Amy Brown Freeman
Encyclopedia
Amy Brown was the English-born first wife of Charles Ferdinand, Duke of Berry, younger son of King Charles X of France
and Marie Thérèse of Savoy. They married in a secret ceremony which was conducted in England by her father, a Protestant pastor. Together they had two daughters; however, when he returned to France, he was constrained to divorce her for reasons of state.
, Kent
, England
to John L. Brown, a Protestant pastor, and Mary Ann Deacon. Sometime before 1804, she married a Mr. Freeman by whom she had a son, John Freeman, who was born on 5 December 1804. Nothing further is recorded of her husband or his subsequent fate; however, author David Skuy describes Amy as having been a widow when she first met the duke. Amy's son John married French aristocrat Sophie de Blonay by whom he had issue.
, three years after the Bourbon
royal family was exiled to England. As her son had been born in December of that year, it was likely that they had first met while she was pregnant, although the exact date of their meeting is not known. Amy married Charles Ferdinand in a secret ceremony conducted by her father in 1806, without the duke having first obtained permission from his family and ignoring the fact that as a non-Catholic, no son of Amy's could ever ascend the French throne. As it turned out, they did not have a son, although Amy bore the duke two daughters:
After receiving the news of Napoleon's
abdication
, the duke returned to France in 1814, taking his daughters with him. Amy remained behind in England. Upon his return, he was constrained to divorce Amy for political reasons. The marriage was declared invalid due to the lack of royal consent to the match, and therefore the official position was that Amy had never been his wife at all but rather his mistress. He subsequently married Caroline Ferdinande Louise (5 November 1798 – 17 April 1870), eldest daughter of King Francis I of the Two Sicilies
by whom he had four children, including Henri, Comte de Chambord
, Legitimist Pretender
to the throne of France. He also fathered two illegitimate sons by dancer Eugénie-Virginie Oreille (8 August 1795 – October 1875), who was one of his many mistresses. The duke was assassinated by a saddler, Louis Pierre Louvel on 14 February 1820; while he lay dying, the duke asked to see Amy and his daughters, entrusting them to the care of his wife, who afterwards adopted the two girls.
, Switzerland
; and Amy herself died on 7 May 1876 at the age of ninety-three at the Chateau de La Contrie, France
. Through her daughter, the Baronne de Charette, Amy is the ancestress of Hervé de Charette
(born 30 July 1938) the French Foreign Minister
from 1995–1997
Charles X of France
Charles X was known for most of his life as the Comte d'Artois before he reigned as King of France and of Navarre from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. A younger brother to Kings Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, he supported the latter in exile and eventually succeeded him...
and Marie Thérèse of Savoy. They married in a secret ceremony which was conducted in England by her father, a Protestant pastor. Together they had two daughters; however, when he returned to France, he was constrained to divorce her for reasons of state.
Early years
Amy Brown was born on 8 April 1783 in MaidstoneMaidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to John L. Brown, a Protestant pastor, and Mary Ann Deacon. Sometime before 1804, she married a Mr. Freeman by whom she had a son, John Freeman, who was born on 5 December 1804. Nothing further is recorded of her husband or his subsequent fate; however, author David Skuy describes Amy as having been a widow when she first met the duke. Amy's son John married French aristocrat Sophie de Blonay by whom he had issue.
The Duke of Berry
Amy met Charles Ferdinand, Duke of Berry in 1804 in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, three years after the Bourbon
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
royal family was exiled to England. As her son had been born in December of that year, it was likely that they had first met while she was pregnant, although the exact date of their meeting is not known. Amy married Charles Ferdinand in a secret ceremony conducted by her father in 1806, without the duke having first obtained permission from his family and ignoring the fact that as a non-Catholic, no son of Amy's could ever ascend the French throne. As it turned out, they did not have a son, although Amy bore the duke two daughters:
- Charlotte Marie Augustine de Bourbon, Comtesse d'Issoudun (13 July 1808 – 13 July 1886), married in 1823 Ferdinand de Faucigny-Lucinge, Prince of Lucinge, by whom she had issue.
- Louise Marie Charlotte de Bourbon, Comtesse de Vierzon (29 December 1809 – 26 December 1891), married in 1827 Charles de Charette de La Contrie, Baron de La Contrie, by whom she had issue.
After receiving the news of Napoleon's
Napoleon I
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
abdication
Abdication
Abdication occurs when a monarch, such as a king or emperor, renounces his office.-Terminology:The word abdication comes derives from the Latin abdicatio. meaning to disown or renounce...
, the duke returned to France in 1814, taking his daughters with him. Amy remained behind in England. Upon his return, he was constrained to divorce Amy for political reasons. The marriage was declared invalid due to the lack of royal consent to the match, and therefore the official position was that Amy had never been his wife at all but rather his mistress. He subsequently married Caroline Ferdinande Louise (5 November 1798 – 17 April 1870), eldest daughter of King Francis I of the Two Sicilies
Francis I of the Two Sicilies
-Biography:Francis was born in Naples, the son of Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies and his wife Archduchess Maria Carolina of Austria. He was also the nephew of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI the last King and Queen of France before the first French Republic....
by whom he had four children, including Henri, Comte de Chambord
Henri, comte de Chambord
Henri, comte de Chambord was disputedly King of France from 2 to 9 August 1830 as Henry V, although he was never officially proclaimed as such...
, Legitimist Pretender
Pretender
A pretender is one who claims entitlement to an unavailable position of honour or rank. Most often it refers to a former monarch, or descendant thereof, whose throne is occupied or claimed by a rival, or has been abolished....
to the throne of France. He also fathered two illegitimate sons by dancer Eugénie-Virginie Oreille (8 August 1795 – October 1875), who was one of his many mistresses. The duke was assassinated by a saddler, Louis Pierre Louvel on 14 February 1820; while he lay dying, the duke asked to see Amy and his daughters, entrusting them to the care of his wife, who afterwards adopted the two girls.
Death and legacy
Amy's son by her first marriage, John Freeman died 26 August 1866 in ZurichZürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
; and Amy herself died on 7 May 1876 at the age of ninety-three at the Chateau de La Contrie, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Through her daughter, the Baronne de Charette, Amy is the ancestress of Hervé de Charette
Hervé de Charette
Hervé de Charette is a French centre-right politician.He is a descendant of the royalist military leader François de Charette. Member of the Union for French Democracy , he was elected deputy for the first time in 1986 as representative of the Maine-et-Loire département...
(born 30 July 1938) the French Foreign Minister
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
from 1995–1997