Françoise Charlotte d'Aubigné
Encyclopedia
Françoise Charlotte Amable d'Aubigné, Duchess of Noailles (5 May 1684 – 6 October 1739) was the wife of Adrien Maurice de Noailles
, 3rd Duke of Noailles. She was the niece of Françoise d'Aubigné, Madame de Maintenon
, and her heiress.
, the marquise de Maintenon
to help with her education. Maintenon agreed to help on the condition that Françoise Charlotte would be raised how Maintenon wished and would marry who Maintenon chose for her. As a result, Madame de Maintenon was later to make her brother's only child the heir to the Maintenon
estate which she had owned since 1674.
Madame de Maintenon arranged a marriage of Françoise Charlotte with a member of the powerful House of Noailles
. This family was closely related to the French throne, three of the dukes were Marshals of France
and some members were made Grandee
s of Spain in 1711. Madame de Maintenon arranged with Anne Jules de Noailles
, the father of Madame de Gondrin
, future wife of the Count of Toulouse
, for the marriage of Françoise Charlotte to his son, Adrien Maurice, comte d'Ayen. The wedding occurred on 31 March 1698 when she was aged 13 and he was approaching 20. During the following 21 years their marriage produced six children (listed below), all of whom married well.
Anne-Jules, the 2nd duc de Noailles, died in 1708 and then Adrien-Maurice became the 3rd duc de Noailles with Françoise Charlotte as his duchess. Later in 1718, after the death of Madame de Maintenon, she inherited the Château de Maintenon
and her aunt's wealth, as promised. Thus, from very humble beginnings, Françoise Charlotte rose to the upper levels of French society.
The Duchess of Noailles died in 1739 aged 55 but her husband lived for another 27 years, dying at the goodly age of 88, at Versailles. Their two sons Louis
, and Philippe, also went on to become Marshals of France. The younger son, Philippe, was executed in the French Revolution in 1794, whereas Louis avoided this fate by dying in 1793 before the Reign of Terror was fully underway.
Her nephew, by marriage, was the Louis Jean Marie de Bourbon, duc de Penthièvre, wealthiest man in France, father in law of the princesse de Lamballe and Philippe Égalité
. Others included the duc d'Éstrées
, great nephew of Gabrielle d'Estrées
, a favorite mistress of King Henri IV.
Her descendants include the present duc de Noailles
, who has three children. Others include Adrienne de Noailles
, wife of the famous marquis de Lafayette; the present Duke of Brabant, Astrid, Archduchess of Austria-Este and Prince Laurent are also descended from Françoise Charlotte and her husband.
Adrien-Maurice, 3rd duc de Noailles
Adrien Maurice de Noailles, 3rd Duke of Noailles was a French aristocrat and soldier.-Biography:Son of Anne Jules de Noailles, he inherited the title duc de Noailles on his father's death in 1708....
, 3rd Duke of Noailles. She was the niece of Françoise d'Aubigné, Madame de Maintenon
Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon
Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon was the second wife of King Louis XIV of France. She was known during her first marriage as Madame Scarron, and subsequently as Madame de Maintenon...
, and her heiress.
Biography
Françoise Charlotte was the only child of Charles d'Aubigné and Geneviève Piètre, who were married on 23 February 1678. Because they were poor, her parents appealed to the future wife of Louis XIVLouis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
, the marquise de Maintenon
Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon
Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon was the second wife of King Louis XIV of France. She was known during her first marriage as Madame Scarron, and subsequently as Madame de Maintenon...
to help with her education. Maintenon agreed to help on the condition that Françoise Charlotte would be raised how Maintenon wished and would marry who Maintenon chose for her. As a result, Madame de Maintenon was later to make her brother's only child the heir to the Maintenon
Maintenon
-Personalities:*Françoise d'Aubigné, marquise de Maintenon*Françoise-Marie de Bourbon - youngest daughter of Madame de Montespan and Louis XIV, born here in 1677-Transportation:...
estate which she had owned since 1674.
Madame de Maintenon arranged a marriage of Françoise Charlotte with a member of the powerful House of Noailles
Duke of Noailles
The title of Duke of Noailles was a French peerage created in 1663 for Anne of Noailles, count of Ayen.The second, third and fourth dukes were all marshals of France...
. This family was closely related to the French throne, three of the dukes were Marshals 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...
and some members were made Grandee
Grandee
Grandee is the word used to render in English the Iberic high aristocratic title Grande , used by the Spanish nobility; Portuguese nobility, and Brazilian nobility....
s of Spain in 1711. Madame de Maintenon arranged with Anne Jules de Noailles
Anne-Jules, 2nd duc de Noailles
Anne Jules de Noailles, 2th Duke of Noailles was one of the chief generals of France towards the end of the reign of Louis XIV, and, after raising the regiment of Noailles in 1689, he commanded in Spain during both the War of the Grand Alliance and the War of the Spanish Succession, and was made...
, the father of Madame de Gondrin
Marie Victoire de Noailles
Marie Victoire Sophie de Noailles, Countess of Toulouse , was the daughter of Anne Jules de Noailles, the 2nd Duke of Noailles, and his wife, Marie-Françoise de Bournonville...
, future wife of the Count of Toulouse
Louis-Alexandre de Bourbon, Comte de Toulouse
Louis Alexandre de Bourbon, comte de Toulouse , duc de Penthièvre , d'Arc, de Châteauvillain and de Rambouillet , , was the son of Louis XIV and of his mistress Madame de Montespan...
, for the marriage of Françoise Charlotte to his son, Adrien Maurice, comte d'Ayen. The wedding occurred on 31 March 1698 when she was aged 13 and he was approaching 20. During the following 21 years their marriage produced six children (listed below), all of whom married well.
Anne-Jules, the 2nd duc de Noailles, died in 1708 and then Adrien-Maurice became the 3rd duc de Noailles with Françoise Charlotte as his duchess. Later in 1718, after the death of Madame de Maintenon, she inherited the Château de Maintenon
Château de Maintenon
The Château de Maintenon is a château situated in the Eure-et-Loir region of France. It is best known as being the private residence of the second spouse of Louis XIV, Madame de Maintenon....
and her aunt's wealth, as promised. Thus, from very humble beginnings, Françoise Charlotte rose to the upper levels of French society.
The Duchess of Noailles died in 1739 aged 55 but her husband lived for another 27 years, dying at the goodly age of 88, at Versailles. Their two sons Louis
Louis, 4th duc de Noailles
Louis de Noailles, 4th Duke of Noailles was a French peer and Marshal of France. He married Catherine de Cossé-Brissac, on 25 February 1737...
, and Philippe, also went on to become Marshals of France. The younger son, Philippe, was executed in the French Revolution in 1794, whereas Louis avoided this fate by dying in 1793 before the Reign of Terror was fully underway.
Her nephew, by marriage, was the Louis Jean Marie de Bourbon, duc de Penthièvre, wealthiest man in France, father in law of the princesse de Lamballe and Philippe Égalité
Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
Louis Philippe Joseph d'Orléans commonly known as Philippe, was a member of a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon, the ruling dynasty of France. He actively supported the French Revolution and adopted the name Philippe Égalité, but was nonetheless guillotined during the Reign of Terror...
. Others included the duc d'Éstrées
Victor-Marie d'Estrées
Victor Marie d'Estrées, count then duke d'Estrées was a Marshal of France.-Biography:...
, great nephew of Gabrielle d'Estrées
Gabrielle d'Estrées
Gabrielle d'Estrées, Duchess of Beaufort and Verneuil, Marchioness of Monceaux was a French mistress of King Henry IV of France, born at either the Château de la Bourdaisière in Montlouis-sur-Loire, in Touraine, or at the château de Cœuvres, in Picardy....
, a favorite mistress of King Henri IV.
Her descendants include the present duc de Noailles
Hélie de Noailles
Hélie Marie Auguste Jacques Bertrand Philippe de Noailles, 10th Duke of Noailles , simply known as Hélie de Noailles, is a French nobleman, diplomat and trade representative...
, who has three children. Others include Adrienne de Noailles
Adrienne de La Fayette
Marie Adrienne Françoise de Noailles, marquise de La Fayette , the daughter of Jean de Noailles, and Henriette Anne Louise d'Aguesseau, married Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette....
, wife of the famous marquis de Lafayette; the present Duke of Brabant, Astrid, Archduchess of Austria-Este and Prince Laurent are also descended from Françoise Charlotte and her husband.
Issue
- Françoise Adélaide de Noailles (1704–1776) married Charles de Lorraine, Count of Armagnac in 1717, son of Louis de LorraineLouis, Count of ArmagnacLouis of Lorraine was the Count of Armagnac from his father's death in 1666. The Grand Squire of France, he was a member of a cadet branch of the House of Guise, itself a cadet branch of the sovereign House of Lorraine...
and had no issue; divorced in 1721; - Amable Gabrielle de Noailles (1706–1742) married Honoré Armand de VillarsHonoré-Armand de VillarsDon Honoré Armand de Villars, 2e duc de Villars , Duke and Peer of France, Prince of Martigues, Grandee of Spain, Knight of the Golden Fleece, Viscount of Melun, Marquis of la Melle, Count of Rochemiley, was a French nobleman, soldier and politician.-Early life:He was the son of Claude Louis Hector...
and had one daughter, Amable Angélique de Villars; Amable Angélique may have been the daughter of le chevalier d'OrléansJean Philippe d'OrléansJean Philippe, bâtard d'Orléans , called le chevalier d'Orléans or le Grand Prieur d'Orléans, was an illegitimate son of Philippe d'Orléans, nephew and son-in-law of Louis XIV.-Biography:...
, whose mistress was Amable Gabrielle; - Marie Louise de Noailles (1710- ?) married in 1737 to Jacques Nompar de CaumontJacques-Nompar de Caumont, duc de la ForceJacques-Nompar de Caumont, duc de la Force was a marshal of France and peer of France.He was born in La Force, the son of Francois de Caumont and Philippes de Beaupoil....
, Duke of La Force and divorced in 1742; had no issue; - Louis de Noailles, duc d'Ayen, duc de Noailles (1713–1793) married Catherine Françoise Charlotte de Cossé-Brissac and had issue;
- Philippe de Noailles, comte de Noailles, duc de Mouchy (1715–1794) married the famous Madame Étiquette and had issue; wife was a Lady-in-waitingLady-in-waitingA 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 Marie AntoinetteMarie AntoinetteMarie 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....
; - Marie Anne Françoise de Noailles (1719–1793) married in 1744 Ludwig Engelbert de La Marck (1701–1773), Count of Schleiden.
Ancestry
Titles and styles
- 5 May 1684 - 31 March 1698 Françoise Charlotte d'Aubigné
- 31 March 1698 - 2 October 1708 the Countess of Ayen (Madame la comtesse d'Ayen)
- 2 October 1708 - 6 October 1739 the Duchess of Noailles (Madame la duchesse de Noailles)