Maria-Caterina di Brignole-Sale
Encyclopedia
Maria Caterina Brignole, (7 October 1737 – 18 March 1813) was the daughter of a Genovese
nobleman. On 5 June 1757 she married Honoré III, Prince of Monaco
, and became the Princess of Monaco
. Her husband died in 1795, and in 1798 she married the French nobleman Louis Joseph, Prince of Condé, and became the Princess of Condé
.
in Genoa
, and Maria Anna Balbi. As her father was the Genovese
ambassador to France, Maria Caterina and her mother frequented the salons of Paris and the royal court of Versailles
where they were known for their beauty and appreciated for their excellent French. Her biographer, the Count of Ségur
, called Maria Caterina "the most beautiful woman in France".
Maria Caterina fell in love with the Prince of Condé
, Louis Joseph de Bourbon, but in 1755, her mother Anna proposed a marriage between her daughter and Anna's former lover, Honoré III of Monaco
, who was almost 17 years older than Maria Caterina. Honoré III was the son of Louise Hippolyte, Princess of Monaco and her consort Jacques de Goyon de Matignon
.
The family wanted to raise its status and forestall a marriage for Honoré arranged by the French court and designed to further French influence in Monaco. Honoré had declined many marriage proposals but was willing to marry Maria Caterina because of her beauty and her dowry and soon seduced her. Her father, however, disagreed because of the bad reputation of Honoré as well as the prospect of Honoré inheriting his fortune, but after an intervention of King Louis XV and Madame de Pompadour
, he gave his consent in 1757.
The relationship was at first amiable, and the couple had two sons, Honoré IV, Prince of Monaco
(born 17 May 1758) and Joseph de Monaco (born in 1767). Maria Caterina lived in Matignon, were she spent her days with the Prince de Condé, and seldom took part in the balls and court life. Honoré became more and more jealous, and demanded that she write down her thoughts for him. Once, she was alone for several hours with a handsome nobleman, who helped her to open a cupboard which had been stuck. After this incident, the jealousy of her husband worsened to the point where it was no longer endurable. In the meantime the Prince of Condé's wife, Charlotte Élisabeth Godefride de Rohan
, whom he had married in 1753, died in 1760, and as time passed his relationship with Maria Caterina became more serious.
By 1769 she had begun to set up a home in the Hôtel de Lassay, an annex of the Prince of Condé's primary residence in Paris, the Palais-Bourbon. In 1770 her jealous spouse ordered the borders of Monaco closed in an attempt to prevent her from escaping. That same night, she went out on the balcony and did not return. It was discovered that she had managed to cross into France and had travelled all the way to Le Mans
to the southwest of Paris where she had taken refuge in a nearby convent. Eventually she was able to return to Paris.
Due to Maria Caterina's illicit position as Condé's mistress the new French queen, the self-righteous, 18-year-old Marie Antoinette
, offended the Prince of Condé by treating Maria Caterina poorly at court. But around that time (1774) Condé and Maria Caterina began the construction of the Hôtel de Monaco, to be her permanent home in Paris. It was in the rue Saint-Dominique, near the Palais Bourbon, and was completed in 1777. Honoré finally realized his relationship with Maria Caterina was completely finished and turned his attention to his own lovers. Maria Caterina wrote to her spouse that the marriage could be summarised by three words: greed, bravery, and jealousy.
, when the couple left for Germany and then Great Britain
. In 1795 Honoré died, and on 24 October 1798 she and Condé were married in London. The prince was the leader of the emigrant Condé army, and she used her great fortune to help finance the exiled French community's army.
She died in Wimbledon
.
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Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
nobleman. On 5 June 1757 she married 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...
, and became the Princess of Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
. Her husband died in 1795, and in 1798 she married the French nobleman Louis Joseph, Prince of Condé, and became the Princess of Condé
Princess of Condé
- Princess of Condé :-See also:*Duchess of Bourbon*Duchess of Guise*Duchess of Enghien*Duchess of Montmorency...
.
Background
Maria Caterina was the daughter of Giuseppe Brignole Sale, Marquis of Groppoli, of a family whose members had occupied the position of DogeDoge
Doge is a dialectal Italian word that descends from the Latin dux , meaning "leader", especially in a military context. The wife of a Doge is styled a Dogaressa....
in Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, and Maria Anna Balbi. As her father was the Genovese
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
ambassador to France, Maria Caterina and her mother frequented the salons of Paris and the royal court of Versailles
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles , or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles in the Île-de-France region of France. In French it is the Château de Versailles....
where they were known for their beauty and appreciated for their excellent French. Her biographer, the Count of Ségur
Philippe Paul, comte de Ségur
Philippe-Paul, comte de Ségur , French general and historian, son of Louis Philippe, comte de Ségur, was born in Paris.-Career:...
, called Maria Caterina "the most beautiful woman in France".
Maria Caterina fell in love with the Prince of Condé
Prince of Condé
The Most Serene House of Condé is a historical French house, a noble lineage of descent from a single ancestor...
, Louis Joseph de Bourbon, but in 1755, her mother Anna proposed a marriage between her daughter and Anna's former lover, Honoré III 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...
, who was almost 17 years older than Maria Caterina. Honoré III was the son of Louise Hippolyte, Princess of Monaco and her consort Jacques de 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:...
.
The family wanted to raise its status and forestall a marriage for Honoré arranged by the French court and designed to further French influence in Monaco. Honoré had declined many marriage proposals but was willing to marry Maria Caterina because of her beauty and her dowry and soon seduced her. Her father, however, disagreed because of the bad reputation of Honoré as well as the prospect of Honoré inheriting his fortune, but after an intervention of King Louis XV and 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:...
, he gave his consent in 1757.
Princess of Monaco
Maria Caterina came to Monaco by boat in the company of the Genovese nobility. When they arrived, however, Honoré did not come aboard the ship to welcome his bride. When they asked him to do so, he replied that his status as a monarch demanded that she come to him instead. The Genovese entourage answered that Maria Caterina was a member of a ruling family of the Republic of Genoa and refused to do so. The ship was therefore stranded offshore for several days, until the predicament was resolved by the couple meeting halfway on a bridge between the boat and the shore.The relationship was at first amiable, and the couple had two sons, Honoré IV, Prince of Monaco
Honoré IV, Prince of Monaco
Honoré IV was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 12 March 1795 to 16 February 1819. He was the son of Prince Honoré III by his wife, Maria Caterina Brignole, a Genoese noblewoman...
(born 17 May 1758) and Joseph de Monaco (born in 1767). Maria Caterina lived in Matignon, were she spent her days with the Prince de Condé, and seldom took part in the balls and court life. Honoré became more and more jealous, and demanded that she write down her thoughts for him. Once, she was alone for several hours with a handsome nobleman, who helped her to open a cupboard which had been stuck. After this incident, the jealousy of her husband worsened to the point where it was no longer endurable. In the meantime the Prince of Condé's wife, Charlotte Élisabeth Godefride de Rohan
Charlotte Élisabeth Godefride de Rohan
Charlotte 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...
, whom he had married in 1753, died in 1760, and as time passed his relationship with Maria Caterina became more serious.
By 1769 she had begun to set up a home in the Hôtel de Lassay, an annex of the Prince of Condé's primary residence in Paris, the Palais-Bourbon. In 1770 her jealous spouse ordered the borders of Monaco closed in an attempt to prevent her from escaping. That same night, she went out on the balcony and did not return. It was discovered that she had managed to cross into France and had travelled all the way to Le Mans
Le Mans
Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
to the southwest of Paris where she had taken refuge in a nearby convent. Eventually she was able to return to Paris.
Due to Maria Caterina's illicit position as Condé's mistress the new French queen, the self-righteous, 18-year-old Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette
Marie 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....
, offended the Prince of Condé by treating Maria Caterina poorly at court. But around that time (1774) Condé and Maria Caterina began the construction of the Hôtel de Monaco, to be her permanent home in Paris. It was in the rue Saint-Dominique, near the Palais Bourbon, and was completed in 1777. Honoré finally realized his relationship with Maria Caterina was completely finished and turned his attention to his own lovers. Maria Caterina wrote to her spouse that the marriage could be summarised by three words: greed, bravery, and jealousy.
Later life
Maria lived with Condé in France until the French revolutionFrench Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, when the couple left for Germany and then Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. In 1795 Honoré died, and on 24 October 1798 she and Condé were married in London. The prince was the leader of the emigrant Condé army, and she used her great fortune to help finance the exiled French community's army.
She died in Wimbledon
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
.
Titles and styles
- 7 October 1737 – 5 July 1757 Donna Maria Caterina Brignole
- 5 July 1757– 1770 Her Serene Highness the Princess of Monaco
- 1770 – 24 October 1798 Donna Maria Caterina Brignole
- 24 October 1798 – 18 March 1813 Her Serene Highness the Princess of Condé
Sources
This page is a translation of its French equivalent unless otherwise noted.- Braham, Allan (1980). The architecture of the French enlightenment, pp. 210–219. Berkeley, California: University of California Press. ISBN 9780520041172. Limited view at Google Books.
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