Duchesse d'Aiguillon
Encyclopedia
Marie Madeleine de Vignerot du Pont de Courlay, Duchesse d'Aiguillon (1604 – 17 April 1675) was the daughter of Cardinal Richelieu's sister, Françoise du Plessis and her husband René Vignerot.
In 1620 she married a nephew of the constable de Luynes, Antoine de Beauvoir du Roure, sieur de Combalet, who died in 1622. In 1625, through her uncle's influence, she was made a lady-in-waiting
(dame d'atour) to the queen-mother Marie de' Medici
, and in 1638 was created duchess of Aiguillon.
She did not marry a second time, although Richelieu wished to marry her to a prince, either to the comte de Soissons or to the king's brother
.
and helped him to establish the hospital for foundlings. She also took part in organizing the General Hospital and several others in the provinces. She was the patroness of Pierre Corneille
, who in 1636 dedicated his tragedy Le Cid
to her. She also had the vision to provide patronage to Marie Crous
, a woman mathematician who introduced the decimal system to France with her published research.
She died on 17 April 1675.
In 1620 she married a nephew of the constable de Luynes, Antoine de Beauvoir du Roure, sieur de Combalet, who died in 1622. In 1625, through her uncle's influence, she was made a 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...
(dame d'atour) to the queen-mother Marie de' Medici
Marie de' Medici
Marie de Médicis , Italian Maria de' Medici, was queen consort of France, as the second wife of King Henry IV of France, of the House of Bourbon. She herself was a member of the wealthy and powerful House of Medici...
, and in 1638 was created duchess of Aiguillon.
She did not marry a second time, although Richelieu wished to marry her to a prince, either to the comte de Soissons or to the king's brother
Gaston, Duke of Orléans
Gaston of France, , also known as Gaston d'Orléans, was the third son of King Henry IV of France and his wife Marie de Medici. As a son of the king, he was born a Fils de France. He later acquired the title Duke of Orléans, by which he was generally known during his adulthood...
.
Patron of science and arts
After the death of the cardinal (1642) she retained her honours and titles, but withdrew from the court and devoted herself entirely to works of charity. She became a patron of work involving science and the arts, providing funding for many notable initiatives. She entered into relations with Saint Vincent de PaulVincent de Paul
Vincent de Paul was a priest of the Catholic Church who became dedicated to serving the poor. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion. He was canonized in 1737....
and helped him to establish the hospital for foundlings. She also took part in organizing the General Hospital and several others in the provinces. She was the patroness of Pierre Corneille
Pierre Corneille
Pierre Corneille was a French tragedian who was one of the three great seventeenth-century French dramatists, along with Molière and Racine...
, who in 1636 dedicated his tragedy Le Cid
Le Cid
Le Cid is a tragicomedy written by Pierre Corneille and published in 1636. It is based on the legend of El Cid.The play followed Corneille's first true tragedy, Médée, produced in 1635. An enormous popular success, Corneille's Le Cid was the subject of a heated polemic over the norms of dramatic...
to her. She also had the vision to provide patronage to Marie Crous
Marie Crous
Marie Crous was a French mathematician. She introduced the decimal system to France in the 17th century.- Biography :...
, a woman mathematician who introduced the decimal system to France with her published research.
She died on 17 April 1675.