Alexandrine-Jeanne d'Étiolles
Encyclopedia
Alexandrine-Jeanne Le Normant d'Étiolles (10 August 1744 – 25 June 1754) was born during the "Scenes of Metz", in which the public was scandalised to learn of the adultery of her stepfather-to-be, Louis XV of France
.
She was the daughter of Madame de Pompadour
, Louis XV's celebrated maîtresse-en-titre
.
Her biological father was Charles-Guillaume Le Normant d'Étiolles
, husband of the future marquise de Pompadour, who was not yet Louis XV's mistress at the birth of her daughter. Alexandrine was nicknamed "Fanfan" by her family. She is remarked to have been very thin throughout her very short life, but healthy.
Her mother became mistress of Louis XV in 1745. Louis arranged the legal separation of her parents and served as her unofficial stepfather
for the rest of her life.
At the age of six, Fanfan was put in the convent of the Assumption in the rue Saint-Honoré
in Paris
, a convent for girls of the nobility that served as her finishing school.
She was betrothed at age eight to the Duke of Picquigny
, son of the Duke of Chaulnes
, with the agreement that she would marry Picquigny at the age of twelve.
François Poisson, Mme de Pompadour's father, doted on his granddaughter, whom he loved dearly. Madame de Pompadour even wrote, "Why must grandpapas always spoil their grandchildren?", referring to Poisson's love for Fanfan.
On 4 June 1754, Fanfan took ill at the convent of the Assumption. Charles-Guillaume Le Normant d'Étiolles rushed to her side, but Madame de Pompadour, who was at Versailles, could not come. Upon learning of her illness, Louis XV sent two of his own doctors to her side, but the child had already died of acute peritonitis
when they arrived. Fanfan was not yet ten years old.
Her grandfather, François Poisson, died eleven days later, on 25 June 1754, devastated by his dear Fanfan's death. Her mother reportedly never recovered from the loss of her daughter and father within a few days.
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...
.
She was the daughter of Madame de Pompadour
Madame de Pompadour
Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour, also known as Madame de Pompadour was a member of the French court, and was the official chief mistress of Louis XV from 1745 to her death.-Biography:...
, Louis XV's celebrated maîtresse-en-titre
Maîtresse-en-titre
The maîtresse-en-titre was the chief mistress of the king of France. It was a semi-official position which came with its own apartments. The title really came into use during the reign of Henry IV and continued until the reign of Louis XV....
.
Her biological father was Charles-Guillaume Le Normant d'Étiolles
Charles-Guillaume Le Normant d'Étiolles
Charles-Guillaume Le Normant d'Étiolles is best known as being the husband of Madame de Pompadour or Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, the illustrious mistress of King Louis XV of France....
, husband of the future marquise de Pompadour, who was not yet Louis XV's mistress at the birth of her daughter. Alexandrine was nicknamed "Fanfan" by her family. She is remarked to have been very thin throughout her very short life, but healthy.
Her mother became mistress of Louis XV in 1745. Louis arranged the legal separation of her parents and served as her unofficial stepfather
Stepfamily
A stepfamily, also known as a blended family or reconstituted family, is a family in which one or both members of the couple have children from a previous relationship...
for the rest of her life.
At the age of six, Fanfan was put in the convent of the Assumption in the rue Saint-Honoré
Rue Saint-Honoré
The rue Saint-Honoré is an ancient street in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France.It is named after the collegial Saint-Honoré church situated in ancient times within the cloisters of Saint-Honoré....
in 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...
, a convent for girls of the nobility that served as her finishing school.
She was betrothed at age eight to the Duke of Picquigny
Louis Joseph d'Albert d'Ailly
Louis Joseph d'Albert d'Ailly , seventh Duke of Chaulnes and son of Michel Ferdinand d'Albert d'Ailly, was a chemist and French aristocrat.-Biography:At the death of his father in 1769, Louis Joseph inherited the title of Duke of Picquigny...
, son of the Duke of Chaulnes
Michel Ferdinand d'Albert d'Ailly
Michel Ferdinand d'Albert d'Ailly , Duke of Picquigny and then Duke of Chaulnes from 1744, was a French astronomer and physicist.-Biography:...
, with the agreement that she would marry Picquigny at the age of twelve.
François Poisson, Mme de Pompadour's father, doted on his granddaughter, whom he loved dearly. Madame de Pompadour even wrote, "Why must grandpapas always spoil their grandchildren?", referring to Poisson's love for Fanfan.
On 4 June 1754, Fanfan took ill at the convent of the Assumption. Charles-Guillaume Le Normant d'Étiolles rushed to her side, but Madame de Pompadour, who was at Versailles, could not come. Upon learning of her illness, Louis XV sent two of his own doctors to her side, but the child had already died of acute peritonitis
Peritonitis
Peritonitis is an inflammation of the peritoneum, the serous membrane that lines part of the abdominal cavity and viscera. Peritonitis may be localised or generalised, and may result from infection or from a non-infectious process.-Abdominal pain and tenderness:The main manifestations of...
when they arrived. Fanfan was not yet ten years old.
Her grandfather, François Poisson, died eleven days later, on 25 June 1754, devastated by his dear Fanfan's death. Her mother reportedly never recovered from the loss of her daughter and father within a few days.