Valentine de Sainte-Aldegonde
Encyclopedia
Valentine de Sainte-Aldegonde (29 May 1820 – 23 September 1891) was a French
noblewoman. She was the wife of Alexandre Edmond de Talleyrand-Périgord and the mistress
of Anatole Demidov
. By marriage, she was Valentine, Duchess of Dino.
Charles Camille de Sainte-Aldegonde and Adelaïde Joséphine de Bourlon de Chavagne.
On 8 October 1839, Valentine was married to Alexandre Edmond de Talleyrand-Périgord, 3rd Duke of Dino
, son of Edmond de Talleyrand-Périgord
and Princess Dorothea of Courland, at the Château de Beauregard at Cellettes
(Loir-et-Cher
), her mother's property.
Valentine's passionate admirer, Anatole Demidov
, attended her wedding and even helped assist the event. He offered her a diamond ornament whose magnificence caused the bridegroom worry. The next year, in 1840, Demidov briefly broke off their liaison due to financial problems, but later that same year married Mathilde Bonaparte
and resumed his affair with Valentine on his first stay in Paris after his wedding. In 1845, he arranged for Valentine to settle with him in Florence
and stayed by her side, even though her husband took umbrage. At a costume ball, Valentine was insulted by her rival, Mathilde, and in response Demidov slapped his wife twice in public, which signalled their final separation soon thereafter.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
noblewoman. She was the wife of Alexandre Edmond de Talleyrand-Périgord and the mistress
Mistress (lover)
A mistress is a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually,...
of Anatole Demidov
Anatole Demidov
Count Anatoly Nikolaievich Demidov, 1st Prince of San Donato , was a Russian industrialist, diplomat and arts patron of the Demidov family.-Early life:...
. By marriage, she was Valentine, Duchess of Dino.
Life
Born Marie Valentine Joséphine de Sainte-Aldegonde, she was the daughter of CountCount
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
Charles Camille de Sainte-Aldegonde and Adelaïde Joséphine de Bourlon de Chavagne.
On 8 October 1839, Valentine was married to Alexandre Edmond de Talleyrand-Périgord, 3rd Duke of Dino
House of Talleyrand-Périgord
The House of Talleyrand-Périgord was a French noble house that vanished in 2003 when Violette de Talleyrand-Périgord died.-Origins:A cadet branch of the family of sovereign counts of Périgord, they took their name from the estate of Périgord owned by these counts, and date back to Boso I, count of...
, son of Edmond de Talleyrand-Périgord
Edmond de Talleyrand-Périgord
Edmond de Talleyrand-Périgord, 2nd Duke of Talleyrand, 2nd Duke of Dino , , was a French general of the Napoleonic Wars. As the son of Archambaud de Talleyrand-Périgord and Madeleine Olivier de Senozan de Viriville , he was the nephew of the minister Talleyrand...
and Princess Dorothea of Courland, at the Château de Beauregard at Cellettes
Cellettes, Loir-et-Cher
Cellettes is a commune in the Loir-et-Cher département in central France.-See also:*Communes of the Loir-et-Cher department* Château de Beauregard...
(Loir-et-Cher
Loir-et-Cher
Loir-et-Cher is a département in north-central France named after the rivers Loir and Cher.-History:Loir-et-Cher is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Orléanais and...
), her mother's property.
Anatole Demidov
Count Anatoly Nikolaievich Demidov, 1st Prince of San Donato , was a Russian industrialist, diplomat and arts patron of the Demidov family.-Early life:...
, attended her wedding and even helped assist the event. He offered her a diamond ornament whose magnificence caused the bridegroom worry. The next year, in 1840, Demidov briefly broke off their liaison due to financial problems, but later that same year married Mathilde Bonaparte
Mathilde Bonaparte
Mathilde Laetitia Wilhelmine Bonaparte, Princesse Française , was a French princess and Salon holder. She was a daughter of Napoleon's brother Jérôme Bonaparte and his second wife, Catharina of Württemberg, daughter of King Frederick I of Württemberg.- Biography :Born in Trieste, Mathilde Bonaparte...
and resumed his affair with Valentine on his first stay in Paris after his wedding. In 1845, he arranged for Valentine to settle with him in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
and stayed by her side, even though her husband took umbrage. At a costume ball, Valentine was insulted by her rival, Mathilde, and in response Demidov slapped his wife twice in public, which signalled their final separation soon thereafter.
Issue
With Talleyrand-Périgord, Valentine had six children, of whom four survived:- Clémentine Marie Wilhelmine (1841-1881) (comtesse Alexandre OrlovskyOrlovskyOrlovsky , Orlovskaya , or Orlovskoye may refer to:People*Alexander Orlovsky , Russian battle painter*Anton Orlovsky , Russian composer and violinist...
) ; - Charles Maurice Camille (1843-1917), 4th duke of Dino, 2nd marquis de Talleyrand ;
- Elisabeth Alexandrine Florence (1844-1880) (comtesse Hans d'Oppersdorff) ;
- Archambault Anatole Paul (1845-1918), 3rd marquis de Talleyrand.