Marie Josephine Louise, Duchesse de Gontaut
Encyclopedia
Marie Joséphine Louise, duchesse de Gontaut (1773–1857) was born in Paris
on the 3rd of August 1773, daughter of Augustin François, comte de Montaut-Navailles, who had been governor of Louis XVI
and his two brothers when children. The Comte de Provence (afterwards Louis XVIII
) and his wife stood sponsors to Joséphine de Montaut, and she shared the lessons given by Madame de Genlis
to the Orléans
family, with whom her mother broke off relations after the outbreak of the French Revolution
.
Mother and daughter emigrated to Coblenz in 1792; thence they went to Rotterdam
, and finally to England
, where Joséphine married the marquis Charles Michel de Gontaut-Saint-Blacard. They returned to France at the Bourbon Restoration
, and resumed their place at court.
Madame de Gontaut became lady-in-waiting
to Caroline, duchesse de Berry, and, on the birth of Caroline's first child, the princess Louise (afterwards duchess of Parma
), governess
to the children of France. Next year the birth of Henri, duc de Bordeaux
(afterwards known as the comte de Chambord), added to her charge the heir of the Bourbons. She remained faithful to his cause all her life. Her husband died in 1822, and in 1827 she was created duchesse de Gontaut.
She followed the exiled royal family in 1830 to Holyrood Palace, and then to Prague
, but in 1834, owing to differences with the head of the royal household, the Duc de Blacas
, who thought her comparatively liberal
views dangerous for the prince and princess, she received a brusque dismissal by Charles X
. Her twin daughters, Joséphine (1796–1844) and Charlotte (1796–1818), married respectively Ferdinand de Chabot, prince de Leon and afterwards duc de Rohan, and François, comte de Bourbon-Busset
. She herself wrote in her old age some naive memoirs, which throw an odd light on the pretensions of a governess of the children of France. She died in Paris in 1857.
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...
on the 3rd of August 1773, daughter of Augustin François, comte de Montaut-Navailles, who had been governor of Louis XVI
Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
and his two brothers when children. The Comte de Provence (afterwards Louis XVIII
Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII , known as "the Unavoidable", was King of France and of Navarre from 1814 to 1824, omitting the Hundred Days in 1815...
) and his wife stood sponsors to Joséphine de Montaut, and she shared the lessons given by Madame de Genlis
Stéphanie Félicité Ducrest de St-Albin, comtesse de Genlis
Madame de Genlis, full name Stéphanie Félicité Ducrest de St-Aubin, comtesse de Genlis, or Madame Brûlart, was a French writer, harpist and educator.-Biography:...
to the Orléans
Orléans
-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
family, with whom her mother broke off relations after the outbreak 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...
.
Mother and daughter emigrated to Coblenz in 1792; thence they went to Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, and finally to 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...
, where Joséphine married the marquis Charles Michel de Gontaut-Saint-Blacard. They returned to France at the Bourbon Restoration
Bourbon Restoration
The Bourbon Restoration is the name given to the period following the successive events of the French Revolution , the end of the First Republic , and then the forcible end of the First French Empire under Napoleon – when a coalition of European powers restored by arms the monarchy to the...
, and resumed their place at court.
Madame de Gontaut became lady-in-waiting
Lady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...
to Caroline, duchesse de Berry, and, on the birth of Caroline's first child, the princess Louise (afterwards duchess of Parma
Charles III, Duke of Parma
-Early life:Charles III was born at the Villa delle Pianore near Lucca, the only son of Charles Louis, Prince of Lucca and his wife Princess Maria-Theresa of Savoy . He was given the baptismal names Ferdinando Carlo Vittorio Giuseppe Maria Baldassarre...
), governess
Governess
A governess is a girl or woman employed to teach and train children in a private household. In contrast to a nanny or a babysitter, she concentrates on teaching children, not on meeting their physical needs...
to the children of France. Next year the birth of Henri, duc de Bordeaux
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...
(afterwards known as the comte de Chambord), added to her charge the heir of the Bourbons. She remained faithful to his cause all her life. Her husband died in 1822, and in 1827 she was created duchesse de Gontaut.
She followed the exiled royal family in 1830 to Holyrood Palace, and then to Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, but in 1834, owing to differences with the head of the royal household, the Duc de Blacas
Pierre Louis Jean Casimir de Blacas
Pierre Louis Jean Casimir de Blacas d'Aulps, first comte, then duc, and finally prince de Blacas d'Aulps was a French antiquarian, nobleman and diplomat during the Bourbon Restoration.-Youth:He was baptized at Avignon on 11 January 1771...
, who thought her comparatively liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
views dangerous for the prince and princess, she received a brusque dismissal by Charles X
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...
. Her twin daughters, Joséphine (1796–1844) and Charlotte (1796–1818), married respectively Ferdinand de Chabot, prince de Leon and afterwards duc de Rohan, and François, comte de Bourbon-Busset
Bourbon-Busset
The Bourbon-Busset family is an illegitimate branch of the House of Bourbon, being thus agnatic descendants of the Capetian dynasty. Historically they have been regarded as non-dynastic since decisions rendered by Louis XI of France....
. She herself wrote in her old age some naive memoirs, which throw an odd light on the pretensions of a governess of the children of France. She died in Paris in 1857.