Anne de Montafié, Countess of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis
Encyclopedia
Anne de Montafié, Countess of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis (21 July 1577 – 17 June 1644), was a French heiress and the wife of Charles de Bourbon, Count of Soissons, a Prince of the Blood, and military commander during the French Wars of Religion
. Following her marriage in 1601, she was styled Countess of Soissons. She was the Countess of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis, Countess of Montafié, Lady of Lucé and Bonnétable in her own right.
Her paternal grandfather, Georges II, Count of Montafié was a Knight of Malta
, and the owner of the Shroud of Turin
; and her maternal grandmother was the niece of Anne de Pisseleu, Duchess of Étampes, the celebrated mistress of King Francis I of France
.
Anne had one sister, Urbaine who would later marry Louis de La Chatre, Baron of Maisonfort, Marshal of France
, by whom she had one daughter, Louise Henriette. On 6 October 1577, when Anne was less than three months old, her father was assassinated at Aix-en-Provence
while in the service of King Henry III of France
as his lieutenant
. Her mother required the intervention of the King and Pope Pius V
to ensure that she regained the succession to her father's estate of Bonnétable. Several years later in 1581, her mother married secondly François, Prince of Conti.
and Françoise d'Orléans-Longueville
, a Prince of the Blood, who was also a military commander during the French Wars of Religion. Anne brought her inheritance of the countship of Montafié in Piedmont
as well as her mother's seigneuries of Bonnétable
and Lucé to the Bourbons.
Her mother had died near Chartres
on the day of Anne's wedding.
Together Charles and Anne had five children, three of whom lived to adulthood:
Her husband had two illegitimate daughters by his mistress Anne Marie Bohier, with whom he had a relationship before his marriage to Anne.
, shortly before her 67th birthday. She was buried alongside her husband and children in the Soissons family tomb in the charterhouse of Gaillon
.
Her only son, Louis had been killed in battle three years earlier without having had legitimate issue; therefore, the countship of Soissons passed suo jure
to her youngest surviving daughter, Marie, wife of the Prince of Carignano. The present House of Savoy
are direct descendants of Anne through her daughter Marie, Princess of Carignano
.
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
. Following her marriage in 1601, she was styled Countess of Soissons. She was the Countess of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis, Countess of Montafié, Lady of Lucé and Bonnétable in her own right.
Family
Anne was born in Lucé, France, the daughter and co-heiress of Louis de Montafié, Count of Montafié, Lord of Piedmont, Prince of Carignano and Jeanne de Coesme, Dame de Lucé and de Bonnétable, herself the daughter of Louis de Coesme, Seigneur of Lucé and Anne de Pisseleu.Her paternal grandfather, Georges II, Count of Montafié was a Knight of Malta
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
, and the owner of the Shroud of Turin
Shroud of Turin
The Shroud of Turin or Turin Shroud is a linen cloth bearing the image of a man who appears to have suffered physical trauma in a manner consistent with crucifixion. It is kept in the royal chapel of the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Turin, northern Italy. The image on the shroud is...
; and her maternal grandmother was the niece of Anne de Pisseleu, Duchess of Étampes, the celebrated mistress of King Francis I of France
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
.
Anne had one sister, Urbaine who would later marry Louis de La Chatre, Baron of Maisonfort, 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...
, by whom she had one daughter, Louise Henriette. On 6 October 1577, when Anne was less than three months old, her father was assassinated at Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
while in the service of King Henry III of France
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,...
as his lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. Her mother required the intervention of the King and Pope Pius V
Pope Pius V
Pope Saint Pius V , born Antonio Ghislieri , was Pope from 1566 to 1572 and is a saint of the Catholic Church. He is chiefly notable for his role in the Council of Trent, the Counter-Reformation, and the standardization of the Roman liturgy within the Latin Church...
to ensure that she regained the succession to her father's estate of Bonnétable. Several years later in 1581, her mother married secondly François, Prince of Conti.
Marriage and issue
On 27 December 1601, she married Charles de Bourbon, Count of Soissons, son of Louis de Bourbon, Prince of CondéLouis I de Bourbon, prince de Condé
Louis de Bourbon was a prominent Huguenot leader and general, the founder of the House of Condé, a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon.-Life:...
and Françoise d'Orléans-Longueville
Françoise d'Orléans-Longueville
Françoise d'Orléans was the second wife of Louis I de Bourbon, prince de Condé, a "Prince du Sang" and leader of the Huguenots during the French Wars of Religion.- Family:...
, a Prince of the Blood, who was also a military commander during the French Wars of Religion. Anne brought her inheritance of the countship of Montafié in Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
as well as her mother's seigneuries of Bonnétable
Bonnétable
Bonnétable is a commune in the Sarthe department in the region of Pays-de-la-Loire in north-western France.Bonnétable is twinned with Horncastle in rural Lincolnshire. The towns' relationship is commemorated by a Rue Horncastle in Bonnétable, and a Bonnetable Road in Horncastle.-References:*...
and Lucé to the Bourbons.
Her mother had died near Chartres
Chartres
Chartres is a commune and capital of the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France. It is located southwest of Paris.-Geography:Chartres is built on the left bank of the Eure River, on a hill crowned by its famous cathedral, the spires of which are a landmark in the surrounding country...
on the day of Anne's wedding.
Together Charles and Anne had five children, three of whom lived to adulthood:
- Louis de Bourbon, Count of Soissons (1 May 1604- 6 June 1641), died in battle without legitimate issue; he had one illegitimate son, Louis Henri, Count of Noyers by his mistress Élisabeth des Hayes;
- Louise de Bourbon (11 May 1603- 1637), married Henri d'Orléans, Duke of Longueville. She died childless;
- Marie de Bourbon, Countess of SoissonsMarie de Bourbon, Countess of SoissonsMarie de Bourbon, Countess of Soissons was the wife of Thomas Francis, Prince of Carignano.-Biography:Marie Marguerite de Bourbon was born at the Hôtel de Soissons in Paris, was the second daughter and youngest child of Charles de Bourbon, comte de Soissons and his wife Anne de Montafié...
(3 May 1606 - 3 June 1692), married Thomas Francis, Prince of CarignanoThomas Francis, Prince of CarignanoThomas Francis of Savoy was an Italian military commander, the founder of the Savoy-Carignano branch of the House of Savoy which reigned as kings of Sardinia from 1831 to 1861, and as kings of Italy from 1861 until the...
, by whom she had issue - Charlotte Anne de Bourbon (1608–1623)
- Élisabeth de Bourbon (1610–1611)
Her husband had two illegitimate daughters by his mistress Anne Marie Bohier, with whom he had a relationship before his marriage to Anne.
Death
Anne died on 17 June 1644 at the Hotel de Soissons in ParisParis
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...
, shortly before her 67th birthday. She was buried alongside her husband and children in the Soissons family tomb in the charterhouse of Gaillon
Gaillon
Gaillon is a commune in the Eure department in northern France.-History:The origins of Gaillon are not really known. In 892, Rollo, a Viking chief, might have ravaged Gaillon and the region, before he became the first prince of the Normans and count of Rouen in 911.The Gaillon history did begin,...
.
Her only son, Louis had been killed in battle three years earlier without having had legitimate issue; therefore, the countship of Soissons passed suo jure
Suo jure
Suo jure is a Latin phrase meaning "in her [or his] own right".It is commonly encountered in the context of titles of nobility, especially in cases where a wife may hold a title in her own right rather than through her marriage....
to her youngest surviving daughter, Marie, wife of the Prince of Carignano. The present House of Savoy
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
are direct descendants of Anne through her daughter Marie, Princess of Carignano
Princess of Carignano
The Princess of Carignano was a woman married to the Prince of Carignano of the House of Savoy. The list ends with Charles Albert, in 1831, after he became King of Sardinia...
.