Marie of Lorraine
Encyclopedia
Marie of Lorraine was a princess of the House of Lorraine
and Princess of Monaco as wife of Antonio I of Monaco
. She was the mother of Louise Hippolyte Grimaldi, the only sovereign Princess of Monaco.
and Catherine de Neufville. Her father was a member of the House of Guise
, cadet branch of the House of Lorraine
. Lorraine held the rank of Foreign Prince
ss at the French court and was styled as Her Highness Mademoiselle d'Armagnac. She was raised with her sister Charlotte of Lorraine
and was an intimate of the Duchess of Bourbon. Her mother was a daughter of Nicolas de Neufville
, a Marshal of France
and the governor of a young Louis XIV. Her uncle was the Chevalier de Lorraine
, lover of Philippe of France
.
, Lorraine married Antonio Grimaldi, Duke of Valentinois on 13 June 1688. The ceremony was conducted by Pierre du Cambout de Coislin
. As part of the marriage contract, Louis XIV gave the House of Grimaldi
the rank of Foreign Prince's at court. Her husband was the son and heir of Louis Grimaldi, Prince of Monaco
and Catherine Charlotte de Gramont, a former mistress of Louis XIV who had arranged the marriage between Lorraine and Antonio. Court gossips later stated that the match had been schemed by Madame de Maintenon who feared that if she died not remove Lorraine from court, she would become mistress to the king. However Madame de Maintenon wrote that Lorraine was one of the most "likeable women in the kingdom". Lorraine was styled as Her Serene Highness the Duchess of Valentinois till her husbands accession in 1701. The couple were to have six daughters, three of which would survive infancy.
Married at the age of thirteen, the vivacious and young Lorraine preferred to live lavishly and was frequently accused of having been unfaithful to her husband who was some 13 years older than she. Saint-Simon
described her in his Memoirs: 'the Duchesse de Valentinois was a charming young thing... spoilt by her parents' fondness for her and by the attentions of the courtiers who frequented the Lorraine household ... [The beautiful daughters] who were its chief adornment attracted the most glittering young men. Her husband, very sensibly, realized he hadn't the upper hand", and Madame de Lafayette described her as "more of an elegant flirt than all of the ladies of the kingdom put together".
Marie was sent to Monaco by her consort during his military service in 1692, where she was joined by her spouse some time later. There was a great scandal when she claimed that her father in law, the elderly Prince Louis of Monaco
had made unwanted sexual advances towards her., possibly as a way to receive permission to return to Paris, which she did in 1693 and remained for the next four years; the couple returned to Monaco in 1697.
As soon as it was clear that Lorraine was not going to give birth to a son, her husband began a series of badly concealed affairs to spite his wife. Her husband fathered numerous illegitimate children outside the marriage.
Lorraine spent the last years of her life quietly without scandal and frequently returned to the French court. She died at the Princes Palace
in Monaco
, having organised the marriages of her two surviving daughters Louise Hippolyte and Margherita Camilla. She was buried at the Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Monaco. Her husband died in 1731 and was succeeded by their daughter Louise Hippolyte Grimaldi who became Princess of Monaco
in her own right. She married Jacques Goyon de Matignon
and is a direct ancestress of the reigning Albert II of Monaco
.
House of Lorraine
The House of Lorraine, the main and now only remaining line known as Habsburg-Lorraine, is one of the most important and was one of the longest-reigning royal houses in the history of Europe...
and Princess of Monaco as wife of Antonio I of Monaco
Antonio I of Monaco
Antonio I was the Prince of Monaco from 1701 to 1731. He was the elder son of Louis I, Prince of Monaco and Catherine Charlotte de Gramont....
. She was the mother of Louise Hippolyte Grimaldi, the only sovereign Princess of Monaco.
Mademoiselle d'Armagnac
Lorraine was the ninth of fourteen children born to Louis of LorraineLouis, Count of Armagnac
Louis of Lorraine was the Count of Armagnac from his father's death in 1666. The Grand Squire of France, he was a member of a cadet branch of the House of Guise, itself a cadet branch of the sovereign House of Lorraine...
and Catherine de Neufville. Her father was a member of the House of Guise
House of Guise
The House of Guise was a French ducal family, partly responsible for the French Wars of Religion.The Guises were Catholic, and Henry Guise wanted to end growing Calvinist influence...
, cadet branch of the House of Lorraine
House of Lorraine
The House of Lorraine, the main and now only remaining line known as Habsburg-Lorraine, is one of the most important and was one of the longest-reigning royal houses in the history of Europe...
. Lorraine held the rank of 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:...
ss at the French court and was styled as Her Highness Mademoiselle d'Armagnac. She was raised with her sister Charlotte of Lorraine
Charlotte of Lorraine
Charlotte of Lorraine was a Princess of Lorraine by birth and daughter of Louis, Count of Armagnac. She was known as Mademoiselle d'Armagnac and died unmarried.-Biography:...
and was an intimate of the Duchess of Bourbon. Her mother was a daughter of Nicolas de Neufville
Nicolas de Neufville de Villeroy
Nicolas V de Neufville de Villeroy was a French nobleman and marshal of France. He was marquis then 1st duke of Villeroy and peer of France, marquis d'Alincourt and lord of Magny, and acted as governor of the young Louis XIV. His son François succeeded him as duke...
, a Marshal of France
Marshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
and the governor of a young Louis XIV. Her uncle was the Chevalier de Lorraine
Chevalier de Lorraine
Philippe of Lorraine, called the Chevalier de Lorraine was a French noble man and member of the House of Guise, cadet of the Ducal house of Lorraine. He was the renowned lover of Philippe de France, Monsieur, brother of Louis XIV.-Biography:Philippe de Lorraine was the second son of the Count and...
, lover of Philippe of France
Philippe I, Duke of Orléans
Philippe of France was the youngest son of Louis XIII of France and his queen consort Anne of Austria. His older brother was the famous Louis XIV, le roi soleil. Styled Duke of Anjou from birth, Philippe became Duke of Orléans upon the death of his uncle Gaston, Duke of Orléans...
.
Duchess of Valentinois
The couple signed their wedding contract on 8 June 1688. In a public ceremony in the Royal Chapel of VersaillesChapels of Versailles
The present chapel of the Palace of Versailles is the fifth in the history of the palace. These chapels evolved with the expansion of the château and formed the focal point of the daily life of the court during the Ancien Régime .-First chapel:The château's first chapel dated from the time of...
, Lorraine married Antonio Grimaldi, Duke of Valentinois on 13 June 1688. The ceremony was conducted by Pierre du Cambout de Coislin
Pierre du Cambout de Coislin
Pierre du Cambout de Coislin was a French prelate. He was a grandson of Pierre Séguier and held many important benefices - abbot of Jumièges, in 1641, of Saint-Victor, in 1643, canon of Paris, and first king's almoner in 1663...
. As part of the marriage contract, Louis XIV gave the House of Grimaldi
House of Grimaldi
The House of Grimaldi is associated with the history of the Republic of Genoa and of the Principality of Monaco.-History:The Grimaldi family descends from Grimaldo, a Genoese statesman at the time of the early Crusades. He might have been a son of Otto Canella, a consul of the Republic of Genoa in...
the rank of Foreign Prince's at court. Her husband was the son and heir of Louis Grimaldi, Prince of Monaco
Louis I, Prince of Monaco
Louis I, Prince of Monaco was Prince of Monaco from 1662 until 1701.Louis Grimaldi was the elder son of Prince Hercule of Monaco and Maria Aurelia Spinola....
and Catherine Charlotte de Gramont, a former mistress of Louis XIV who had arranged the marriage between Lorraine and Antonio. Court gossips later stated that the match had been schemed by Madame de Maintenon who feared that if she died not remove Lorraine from court, she would become mistress to the king. However Madame de Maintenon wrote that Lorraine was one of the most "likeable women in the kingdom". Lorraine was styled as Her Serene Highness the Duchess of Valentinois till her husbands accession in 1701. The couple were to have six daughters, three of which would survive infancy.
Married at the age of thirteen, the vivacious and young Lorraine preferred to live lavishly and was frequently accused of having been unfaithful to her husband who was some 13 years older than she. Saint-Simon
Louis de Rouvroy, duc de Saint-Simon
Louis de Rouvroy commonly known as Saint-Simon was a French soldier, diplomatist and writer of memoirs, was born in Paris...
described her in his Memoirs: 'the Duchesse de Valentinois was a charming young thing... spoilt by her parents' fondness for her and by the attentions of the courtiers who frequented the Lorraine household ... [The beautiful daughters] who were its chief adornment attracted the most glittering young men. Her husband, very sensibly, realized he hadn't the upper hand", and Madame de Lafayette described her as "more of an elegant flirt than all of the ladies of the kingdom put together".
Marie was sent to Monaco by her consort during his military service in 1692, where she was joined by her spouse some time later. There was a great scandal when she claimed that her father in law, the elderly Prince Louis of Monaco
Louis I, Prince of Monaco
Louis I, Prince of Monaco was Prince of Monaco from 1662 until 1701.Louis Grimaldi was the elder son of Prince Hercule of Monaco and Maria Aurelia Spinola....
had made unwanted sexual advances towards her., possibly as a way to receive permission to return to Paris, which she did in 1693 and remained for the next four years; the couple returned to Monaco in 1697.
As soon as it was clear that Lorraine was not going to give birth to a son, her husband began a series of badly concealed affairs to spite his wife. Her husband fathered numerous illegitimate children outside the marriage.
Princess of Monaco
At the death of her father-in-law, her husband succeeded to the principality of Monaco in 1701. Lorraine was hence styled Her Serene Highness the Princess of Monaco. Marie lived in Monaco with her consort until 1712. Their relationship was described as unhappy but peaceful, and in reality, they lived apart; Antoine in the 'Giardinetto', a cottage he had built for his lover, Mlle. Montespan, and Marie in her pavilion 'Mon Desert'.Lorraine spent the last years of her life quietly without scandal and frequently returned to the French court. She died at the Princes Palace
Prince's Palace of Monaco
The Prince's Palace of Monaco is the official residence of the Prince of Monaco. Built in 1191 as a Genoese fortress, during its long and often dramatic history it has been bombarded and besieged by many foreign powers. Since the end of the 13th century, it has been the stronghold and home of the...
in 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...
, having organised the marriages of her two surviving daughters Louise Hippolyte and Margherita Camilla. She was buried at the Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Monaco. Her husband died in 1731 and was succeeded by their daughter Louise Hippolyte Grimaldi who became Princess of Monaco
Prince of Monaco
The Reigning Prince or Princess of Monaco is the sovereign monarch and head of state of the Principality of Monaco. All Princes or Princesses thus far have taken the name of the House of Grimaldi, but have belonged to various other houses in male line...
in her own right. She married 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:...
and is a direct ancestress of the reigning Albert II of Monaco
Albert II, Prince of Monaco
Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco is the head of the House of Grimaldi and the ruler of the Principality of Monaco. He is the son of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and the American actress Grace Kelly...
.
Issue
- Caterina Charlotte Grimaldi, Mademoiselle de Monaco (7 October 1691 - 18 June 1696) died in infancy.
- Louise Hippolyte Grimaldi, Princess of Monaco (10 November 1697 - 29 December 1731) married Jacques Goyon de MatignonJacques I, Prince of MonacoJacques Goyon de Matignon was count of Thorigny, Prince of Monaco as Jacques I and the fourth Duke of Valentinois from 1731 until 1733.-Biography:...
. - Elisabetta Charlotte Grimaldi, Mademoiselle de Valentinois (3 November 1698 - 25 August 1702) died infancy.
- Margherita Camilla Grimaldi, Mademoiselle de Carlades (1 May 1700 - 27 April 1758) married Louis de Gand de Merode de Montmorency, Prince of Isenghien.
- Maria Devota Grimaldi, Mademoiselle des Baux (15 March 1702 - 24 October 1703) died in infancy.
- Maria Paolina Teresa Devota Grimaldi, Mademoiselle de Chabreuil (23 October 1708 - 20 May 1726) died unmarried.
Ancestry
Titles and styles
- 12 August 1674 – 13 June 1688 Mademoiselle d'Armagnac
- 13 June 1688 – 1 January 1701 Her Highness the Duchess of Valentinois
- 1 January 1701 – 30 October 1724 Her Highness the Princess of Monaco