. When Louis came to the throne he made his former playmate Master of the Wardrobe, a position which put him on terms of intimacy with the King. In many ways, Chalais was the ideal man for Marie's purpose. Since he was in the King's confidence, he had excellent opportunities of knowing what was going on, and his friendship with Gaston was of vital importance. On the other hand, he was young and possibly indiscreet. Marie could only hope for the best, and there was no time to be lost. Her first step was the subjugation of Chalais. The youth had already shown signs of being enamoured of the lovely Duchess, and had amused the Court by following her about and gazing at her with adoring eyes. Intent on her schemes, she had hardly noticed the twenty-year-old lad, but now she turned those gorgeous eyes full on him and smiled. Dizzy with rapture, he was at her feet, her slave to command. He, too, was put to work." (The Intriguing Duchess: 100)
Affair's end & aftermath,
Henry de Talleyrand, Count de Chalais, was of good family and had been one of the 'children-of-honour' in attendance on the royal infants. When Louis came to the throne he made his former playmate Master of the Wardrobe, a position which put him on terms of intimacy with the King. In many ways, Chalais was the ideal man for Marie's purpose. Since he was in the King's confidence, he had excellent opportunities of knowing what was going on, and his friendship with Gaston was of vital importance. On the other hand, he was young and possibly indiscreet. Marie could only hope for the best, and there was no time to be lost. Her first step was the subjugation of Chalais. The youth had already shown signs of being enamoured of the lovely Duchess, and had amused the Court by following her about and gazing at her with adoring eyes. Intent on her schemes, she had hardly noticed the twenty-year-old lad, but now she turned those gorgeous eyes full on him and smiled. Dizzy with rapture, he was at her feet, her slave to command. He, too, was put to work." (The Intriguing Duchess: 100)
Affair's end & aftermath,
" . . . Chalais was master of the wardrobe; his person and mind were attractive, and he was devotedly attached to Madame de Chevreuse. He was accused of having formed a design against the life of the king, and of having proposed to Monsieur to break off his marriage with a view of espousing the queen on his accession to the throne. Although this crime was not fully proved, Chalais was beheaded, and the cardinal had but little difficulty in persuading the king that the queen and Madame de Chevreuse had not been ignorant of the design of Chalais. . . ." (Secret History of the French Court)
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| Henry Rich 1st Earl of Holland @Wikipedia |
7) Henry Rich, 1st Earl of Holland (1590-1649)
English courtier, peer & soldier
Lover in 1624.
a.k.a. The Lord Kensington.
Husband of: Isabel Cope, mar 1616.
" . . . Lord Rich, afterwards the celebrated Count Holland, of the house of Warwick, came to the French court at the close of 1624, or the commencement of 1625, to demand the hand of the beautiful Henriette, sister of Louis XIII, for the Prince of Wales, who soon after became Charles I. During this negotiation, the Count became enamored with Madame de Chevreuse. He was young and singularly handsome; he pleased her; and won her over to the interests of England. This was, I believe, the true debut of of Madame de Chevreuse, both in love and in politics. Holland, who was volatile, and a lover of pleasure and intrigue, persuaded her to entangle her royal friend in some love affair like their own. . . ." (Secret History of the French Court: 14)
" . . . Lord Rich, afterwards the celebrated Count Holland, of the house of Warwick, came to the French court at the close of 1624, or the commencement of 1625, to demand the hand of the beautiful Henriette, sister of Louis XIII, for the Prince of Wales, who soon after became Charles I. During this negotiation, the Count became enamored with Madame de Chevreuse. He was young and singularly handsome; he pleased her; and won her over to the interests of England. This was, I believe, the true debut of of Madame de Chevreuse, both in love and in politics. Holland, who was volatile, and a lover of pleasure and intrigue, persuaded her to entangle her royal friend in some love affair like their own. . . ." (Secret History of the French Court: 14)
A woman ready for an amorous adventure.
"The embassy was headed by Lord Rich, Earl of Holland, a debonair cavalier with a reputation for gallantry. In view of the informal nature of their mission, the envoys could not be entertained at the Louvre. Instead, they became the guests of the Duke de Chevreuse whose friendship with the Prince of Wales made the arrangement most desirable. Holland met his hostess, bowed gallantly over her little hand, smiled into those violet eyes and found himself fathoms deep in love. Marie, we are told by a contemporary, was 'exceedingly good-natured and delighted in loving and being loved.' Holland arrived at the psychological moment when she was ready for amorous adventure. Marriage with Chevreuse was already beginning to pall. As a clandestine lover he had been charming. As a husband, to a woman of Marie's calibre, he was disappointing. His gallantry in war did little to excuse his moral cowardice and his suave charm of manner covered a weak and vacillating character. Chevreuse had given Marie the protection and prestige of his name in exchange for her fortune. There was little sentiment in their relations, and they treated each other with careless courtesy. The Duke pursued his amorous way with unabated ardour, leaving his wife free to follow his example.(The Intriguing Duchess: 63)
The first man Marie ever loved.
"The English envoy's slim grace and irreproachable technique in wooing appealed to Marie's sophisticated tastes and his devotion won her heart. Chateauneuf, one of her adoring slaves, said later that Holland was the first man she had ever loved and that she would always love him. In a very short time the Duchess yielded to the impassioned appeals of her guest and granted him her favours. Not content with carrying hospitality to such generous lengths, Marie threw herself heart and soul into furthering his cause at Court. In this she found an ally in her husband. While Chevreuse pointed out, in his dilettante fashion, the personal charms of the Prince of Wales, and the political advantages that would accrue from the match, Marie plunged joyously into the troubled waters of intrigue and diplomacy. Although this was her first venture into public affairs and was undertaken solely to help her lover, she exhibited the subtlety and aplomb of a finished politician." (The Intriguing Duchess: 64)
"It's widely known that the duchesse is the mistress of the English ambassador, Lord Holland, despite being pregnant with the duc de Chrevreuse's child." (Le Ballet de l'Acier)
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| Jean-Francois-Paul de Gondi @Wikipedia |
French churchman, writer, memoirist, agitator & statesman.
Cardinal, Archbishop of Paris 1643, Archbishop of Corinth, Abbot of St-Denis
Governor of Paris
Along came the bishop.
"Then came Paul de Gondi, better known to history as the Cardinal de Retz, who thus makes his first appearance on the stage. He was Bishop-Coadjutor of Paris and came as the people's representative to urge the Queen to make some concessions. She would have done well to listen to his advice. Instead, she found him merely funny and after his departure amused her intimates by imitating his walk and manner." (The Intriguing Duchess: 284)
Cardinal de Retz's personal appearance.
"There was, it must be admitted, something grotesque about the Coadjutor. He had a swarthy face with prominent, short-sighted eyes, a snub nose and a wide sensual mouth. His broad heavy torso was awkwardly set on a pair of bandy lefs and he walked with 'a prancing, tip-toeing swagger' that suggested 'an unfortunate ballet-master whose troubles had dethroned his reason.' (The Intriguing Duchess: 284)
His persona & character.
"His appearance may have been peculiar, but he was not the man to be dismissed so lightly. The goggle eyes could see farther through a brick wall than most. The snub nose denoted pugnacity, courage and a resourcefulness that made him a formidable foe. His reason was far from being 'dethroned' and behind the sensual lips was the golden tongue of a born orator. With it, he could sweep his hearers off their feet, rouse them to blind fury or calm them to patient restraint. The restless Paris mob was his chosen instrument and on it he played whatever tune pleased him. Unfortunately, the tune he chose was always the best one best suited to his own interests. He was quite frankly out for himself and those bandy legs were to carry him up the ladder of success before he toppled down and landed in a prison." (The Intriguing Duchess: 285)
Marie de Rohan's Gallery.
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| Marie de Rohan Duchesse de Chevreuse |
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| Marie de Rohan Duchess of Chevreuse |
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