Madame de Marsan
Encyclopedia
Marie Louise de Rohan also known as Madame de Marsan, was the governess of Louis XVI of France
and his siblings.
and marshal of France
; Marie Louise's niece was Charlotte, princesse de Condé.
Marie Louise was the only daughter of Jules, Prince de Soubise and Anne Julie de Melun
. After her parents died of smallpox
in 1724 in Paris, she and her brothers lived at Versailles
with their uncle, Hercule Mériadec de Rohan, Prince of Guéméné.
Her eldest brother Charles was the same age as Louis XV and became Louis' great companion.
On 4 June 1736, Marie Louise married and the widow of Gaston Jean Baptiste de Lorraine
, Count of Marsan and Walhaim, (1721–1743). The wedding nuptials were carried out in the chapel of the hôtel de Mayenne by her great uncle the Cardinal de Soubise
. At the age of 23, Marie Louise became a widow as her husband died of smallpox like her parents. Afterwards, she led a pious and reserved life. The couple had no surviving children.
As a widow, she took Louis Guillaume Le Monnier as a lover; he was the physician to Louis XV
.
Her husband was the brother of Louise de Lorraine
, wife of the Duke of Bouillon
.
, was the governess of the children of Louis de France, Duke of Burgundy, including Louis XV
, and then the children of Louis XV himself. In 1735, Ventadour resigned and the post went to Madame de Marsan's aunt, Marie Isabelle de Rohan
(1699–1754), the duchesse de Tallard.
When Madame de Tallard died in 1754, Marie Louise was appointed to her aunt's position as royal governess and took over the care of Louis XV's ten children. The widowed and childless Madame de Marsan remained as governess for twenty-two years and taught the future Louis XVI and his siblings. Her favorite charge was the Count of Provence; he in turn called her ma chère petite chère amie.
She remained in her position until 1776, when there was a mass exodus of older nobles from the court because of Queen Marie Antoinette
's disdain for formal court etiquette
. Marie Louise resigned her post in favour of her niece, the Princess of Guéméné, the wife of Henri Louis, Prince of Guéméné
.
In 1777, Marie Louise used her influence with King Louis XVI to have her cousin Louis René de Rohan appointed the Grand Almoner of France
.
In 1789, at the beginning of the French Revolution
, Marie Louise fled France. She left behind her superb hôtel on the rue Neuve Saint Augustine in Paris. She died in Regensburg
in exile
at the age of 83.
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...
and his siblings.
Biography
She was the sister of the Prince of SoubisePrince of Soubise
-Prince of Soubise:...
and marshal of France
Marshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
; Marie Louise's niece was Charlotte, princesse de Condé.
Marie Louise was the only daughter of Jules, Prince de Soubise and Anne Julie de Melun
Anne Julie de Melun
Anne Julie de Melun was a French noblewoman and mother of Charles de Rohan, the famous general of Louis XV as well as Madame de Marsan. She died of smallpox in her twenties.-Biography:...
. After her parents died of smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
in 1724 in Paris, she and her brothers lived at Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
with their uncle, Hercule Mériadec de Rohan, Prince of Guéméné.
Her eldest brother Charles was the same age as Louis XV and became Louis' great companion.
On 4 June 1736, Marie Louise married and the widow of Gaston Jean Baptiste de Lorraine
Gaston, Count of Marsan
Gaston de Lorraine was a French nobleman and member of a cadet branch of the House of Lorraine. He was the last Count of Marsan. His wife was Marie Louise de Rohan.-Biography:...
, Count of Marsan and Walhaim, (1721–1743). The wedding nuptials were carried out in the chapel of the hôtel de Mayenne by her great uncle the Cardinal de Soubise
Armand Gaston Maximilien de Rohan
Armand de Rohan was a French churchman and politician. He became bishop of Strasbourg in 1704, Cardinal in 1712 then grand almoner of France in 1713 and member of the regency council in 1722....
. At the age of 23, Marie Louise became a widow as her husband died of smallpox like her parents. Afterwards, she led a pious and reserved life. The couple had no surviving children.
As a widow, she took Louis Guillaume Le Monnier as a lover; he was the physician to Louis XV
.
Her husband was the brother of Louise de Lorraine
Louise de Lorraine
Louise of Lorraine was a French noblewoman and member of the House of Lorraine. She married into the House of La Tour d'Auvergne and was Duchess of Bouillon.-Biography:...
, wife of the Duke of Bouillon
Godefroy de La Tour d'Auvergne
Godefroy de La Tour d'Auvergne was a member of the House of La Tour d'Auvergne, the Sovereign Dukes of Bouillon. He was subsequently the penultimate Duke of Bouillon succeeding his father in 1771.-Biography:The youngest of two children, he was born to the Duke and Duchess of Bouillon in 1728...
.
Royal governess
Since 1727, the position of royal governess had been held by some female member of Madame de Marsan's family. Her great-grandmother, Madame de VentadourMadame de Ventadour
Charlotte de La Motte Houdancourt, Duchess of Ventadour was the governess of King Louis XV of France, great-grandson of King Louis XIV. She is credited with saving Louis XV from the ministrations of the royal doctors when he was ill as a child...
, was the governess of the children of Louis de France, Duke of Burgundy, including Louis XV
Louis XV of France
Louis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
, and then the children of Louis XV himself. In 1735, Ventadour resigned and the post went to Madame de Marsan's aunt, Marie Isabelle de Rohan
Marie Isabelle de Rohan
Marie Isabelle de Rohan was a French noblewoman and grand daughter of Madame de Ventadour. Marie Isabelle was the governess of the children of Louis XV and his consort Marie Leszczyńska.-Biography:Born in Paris the fourth child of five...
(1699–1754), the duchesse de Tallard.
When Madame de Tallard died in 1754, Marie Louise was appointed to her aunt's position as royal governess and took over the care of Louis XV's ten children. The widowed and childless Madame de Marsan remained as governess for twenty-two years and taught the future Louis XVI and his siblings. Her favorite charge was the Count of Provence; he in turn called her ma chère petite chère amie.
She remained in her position until 1776, when there was a mass exodus of older nobles from the court because of Queen Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette ; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was an Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of France and of Navarre. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I....
's disdain for formal court etiquette
Etiquette
Etiquette is a code of behavior that delineates expectations for social behavior according to contemporary conventional norms within a society, social class, or group...
. Marie Louise resigned her post in favour of her niece, the Princess of Guéméné, the wife of Henri Louis, Prince of Guéméné
Henri Louis, Prince of Guéméné
Henri Louis de Rohan, Prince of Guéméné , was a French courtier and the penultimate Grand Chamberlain of France.-Biography:...
.
In 1777, Marie Louise used her influence with King Louis XVI to have her cousin Louis René de Rohan appointed the Grand Almoner of France
Grand Almoner of France
The Grand Almoner of France was an officer of the French monarchy and a member of the Maison du Roi during the Ancien Régime...
.
In 1789, at the beginning of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, Marie Louise fled France. She left behind her superb hôtel on the rue Neuve Saint Augustine in Paris. She died in Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
in exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
at the age of 83.
Siblings
Her brothers were:- Charles de RohanCharles, Prince of SoubiseCharles de Rohan , duke of Rohan-Rohan, seigneur of Roberval, and marshal of France from 1758, was a military man, a minister to the kings Louis XV and Louis XVI, and a notorious libertine. The last male of his branch of the House of Rohan, he was also the great grandfather to the duc d'Enghien,...
, Prince of SoubisePrince of Soubise-Prince of Soubise:...
, Duke of Rohan-RohanDuke of Rohan-Rohan-Duke of Rohan-Rohan:...
(16 July 1715–4 July 1787) married Anne Marie Louise de La Tour d'AuvergneAnne Marie Louise de La Tour d'AuvergneAnne Marie Louise de La Tour d'Auvergne was a French noblewoman and the wife of Charles de Rohan. She was Marchioness of Gordes and Countess of Moncha in her own right as well as Princess of Soubise by marriage...
(1722–1739) and had issue; married again to Princess Anna Teresa of Savoy (1717–1745) and had issue; married Victoria of Hesse-Rotenburg (1728–1792) no issue; - François Armand Auguste de Rohan, cardinal de Soubise, Prince of Tournon (1 December 1717–28 June 1758); never married;
- François Auguste de Rohan, Count of Tournon (16 September 1721–6 August 1736) never married;
- René de Rohan, Abbot of Luxeuil (26 July 1723–7 February 1743) never married.
Ancestry
Titles and styles
- 7 January 1720 – 4 June 1736 Her Highness Mademoiselle de Soubise
- 4 June 1736 – 2 May 1743 Her Highness the Countess of Marsan
- 2 May 1743 – 4 March 1803 Her Highness the Dowager Countess of Marsan