A Possessive Affair

Comtesse de Verrue

It was no secret to courtiers that the Comtesse Jeanne de Verrue - daughter of the Duc de Luynes - was the mistress of Monsieur de Savoie and had been so for quite some time. Having been only fourteen years old when Jeanne married the Comte de Verrue she soon draw to her the attention of Monsieur de Savoie who had fallen in love with her in 1688. For quite some time the young woman had resisted the powerful Savoie's advances but was soon encouraged by Louis XIV himself to take advantage of the devotion Savoie had for her. Jeanne had kept both her husband and her mother-in-law up to date with the advances made towards her by Monsieur de Savoie; both praised her for good fortune. However, they drew the line when she requested to go to the countryside. Actually, Monsieur de Savoie had by this time spoken to her several times which leads us to wonder whether he might have suggested a meeting there? Anyhow, the Comtesse de Verrue was not inclined to take no for an answer and pretended to have been taken ill which meant that she was sent to the health-giving waters of Bourbon.

Now that she was away from Turin Jeanne's father and the Abbe de Verrue agreed that she should stay there in the hope that Monsieur de Savoie would move on. However, all was not as it seemed. As it would happen the Abbe de Verrue was himself deeply in love with the far younger Comtesse de Verrue and used her stay at Bourbon to make advances of his own. Jeanne was far from interested causing the Abbe to become bitter - he would from then on take every advantage of slighting Jeanne. Eventually, the Comtesse de Verrue had had enough and she finally gave in to Monsieur de Savoie whom she had managed to keep in touch with. As for the Monsieur himself he was thrilled to finally find himself the lover of the woman he had adored for years. The Verrues were far from sharing his point of views. Back in Turin the Comtesse became the most powerful and influential woman at the Court of Savoy now that she held the complete confidence of Monsieur de Savoie himself. Her new position quickly went to her head and she became reviled for her haughtiness. During their time together the Comtesse gave birth to two children (a boy and a girl) who were both recognized as Monsieur's offspring.

Monsieur de Savoie

Things took a turn for the dramatic when the Comtesse was poisoned in an obvious attempt at getting rid of her - luckily her devoted lover was there and quickly provided her with an antidote which saved her life. Entirely, devoted and completely in love with the Comtesse Monsieur de Savoie even nursed his mistress himself when she fell ill with small-pox not long after her assassination attempt. The Monsieur de Savoie might have been devoted but he was very possessive as well. Little by little he had isolated her from the remaining court in an attempt to have her all to himself. Naturally this could only go on for so long and eventually the Comtesse was tired of her solitary way of life.

Reaching out to her brother the Chevalier de Luynes they arranged to take advantage of Monsieur de Savoie's upcoming trip to Chambery. While he was away the Comtesse was hastily removed and with her brother's aid she made it to Paris leaving both her children behind; here she sat up a salon. This was the end of the turbulent affair of the Comtesse de Verrue and Monsieur de Savoie.