Françoise Madeleine d'Orléans
Encyclopedia
Françoise Madeleine d'Orléans (13 October 1648 – 14 January 1664) was born a Princess of France
and was the Duchess of Savoy as the first wife of Charles Emmanuel II
. She was a first cousin of Louis XIV as well of her husband. She was the shortest Savoyard consort dying at the age of fifteen, childless.
outside Paris
in 1664. She was the youngest surviving daughter of Gaston d'Orléans
and his second wife Marguerite of Lorraine
. From birth, she was styled Mademoiselle de Valois, derived from one of her fathers subsidiary titles. She was the favourite sister of La Grande Mademoiselle, the famous heiress. She grew up in the company of her sisters and Mademoiselle de La Vallière
, future mistress of Louis XIV. She resided at the Château de Blois
. Her father died in 1660 and her mother remained unmarried.
As French court etiquette dictated, she held the status of a Granddaughter of France as a male line descendant of the late king Henry IV of France
. She was styled as a petite-fille de France.
Under the influence of her paternal aunt Christine Marie, Dowager Duchess of Savoy
, she was engaged to her first cousin Charles Emmanuel II, Duke of Savoy
. Christine Marie had chosen her as she had wanted to maintain her power and influence in government having previously been regent for her son since 1637. The match was approved of by Cardinal Mazarin who had previously rejected Marie Jeanne of Savoy, another candidate for Charles Emmanuel II. Orléans proved suitably docile and was chosen over Marie Jeanne.
Orléans married the Duke of Savoy by proxy
at the Palais du Louvre
on 4 March 1663. The couple met for the first time at Annecy
on 3 April 1663 where they were married officially. The couple travelled to Turin
, capital of Savoy,where they arrived on 15 June 1664. She was known as Francesca Maddalena d'Orléans in her adopted Savoy.
The homesick princess soon died at the Royal Palace of Turin
at the age of 15 leaving a husband without an heir. She was buried at Turin Cathedral where she rests today. Her husband, inconsolable at her death, ordered a lavish funeral. After Orléans' death, Louis XIV tried to engage La Grande Mademoiselle to Charles Emmanuel II who refused the match. He later married again to Marie Jeanne of Savoy by whom he had a son.
Fils de France
Fils de France was the style and rank held by the sons of the kings and dauphins of France. A daughter was known as a fille de France .The children of the dauphin, who was the king's heir apparent, were accorded the same style and status as if they were the king's children instead of his...
and was the Duchess of Savoy as the first wife of Charles Emmanuel II
Charles Emmanuel II, Duke of Savoy
Charles Emmanuel II was the Duke of Savoy from 1638 to 1675 and under regency of his mother Christine Marie of France until 1663. He was also Marquis of Saluzzo, Count of Aosta, Geneva, Moriana and Nice, as well as claimant king of Cyprus and Jerusalem...
. She was a first cousin of Louis XIV as well of her husband. She was the shortest Savoyard consort dying at the age of fifteen, childless.
Biography
Orléans was born at the Château de Saint Germain en LayeChâteau de Saint-Germain-en-Laye
The Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a royal palace in the commune of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, in the département of Yvelines, about 19 km west of Paris, France. Today, it houses the Musée d'Archéologie Nationale ....
outside Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1664. She was the youngest surviving daughter of Gaston d'Orléans
Gaston, Duke of Orléans
Gaston of France, , also known as Gaston d'Orléans, was the third son of King Henry IV of France and his wife Marie de Medici. As a son of the king, he was born a Fils de France. He later acquired the title Duke of Orléans, by which he was generally known during his adulthood...
and his second wife Marguerite of Lorraine
Marguerite of Lorraine
Marguerite of Lorraine was a duchess of Orléans and Alençon. She was born in Nancy, Lorraine to Francis II, Duke of Lorraine, and Countess Christina of Salm. On 31 January 1632, she married Gaston, Duke of Orléans, son of Henry IV of France and Marie de' Medici...
. From birth, she was styled Mademoiselle de Valois, derived from one of her fathers subsidiary titles. She was the favourite sister of La Grande Mademoiselle, the famous heiress. She grew up in the company of her sisters and Mademoiselle de La Vallière
Louise de La Vallière
Louise de La Vallière was a mistress of Louis XIV of France from 1661 to 1667. She later became the Duchess of La Vallière and Duchess of Vaujours in her own right...
, future mistress of Louis XIV. She resided at the Château de Blois
Château de Blois
The Royal Château de Blois is located in the Loir-et-Cher département in the Loire Valley, in France, in the center of the city of Blois. The residence of several French kings, it is also the place where Joan of Arc went in 1429 to be blessed by the Archbishop of Reims before departing with her...
. Her father died in 1660 and her mother remained unmarried.
As French court etiquette dictated, she held the status of a Granddaughter of France as a male line descendant of the late king Henry IV of France
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
. She was styled as a petite-fille de France.
Under the influence of her paternal aunt Christine Marie, Dowager Duchess of Savoy
Christine Marie of France
Christine of France was the sister of Louis XIII and the Duchess of Savoy by marriage. At the death of her husband Victor Amadeus I in 1637, she acted as regent of Savoy between 1637 and 1648....
, she was engaged to her first cousin Charles Emmanuel II, Duke of Savoy
Charles Emmanuel II, Duke of Savoy
Charles Emmanuel II was the Duke of Savoy from 1638 to 1675 and under regency of his mother Christine Marie of France until 1663. He was also Marquis of Saluzzo, Count of Aosta, Geneva, Moriana and Nice, as well as claimant king of Cyprus and Jerusalem...
. Christine Marie had chosen her as she had wanted to maintain her power and influence in government having previously been regent for her son since 1637. The match was approved of by Cardinal Mazarin who had previously rejected Marie Jeanne of Savoy, another candidate for Charles Emmanuel II. Orléans proved suitably docile and was chosen over Marie Jeanne.
Orléans married the Duke of Savoy by proxy
Proxy marriage
A proxy wedding or is a wedding in which the bride or groom is not physically present, usually being represented instead by another person...
at the Palais du Louvre
Palais du Louvre
The Louvre Palace , on the Right Bank of the Seine in Paris, is a former royal palace situated between the Tuileries Gardens and the church of Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois...
on 4 March 1663. The couple met for the first time at Annecy
Annecy
Annecy is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It lies on the northern tip of Lake Annecy , 35 kilometres south of Geneva.-Administration:...
on 3 April 1663 where they were married officially. The couple travelled to Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, capital of Savoy,where they arrived on 15 June 1664. She was known as Francesca Maddalena d'Orléans in her adopted Savoy.
The homesick princess soon died at the Royal Palace of Turin
Royal Palace of Turin
Royal Palace of Turin or Palazzo Reale, is a palace in Turin, northern Italy. It was the royal palace of the House of Savoy. It was modernised greatly by the French born Madama Reale Christine Marie of France in the seventeenth century. The palace was worked on by Filippo Juvarra...
at the age of 15 leaving a husband without an heir. She was buried at Turin Cathedral where she rests today. Her husband, inconsolable at her death, ordered a lavish funeral. After Orléans' death, Louis XIV tried to engage La Grande Mademoiselle to Charles Emmanuel II who refused the match. He later married again to Marie Jeanne of Savoy by whom he had a son.
Ancestors
Titles, styles, honours and arms
Titles and Styles
- 13 October 1648 – 4 March 1663 Her Royal Highness Mademoiselle de Valois
- 4 March 1663 – 14 January 1664 Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Savoy