Claude Catherine de Clermont
Encyclopedia
Claude Catherine de Clermont-Tonnerre de Vivonne (1543 – 18 February 1603), lady of Dampierre
, countess and duchess of Retz, was a French noblewoman and salon
host.
and of Jeanne de Vivonne. At 18 she married Jean d’Annebaut, but found herself widowed at 20 after he was killed in the battle of Dreux
. Beautiful and courteous, Catherine was made lady in waiting to queen Catherine de' Medici
, then governess to Catherine's children. She was the Governess of the Children of France
.
She acquired a great reputation as an intellectual, becoming known as the "10th Muse
" and the "4th Grace
". The Croix du Maine
wrote that "she deserved to be in the first rank of those learned and well-versed in poetry, oratory, philosophy, mathematics, history and other sciences". She spoke Latin, Greek and nearly all foreign languages. In 1573, when ambassadors from Poland came to see the duke of Anjou
, she publicly replied to them in Latin on behalf of the queen-mother and her speech took on those of René de Birague
and the comte de Chverny
, who replied on behalf of Charles IX
and the duke of Anjou.
She married for a second time, to Albert de Gondi
, duc de Retz, and during his absence assembled troops at his expense to drive off robbers threatening his lands, led them herself and forced the robbers to take flight. Their children included Jean-François de Gondi
(later archbishop of Paris
) and Claude-Marguerite de Gondi (later Marquise de Maignelay and patroness of the Madelonnettes Convent
). Holding a salon and regularly attending the sittings of the Académie du Palais, she was also a patroness of the arts, supporting the foundation of Jean-Antoine de Baïf
's Académie de musique et de poésie in 1570. She circulated her own writings mostly in manuscript, so that little of it has been perserved.
Dampierre
Dampierre is the name of several communes in France:*Dampierre, Aube, in the Aube département*Dampierre, Calvados, in the Calvados département*Dampierre, Haute-Marne, in the Haute-Marne département*Dampierre, Jura, in the Jura département...
, countess and duchess of Retz, was a French noblewoman and salon
Salon (gathering)
A salon is a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine taste and increase their knowledge of the participants through conversation. These gatherings often consciously followed Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "either to...
host.
Life
She was born in Paris, the only child of Claude de Clermont-TonnerreClermont-Tonnerre
Clermont-Tonnerre is the name of a French family, members of which played some part in the history of France, especially in Dauphiné, from about 1100 to the French Revolution. Sibaud, lord of Clermont in Viennois, who first appears in 1080, was the founder of the family...
and of Jeanne de Vivonne. At 18 she married Jean d’Annebaut, but found herself widowed at 20 after he was killed in the battle of Dreux
Battle of Dreux
The Battle of Dreux was fought on 19 December 1562 between Catholics and Huguenots. The Catholics were led by Anne de Montmorency while Louis I, Prince of Condé led the Huguenots....
. Beautiful and courteous, Catherine was made lady in waiting to queen Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici was an Italian noblewoman who was Queen consort of France from 1547 until 1559, as the wife of King Henry II of France....
, then governess to Catherine's children. She was the Governess of the Children of France
Governess of the Children of France
In France, the Governess of the Children of France , was charged with the education of the children and grand children of the monarch. The holder of the office was taken from the highest ranking nobility of France...
.
She acquired a great reputation as an intellectual, becoming known as the "10th Muse
Muse
The Muses in Greek mythology, poetry, and literature, are the goddesses who inspire the creation of literature and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge, related orally for centuries in the ancient culture, that was contained in poetic lyrics and myths...
" and the "4th Grace
Charites
In Greek mythology, a Charis is one of several Charites , goddesses of charm, beauty, nature, human creativity and fertility. They ordinarily numbered three, from youngest to oldest: Aglaea , Euphrosyne , and Thalia . In Roman mythology they were known as the Gratiae, the "Graces"...
". The Croix du Maine
François Grudé
François Grudé , lord of la Croix du Maine, was a French writer and bibliographer. He wrote under the Latin pseudonym Grucithanius.-Works:...
wrote that "she deserved to be in the first rank of those learned and well-versed in poetry, oratory, philosophy, mathematics, history and other sciences". She spoke Latin, Greek and nearly all foreign languages. In 1573, when ambassadors from Poland came to see the duke of Anjou
Henry III of France
Henry III was King of France from 1574 to 1589. As Henry of Valois, he was the first elected monarch of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with the dual titles of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1573 to 1575.-Childhood:Henry was born at the Royal Château de Fontainebleau,...
, she publicly replied to them in Latin on behalf of the queen-mother and her speech took on those of René de Birague
René de Birague
René de Birague was an Italian patrician who became a French cardinal and chancellor.-Biography:...
and the comte de Chverny
Philippe Hurault de Cheverny
Philippe Hurault , comte de Cheverny, was a French nobleman and politician.-Life:He was counsellor to the parlement de Paris, maître des requêtes , and assisted at the battles of Jarnac and Moncontour...
, who replied on behalf of Charles IX
Charles IX of France
Charles IX was King of France, ruling from 1560 until his death. His reign was dominated by the Wars of Religion. He is best known as king at the time of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre.-Childhood:...
and the duke of Anjou.
She married for a second time, to Albert de Gondi
Albert de Gondi
Albert de Gondi seigneur du Perron, comte, then marquis de Belle-Isle , duc de Retz , was a marshal of France and a member of the Gondi family. His father was Guidobaldo, seigneur de Perron, who became a banker at Lyon, and his mother was Marie-Catherine de Pierrevive - his siblings included...
, duc de Retz, and during his absence assembled troops at his expense to drive off robbers threatening his lands, led them herself and forced the robbers to take flight. Their children included Jean-François de Gondi
Jean-François de Gondi
Jean-François de Gondi was the first archbishop of Paris, from 1622 to 1654.He was the son of Albert de Gondi and Claude Catherine de Clermont. He was a member of the Gondi family, which had held the bishopric of Paris for nearly a century, and would continue to do so after him. Jean-François...
(later archbishop of Paris
Archbishop of Paris
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Paris is one of twenty-three archdioceses of the Roman Catholic Church in France. The original diocese is traditionally thought to have been created in the 3rd century by St. Denis and corresponded with the Civitas Parisiorum; it was elevated to an archdiocese on...
) and Claude-Marguerite de Gondi (later Marquise de Maignelay and patroness of the Madelonnettes Convent
Madelonnettes Convent
The Madelonnettes Convent was a Paris convent in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris. It was located in what is now a rectangle between 6 rue des Fontaines du Temple , rue Volta and rue du Vertbois, and part of its site is now occupied by the lycée Turgot...
). Holding a salon and regularly attending the sittings of the Académie du Palais, she was also a patroness of the arts, supporting the foundation of Jean-Antoine de Baïf
Jean-Antoine de Baïf
Jean Antoine de Baïf was a French poet and member of the Pléiade.-Life:He was born in Venice, the natural son of the scholar Lazare de Baïf, who was at that time French ambassador at Venice...
's Académie de musique et de poésie in 1570. She circulated her own writings mostly in manuscript, so that little of it has been perserved.
External links
- Official WebSite of the House of Clermont-Tonnerre : http://www.clermont-tonnerre.fr