Marie Louise de La Tour d'Auvergne
Encyclopedia
Marie Louise de La Tour d'Auvergne (Marie Louise Henriette Jeanne; 15 August 1725 – 1793) was a French noblewoman and member of the House of La Tour d'Auvergne. She was the Princess of Guéméné by marriage.
and his wife Maria Karolina Sobieska
, grand daughter of John III Sobieski
and an older sister of Clementina Sobieski, wife of James Francis Edward Stuart
. She had a younger brother Godefroy Charles Henri who succeeded their father as Duke of Bouillon
.
A great-granddaughter of the John III Sobieski
, she was also an exceptionally wealthy heiress. Because of the latter, Louis XV of France
took a great personal interest in her marriage prospects.
Mademoiselle d'Auveregne was a proposed bride for the Honoré III, Prince of Monaco
. He was the son of the late Louise Hippolyte, Princess of Monaco and her consort Jacques Goyon de Matignon
. Even though marriage plans were announced to the court on 26 January 1741, the end the marriage never materialised.
Eventually, she married Jules Hercule Mériadec de Rohan, Duke of Montbazon, Prince of Guéméné
.
The couple were married in Paris on 19 February 1743 when she was not yet seventeen. He was the son of Hercule Mériadec de Rohan, Duke of Montbazon, Prince of Guéméné (1688–1757) and Louise Gabrielle Julie de Rohan (1704–1741). Two years later a son was born.
Through her mother, Marie Louise could count a Holy Roman Empress
and Electress of Saxony
as cousins. Her aunt, Anne Marie Louise de La Tour d'Auvergne
had already married into the House of Rohan, who ranked as Foreign prince
s at the court of Versailles. As such, this gave them the style of Highness and the right to out rank certain other member of the court.
In November 1746 Marie Louise contracted smallpox
which, in those days, was often a fatal disease.
During her convalescence, her family received a sympathy note from her first cousin, Charles Edward Stuart
, also known as the Young Pretender. Having recovered, in August 1747, the couple met and Marie Louise passionately fell in love with this first cousin, who returned her feelings, and they began an affair.
In Louise's circles adultery was widely accepted so long as it was done discreetly. However, as neither Marie Louise nor her husband had been unfaithful before, her mother-in-law kept a very strict eye on her as her husband was with the French army in Holland
and her servants had been ordered, by her mother-in-law, to guard her virtue. Marie Louise and Charles then resorted to secret midnight coach-rides; however, her mother-in-law had alerted the Paris
police who reported what went on.
After a while, Marie Louise found herself pregnant and resorted to sleeping with her returned husband to make him believe he was the father, but this enraged the jealous Charles into creating a scene.
Yet Marie Louise's husband did nothing and gossip began to spread. In January 1748, confronted by her own father as well as her mother-in-law, Marie Louise was forced to write to Charles ending their affaire. Nevertheless, Charles was still allowed to visit her and her family in order to refute the gossip about their affair.
In despair, Marie Louise wrote more letters to Charles, threatening suicide if he didn't come to see her. He did so some three months later, again in a midnight assignation, but only to tell her he had a new mistress, Clementina Walkinshaw
. Clementina later gave birth to Charlotte Stuart, Duchess of Albany, the only one of Charles' children to survive infancy.
On 28 July 1748, Marie Louise gave birth to a son, who was baptised Charles Godefroi Sophie Jules Marie de Rohan. It was her mother-in-law
who wrote to Charles's father, 'Old Pretender', in Rome to tell of the news, but not that this child was his grandchild. Despite having been accepted as a member of the Rohan family, several genealogical books note the fact that the Rohans fail to mention this child again.
Louise lived at least another thirty-three years and apparently was never unfaithful again. To all appearances she was a good wife and mother to her first-born but never had another child. She made occasional appearances at court, then later in life became religious and devoted much of her time to charity.
When she died she, too, was buried in the convent des Feuillants together with her second child. However, there is uncertainty as to exactly when she died: either naturally in September 1781, or on the guillotine in 1793. The latter is widely accepted.
It is through Marie Louise that the present Princes of Guéméné are pretenders to the Duchy of Bouillon.
Biography
Marie Louise was the first child born to Charles Godefroy de La Tour d'AuvergneCharles Godefroy de La Tour d'Auvergne
Charles Godefroy de La Tour d'Auvergne was a French nobleman and member of the powerful House of La Tour d'Auvergne.-Biography:...
and his wife Maria Karolina Sobieska
Maria Karolina Sobieska
Maria Karolina Sobieska was a Polish noble lady, daughter of Jakub Ludwik Sobieski. Known as Marie Charlotte or just Charlotte, she was the Princess of Turenne and later Duchess of Bouillon by marriage...
, grand daughter of John III Sobieski
John III Sobieski
John III Sobieski was one of the most notable monarchs of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, from 1674 until his death King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. Sobieski's 22-year-reign was marked by a period of the Commonwealth's stabilization, much needed after the turmoil of the Deluge and...
and an older sister of Clementina Sobieski, wife of James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales was the son of the deposed James II of England...
. She had a younger brother Godefroy Charles Henri who succeeded their father as Duke of Bouillon
Duke of Bouillon
The Duke of Bouillon is a title of nobility. Until the nineteenth century, the Duke of Bouillon was the ruler of the semi-sovereign Duchy of Bouillon , a small state located between Luxembourg, Champagne, and the Three Bishoprics and centered on Bouillon.- History of the Duchy of Bouillon :The...
.
A great-granddaughter of the John III Sobieski
John III Sobieski
John III Sobieski was one of the most notable monarchs of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, from 1674 until his death King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. Sobieski's 22-year-reign was marked by a period of the Commonwealth's stabilization, much needed after the turmoil of the Deluge and...
, she was also an exceptionally wealthy heiress. Because of the latter, Louis XV of France
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...
took a great personal interest in her marriage prospects.
Mademoiselle d'Auveregne was a proposed bride for the Honoré III, Prince of Monaco
Honoré III, Prince of Monaco
Honoré III ruled as Prince of Monaco and was Duke of Valentinois for almost sixty years from 1733 to 1793...
. He was the son of the late Louise Hippolyte, Princess of Monaco and her consort Jacques Goyon de Matignon
Jacques I, Prince of Monaco
Jacques Goyon de Matignon was count of Thorigny, Prince of Monaco as Jacques I and the fourth Duke of Valentinois from 1731 until 1733.-Biography:...
. Even though marriage plans were announced to the court on 26 January 1741, the end the marriage never materialised.
Eventually, she married Jules Hercule Mériadec de Rohan, Duke of Montbazon, Prince of Guéméné
Prince of Guéméné
The fiefdom of Guéméné was bought on 26 May 1377, for 3,400 sous d'or by Jean de Rohan, Viscount of Rohan. From his second marriage to The fiefdom of Guéméné was bought on 26 May 1377, for 3,400 sous d'or by Jean de Rohan, Viscount of Rohan. From his second marriage to The fiefdom of Guéméné was...
.
The couple were married in Paris on 19 February 1743 when she was not yet seventeen. He was the son of Hercule Mériadec de Rohan, Duke of Montbazon, Prince of Guéméné (1688–1757) and Louise Gabrielle Julie de Rohan (1704–1741). Two years later a son was born.
Through her mother, Marie Louise could count a Holy Roman Empress
Maria Josepha of Bavaria
Maria Josepha , Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, Princess of Bavaria, was the daughter of Charles Albert, Elector of Bavaria and Maria Amalia of Austria and the second wife of Emperor Joseph II...
and Electress of Saxony
Maria Antonia Walpurgis of Bavaria
Maria Antonia, Princess of Bavaria , Electress of Saxony, was a German composer, singer, harpsichordist and patron, known particularly for her operas Il trionfo della fedeltà and Talestri, regina delle amazoni . She was also the Regent of Saxony in 1763-1768...
as cousins. Her aunt, Anne Marie Louise de La Tour d'Auvergne
Anne Marie Louise de La Tour d'Auvergne
Anne 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...
had already married into the House of Rohan, who ranked as Foreign prince
Foreign Prince
Foreign Prince is the English translation of prince étranger, a high, though somewhat ambiguous, rank at the French royal court of the ancien régime.-Terminology:...
s at the court of Versailles. As such, this gave them the style of Highness and the right to out rank certain other member of the court.
In November 1746 Marie Louise contracted 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"...
which, in those days, was often a fatal disease.
During her convalescence, her family received a sympathy note from her first cousin, Charles Edward Stuart
Charles Edward Stuart
Prince Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Severino Maria Stuart commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie or The Young Pretender was the second Jacobite pretender to the thrones of Great Britain , and Ireland...
, also known as the Young Pretender. Having recovered, in August 1747, the couple met and Marie Louise passionately fell in love with this first cousin, who returned her feelings, and they began an affair.
In Louise's circles adultery was widely accepted so long as it was done discreetly. However, as neither Marie Louise nor her husband had been unfaithful before, her mother-in-law kept a very strict eye on her as her husband was with the French army in Holland
Siege of Bergen op Zoom (1747)
The Siege of Bergen op Zoom took place during the Austrian War of Succession, when a French army, under the command of Lowendal and the overall direction of Marshal Maurice de Saxe, laid siege and captured the strategic Dutch border fortress of Bergen op Zoom on the border of Brabant and Zealand...
and her servants had been ordered, by her mother-in-law, to guard her virtue. Marie Louise and Charles then resorted to secret midnight coach-rides; however, her mother-in-law had alerted the 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...
police who reported what went on.
After a while, Marie Louise found herself pregnant and resorted to sleeping with her returned husband to make him believe he was the father, but this enraged the jealous Charles into creating a scene.
Yet Marie Louise's husband did nothing and gossip began to spread. In January 1748, confronted by her own father as well as her mother-in-law, Marie Louise was forced to write to Charles ending their affaire. Nevertheless, Charles was still allowed to visit her and her family in order to refute the gossip about their affair.
In despair, Marie Louise wrote more letters to Charles, threatening suicide if he didn't come to see her. He did so some three months later, again in a midnight assignation, but only to tell her he had a new mistress, Clementina Walkinshaw
Clementina Walkinshaw
Clementina Maria Sophia Walkinshaw was the mistress of Bonnie Prince Charlie.Clementina was the youngest of the ten daughters of John Walkinshaw of Barrowhill . The Walkinshaws owned the lands of Barrowfield and Camlachie, and her father had become a wealthy Glasgow merchant...
. Clementina later gave birth to Charlotte Stuart, Duchess of Albany, the only one of Charles' children to survive infancy.
On 28 July 1748, Marie Louise gave birth to a son, who was baptised Charles Godefroi Sophie Jules Marie de Rohan. It was her mother-in-law
Louise de Rohan
Louise de Rohan was a French noblewoman and Princess of Guéméné by marriage.-Biography:...
who wrote to Charles's father, 'Old Pretender', in Rome to tell of the news, but not that this child was his grandchild. Despite having been accepted as a member of the Rohan family, several genealogical books note the fact that the Rohans fail to mention this child again.
Louise lived at least another thirty-three years and apparently was never unfaithful again. To all appearances she was a good wife and mother to her first-born but never had another child. She made occasional appearances at court, then later in life became religious and devoted much of her time to charity.
When she died she, too, was buried in the convent des Feuillants together with her second child. However, there is uncertainty as to exactly when she died: either naturally in September 1781, or on the guillotine in 1793. The latter is widely accepted.
It is through Marie Louise that the present Princes of Guéméné are pretenders to the Duchy of Bouillon.
Issue
- Henri Louis Marie de Rohan, Duke of Montbazon, Prince of Guéméné (31 August 1745–1809) married Victoire de RohanVictoire Armande Josèphe de RohanVictoire de Rohan, Princess of Guéméné was a French aristocrat who was the governess of the children of Louis XVI of France. She is known better as Madame de Guéméné...
and had issue; she was the sister of the Princess of CondéCharlotte Élisabeth Godefride de RohanCharlotte de Rohan was a French aristocrat who married into the House of Condé, a cadet branch of the ruling House of Bourbon, during the Ancien Régime. She was Princess of Condé by her marriage... - Charles Godefroi Sophie Jules Marie de Rohan (28 July 1748–?) illegitimate child.
Ancestry
Titles and styles
- 15 August 1725 – 19 February 1743 Her Highness Mademoiselle d'Auveregne
- 19 February 1743 – 1793 Her Highness the Princess of Guéméné