Marie-Charlotte Hippolyte de Campet de Saujon
Encyclopedia
Marie-Charlotte Hippolyte de Campet de Saujon, by marriage Countess of Boufflers (1724 – 1800), was a French lady of letters and salon
hostess. Nicknamed "l'idole" by Madame du Deffand, she was a lady in waiting
to the duchesse de Chartres and a mistress of Chartres' brother, the prince de Conti
.
, the daughter of Charles-François de Saujon, baron de la Rivère, and Louis-Angélique de Barberin de Reignac. She married comte Édouard de Boufflers-Rouverel, cavalry captain in the régiment de Bellefonds, on 15 February 1746. They had one child, Louis-Édouard de Boufflers-Rouverel (1746-1795). Shortly after her marriage, she became lady in waiting
to the duchesse de Chartres. At the Palais-Royal, she got to know the duchess' brother, the prince de Conti
, and soon became his mistress.
After an argument with the powerful Orléans family
, she installed herself at a small hôtel particulier
in enclos du Temple, next to the palace of the Grand Prior. Until 1789, she held a salon
there, the main focus of Paris' then Anglomania. She received Encyclopédistes like Denis Diderot
, David Hume
, Grimm, Jean-Jacques Rousseau
, the abbé Prévost, the abbé Morellet
, and Beaumarchais. Surrounded and fêted by learned society, Madame du Deffand nicknamed her "l'idole". Under the influence of the Encyclopédistes, the countess became author of some works of literature and light poetry.
In 1763, she went to London during the peace negotiations to accompany the wife of the French ambassador, Madame d'Usson. There she was fêted once again and met Samuel Johnson
and Horace Walpole, who she received in Paris and at the château de Stors, granted to her by the prince de Conti after the death of Mme Panneau d'Arty in 1765.
She ignored Versailles, first going there in 1750 on the death of her father-in-law, and was only officially presented there in 1770, by her lover the maréchale de Luxembourg (Marshal of Luxembourg).
On her husband's death in October 1764, she hoped to marry her lover Louis François, 6th prince de Conti but in the end had to give up this dream due to his disinterest.
In 1773, the comtesse de Boufflers bought a country house at Auteuil
to which she retired on the death of the prince de Conti in 1776. The old Temple circle met until 1789. She acted as an agent for king Gustav III of Sweden
. According to tradition she arranged the 1786 marriage between Germaine Necker and the Swedish ambassador Erik Magnus Staël von Holstein
(baron de Staël).
Among her houses was the château de La Rivière à Fronsac
(she sold it in 1794).
Arrested during the Reign of Terror
, she was acquitted
by the Revolutionary Tribunal
.
She wrote several poems and works of literature.
Her son Louis-Édouard de Boufflers-Rouverel (1746-1795) married Amelie Constance des Alleurs.
Salon (gathering)
A salon is a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine taste and increase their knowledge of the participants through conversation. These gatherings often consciously followed Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "either to...
hostess. Nicknamed "l'idole" by Madame du Deffand, she was a lady in waiting
Lady in Waiting
Lady in Waiting is the 2nd album by American southern rock band Outlaws, released in 1976. -Track listing:#"Breaker-Breaker" – 2:59#"South Carolina" – 3:05#"Ain't So Bad" – 3:48...
to the duchesse de Chartres and a mistress of Chartres' brother, the prince de Conti
Louis François I de Bourbon, prince de Conti
Louis François de Bourbon, Prince of Conti was a French nobleman, who was the Prince of Conti from 1727 to his death, following his father Louis Armand II. His mother was Louise Élisabeth de Bourbon, a natural granddaughter of Louis XIV...
.
Life
Marie-Charlotte Hippolyte de Campet de Saujon was born in RouenRouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
, the daughter of Charles-François de Saujon, baron de la Rivère, and Louis-Angélique de Barberin de Reignac. She married comte Édouard de Boufflers-Rouverel, cavalry captain in the régiment de Bellefonds, on 15 February 1746. They had one child, Louis-Édouard de Boufflers-Rouverel (1746-1795). Shortly after her marriage, she became lady in waiting
Lady in Waiting
Lady in Waiting is the 2nd album by American southern rock band Outlaws, released in 1976. -Track listing:#"Breaker-Breaker" – 2:59#"South Carolina" – 3:05#"Ain't So Bad" – 3:48...
to the duchesse de Chartres. At the Palais-Royal, she got to know the duchess' brother, the prince de Conti
Louis François I de Bourbon, prince de Conti
Louis François de Bourbon, Prince of Conti was a French nobleman, who was the Prince of Conti from 1727 to his death, following his father Louis Armand II. His mother was Louise Élisabeth de Bourbon, a natural granddaughter of Louis XIV...
, and soon became his mistress.
After an argument with the powerful Orléans family
House of Orleans
Orléans is the name used by several branches of the Royal House of France, all descended in the legitimate male line from the dynasty's founder, Hugh Capet. It became a tradition during France's ancien régime for the duchy of Orléans to be granted as an appanage to a younger son of the king...
, she installed herself at a small hôtel particulier
Hôtel particulier
In French contexts an hôtel particulier is an urban "private house" of a grand sort. Whereas an ordinary maison was built as part of a row, sharing party walls with the houses on either side and directly fronting on a street, an hôtel particulier was often free-standing, and by the 18th century it...
in enclos du Temple, next to the palace of the Grand Prior. Until 1789, she held a salon
Salon (gathering)
A salon is a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine taste and increase their knowledge of the participants through conversation. These gatherings often consciously followed Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "either to...
there, the main focus of Paris' then Anglomania. She received Encyclopédistes like Denis Diderot
Denis Diderot
Denis Diderot was a French philosopher, art critic, and writer. He was a prominent person during the Enlightenment and is best known for serving as co-founder and chief editor of and contributor to the Encyclopédie....
, David Hume
David Hume
David Hume was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist, known especially for his philosophical empiricism and skepticism. He was one of the most important figures in the history of Western philosophy and the Scottish Enlightenment...
, Grimm, Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer of 18th-century Romanticism. His political philosophy influenced the French Revolution as well as the overall development of modern political, sociological and educational thought.His novel Émile: or, On Education is a treatise...
, the abbé Prévost, the abbé Morellet
André Morellet
André Morellet was a French economist and writer. He was one of the last of the philosophes, and in this character he figures in many memoirs, such as those of Madame de Rémusat....
, and Beaumarchais. Surrounded and fêted by learned society, Madame du Deffand nicknamed her "l'idole". Under the influence of the Encyclopédistes, the countess became author of some works of literature and light poetry.
In 1763, she went to London during the peace negotiations to accompany the wife of the French ambassador, Madame d'Usson. There she was fêted once again and met Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
and Horace Walpole, who she received in Paris and at the château de Stors, granted to her by the prince de Conti after the death of Mme Panneau d'Arty in 1765.
She ignored Versailles, first going there in 1750 on the death of her father-in-law, and was only officially presented there in 1770, by her lover the maréchale de Luxembourg (Marshal of Luxembourg).
On her husband's death in October 1764, she hoped to marry her lover Louis François, 6th prince de Conti but in the end had to give up this dream due to his disinterest.
In 1773, the comtesse de Boufflers bought a country house at Auteuil
Auteuil-Neuilly-Passy
Auteuil and Passy are part of the 16th arrondissement of Paris. They are located near the Bois de Boulogne and the suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine too....
to which she retired on the death of the prince de Conti in 1776. The old Temple circle met until 1789. She acted as an agent for king Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
. According to tradition she arranged the 1786 marriage between Germaine Necker and the Swedish ambassador Erik Magnus Staël von Holstein
Erik Magnus Staël von Holstein
Baron Erik Magnus Staël von Holstein, . Erik Magnus was Chamberlain to Her Majesty Queen Sophia Magdalena. In 1783 he was appointed chargé d'affaires to the Court of France, and in 1785 he was named Ambassador to France...
(baron de Staël).
Among her houses was the château de La Rivière à Fronsac
Fronsac, Gironde
Fronsac is a French commune in the Gironde department in the Aquitaine region in southwestern France. The town gave its name to the Fronsac AOC wine.-Geography:...
(she sold it in 1794).
Arrested during the Reign of Terror
Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror , also known simply as The Terror , was a period of violence that occurred after the onset of the French Revolution, incited by conflict between rival political factions, the Girondins and the Jacobins, and marked by mass executions of "enemies of...
, she was acquitted
Acquittal
In the common law tradition, an acquittal formally certifies the accused is free from the charge of an offense, as far as the criminal law is concerned. This is so even where the prosecution is abandoned nolle prosequi...
by the Revolutionary Tribunal
Revolutionary Tribunal
The Revolutionary Tribunal was a court which was instituted in Paris by the Convention during the French Revolution for the trial of political offenders, and eventually became one of the most powerful engines of the Reign of Terror....
.
She wrote several poems and works of literature.
Her son Louis-Édouard de Boufflers-Rouverel (1746-1795) married Amelie Constance des Alleurs.