Ladies Behaving Badly: Exiles and Misbehaviour in the Royal Households

Marie-Henriette de Polastron, Comtesse d'Andlau

The aunt of Madame de Polignac, Marie-Henriette was employed as an assistant governess to Madame Adélaide. Rumours began spreading that she had been providing her young charge with indecent reading material; the most pervasive rumour was that she had read Le Portier des Chartreux to Adélaide. This book - by an anonymous author - was one of the most read erotic tales of the time - hardly appropriate reading for a young Fille de France!

Once Madame de Polignac became the reigning favourite of Marie Antoinette, the Comtesse d'Andlau received an annual pension of 6.000 livres - despite still being exiled from court.

Comtesse d'Andlau

Françoise Madeleine Claude de Warignies, Comtesse de Saint-Géran

The Comtesse de Saint-Géran served as a dame du palais to Marie Thérèse in the latter's last year. However, the Comtesse found herself in trouble when she offended Louis XIV's strong sense of propriety. Françoise had been married to Bertrand de La Guiche who died in 1696. Usually, a widow (or widower) was expected to keep a period of mourning for their late spouse during which specific types of entertainments were frowned upon.

Yet, the relationship between Françoise and Bertrand cannot have been very close - as was often the case with arranged marriages. Their marriage appears to have been particularly ill-suited. Madame de Saint-Géran appears on a list from 1686 of women who had applied for judicial separation. Since divorce was not accepted for the Catholic French, this was the closest thing she could get. However, Bertrand had opposed her application and that was that. Their relationship can hardly be expected to have improved after this. 

When Bertrand eventually died, Françoise apparently did not exhibit sufficient mourning and did not keep the prescribed period for grieving. The king took offense at her gaiety, particularly because they had been married for 29 years. She was exiled to her estates in the country but allowed back later on.

Bonne de Pons d'Heudicourt, Marquise d'Heudicourt

The Marquise was amongst the ladies-in-waiting of Marie Thérèse when she became the mistress of Louis XIV. That affair did not last long because Bonne's uncle - strongly disapproving of the affair - removed her from court and Louis moved on from their dalliance. Once she had been married, she was returned to her official court duties. She was no longer an object of interest of the king's but still remained on friendly terms with him and his new maitresse: Madame de Montespan, who also happened to be Bonne's cousin-by-marriage. 

As such, the Marquise was well aware of the fact that the king had had several children by La Montespan and that these were kept in a house away from court. The royal lovers were not willing to let their existence be publicly known yet. However, this was ruined when Bonne started writing several of her friends about the royal off-spring living in hiding. Amongst others, she wrote the Marquis de Rochefort and even the Polish ambassador. 

The king was furious and she was sent packing into exile in 1672. She was only allowed to return four years later.

Marie-Louise-Sophie de Faoucq de Garnetot, Comtesse de Gramont

Dame du Palais to Marie Antoinette, the Comtesse de Gramont followed an altercation between herself and the king's favourite, Madame du Barry. One night at the theatre, the latter had had seats reserved for herself and her entourage but there were more spectators than seats; as the royal favourite had not yet arrived, the Comtesse de Gramont and her friends took the otherwise reserved seats. 

Once Madame du Barry arrived she was treated with complete contempt and her request for them to move was met with the utmost disdain. Finally, du Barry had to retreat to her own chamber. Understandably, she quickly complained to the king. Louis XV did not care much for minor scuffles between his courtiers but such behaviour to his own mistress was a step too far. The Comtesse de Gramont was immediately sent from court into exile - she would only return after three years away.

The Queen's Expensive Favourite: Madame de Polignac

The family of Polignac were of sound aristocratic stock but sadly impoverished. Before they rose in favour, they had had to mortgage their estates to an amount of 800.000 livres. Therefore, they could not afford to stay at court and rarely had a chance to mingle with those higher up on the social ladder. However, their fortune was to change - and abruptly, too.

In 1775, the Comte and Comtesse de Polignac went to Versailles to pay homage to the new king and queen. There, Yolande de Polignac caught the eye of the young queen Marie Antoinette. The queen was immediately charmed by the new arrival and before long Madame de Polignac was a welcome sight in the royal apartments. Once the royal favour was caught, the family of Polignac entered a golden age - the consequences of which they could not have anticipated.

Life at court was expensive and Madame de Polignac soon amassed significant debts. However, on the queen's request, the king cleared her debts of 400.000 livres. When the queen found herself pregnant (after 7 long years) the coveted post of Governess to the Children of France was bestowed on Yolande. This caused considerable anger at court; usually, that was one of the most prestigious female posts at court and it was felt that it should have gone to a higher ranking lady. The post brought her an annual salary of 50.000 livres.

The position of Governess meant the right to a permanent apartment at court. On an almost unprecedented scale, Marie Antoinette ensured that her friend got a most sumptuous apartment - of 13 rooms! As if this was not enough, the queen's own Maître d'Hotel was appointed to prepare the new suite for the royal favourite. 

Besides the salary that Yolande received she was also further enriched by the queen's generosity. On several occasions, the queen paid out of her own pocket for her friend's expenses. 

Yolande de Polignac

Even in the queen's private sphere, Madame de Polignac was granted exceptional favours. When the Hameau de la Reine had been built, Yolande was given her own little house there. This was an area that was otherwise completely off-limits to anyone who had not been given express permission from Her Majesty. 

However, Yolande was not the only one who benefited enormously from her friendship with the queen. Her immediate family saw the chance of quickly enriching themselves by taking advantage not only of their relation but of the queen's generous nature.

The first to benefit was Yolande's husband, Jules de Polignac. Hitherto, he had enjoyed the rank and title of Comte de Polignac. In 1780, he was raised to Duc de Polignac - a considerable social step forward. He was also made First Equerry of the Queen which brought him a solid wage of 80.000 livres per year. The post also gave him access and use of the queen's horses and her carriages. Finally, he was given the post of Director of the Post from which he could get a handsome pay.

Aglaé - daughter of Yolande

The daughter of Yolande and Jules - Aglaé Louise Françoise Gabrielle - was to make a very advantageous marriage. She was betrothed to the Duc de Guiche and needed a dowry worthy of the match. However, her parents were not quite capable of providing this in 1780, so the king and queen provided an immense sum of 800.000 livres. While it was not uncommon for the royal family to give dowries to favourites, this was a great sum indeed. 

The new member of the family, the Duc de Guiche, was made Captain of the Guards while Yolande's brother-in-law, the Vicomte de Polignac, was given the coveted post of ambassador to Switzerland. The latter post caused some strife, as the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Comte de Vergennes, had wanted for a relative of his own.

Meanwhile, Diane de Polignac (Yolande's sister-in-law) was given a position in the household of Madame Élisabeth as dame d'honneur. It was she who had officially presented Yolande to Marie Antoinette - bizarrely enough, the queen did not like her but accepted her presence as a courtesy to Yolande.

Diane de Polignac

The entire family received massive pensions - paid for by the royal treasury. The new Duchesse de Polignac had a pension of 90.000 livres alone. In total, the family received pensions amounting to 700.000 livres per year. This was enough to cause considerable consternation amongst the other courtiers - especially since pensions were handed out to a far wider circle of people than usually. 

For instance, Madame d'Andlau received a pension of 6.000 livres. At first glance, this does not appear to be particularly extravagant. Comtesse Marie-Henriette d'Andlau was Yolande's aunt and had been in the household of Madame Adélaide (daughter of Louis XV). However, when it is taken into consideration that Madame d'Andlau had been exiled from court for providing her young charge with a pornographic book, the pension becomes far more questionable.

After all these favours, the family asked for the estate of Bitche which was worth 100.000 a year. For once, they were rejected but not without compensation. Instead, they were given the estate of Fénestrange which was worth 60-70.000.

The shower of positions, pensions and properties made plenty of enemies for the Polignacs. The major court families resented both their somewhat lowly status before their drastic rise and the fact that they completely cut off the queen from the rest of the court. The queen readily handed out the most coveted posts to members of their family and they were often the only guests allowed in the queen's apartments.

However, rumours of the expensive habits of the Polignacs seeped out to Paris. As was usually the case, the public loved to hate the royal favourites. As the 1780's wore on, the public hate against especially Madame de Polignac became so intense that the family was forced to flee shortly before the revolution broke out.

Opposing the Crown: the Frondeurs

The earliest years of Louis XIV were marked by the tumultuous period known as the Fronde. During this time, several aristocrats and parliamentarians rose up against the king, Louis XIII, after the king had issued seven edicts - including ones to raise taxes to fund the war against Spain. While the background is further complicated than this (as is usually the case with a civil war) the main question was the king's power - especially when contrasted with those of the Parlements and his nobility. The Fronde was technically two separate rebellions that occurred immediately following each other. The latter was known as La Fronde des Nobles - or the Nobility's Fronde - as it was led by the Prince de Condé.

In the end, Louis XIV's mother, Anne of Austria, and Cardinal Mazarin won the day - if they had not, the absolute monarchy of the Sun King would likely never have happened. The aftermath posed several vital questions. The French aristocracy had been split between those loyal to the crown and the so-called Frondeurs. With the king (or rather Queen Regent and Cardinal, given that the king was five years old) emerging victorious the question remained - what of those who stood against them?

While the Frondeurs counted many more aristocrats than listed here, this post focusing on the more prominent members of the French nobility who found themselves on the losing side - and the price they paid for it.

Gaston de Bourbon, Duc d'Orléans

The brother of Louis XIII, Gaston appeared to never fully have taken the leading position that his high birth would otherwise suggest. Initially, he had supported Cardinal Mazarin but appears to have changed his mind; in 1651 he joined the coalition of nobles who ousted Cardinal Mazarin. It is likely this choice of action that saved him from further retribution - had he been an open opponent to the king from the beginning, he might have been punished more severely.

Consequence of rebellion: Gaston was exiled to the Château de Blois - he would never return to court as he died there in 1660. His dukedom of Orléans was given to Louis XIV's brother, Philippe, rather than Gaston's surviving daughter Anne Marie Louise.

Louis de Bourbon, Prince de Condé

Louis de Bourbon - better known as the Grand Condé - was the driving force behind the aristocratic Fronde. Ironically, he had initially been summoned by Anne of Austria to quash the opposition from the Parlement (the previous Fronde) and certain other aristocrats. This he did quite successfully. 

However, much to the shock of Anne of Austria, he then turned and become the focal point of the Fronde des Nobles. He was arrested in 1650 and imprisoned at Vincennes. 

The Grand Condé was released following demands from his brother, the Duc de Bouillon, and the Marèchal de Turenne. Tensions were at an all-time high when the aristocratic Fronde found itself alone; the Parliamentarian had made common cause with the royal family. The Marèchal de Turenne was amongst those who had joined the royal side; he and Condé came head-to-head at the decisive Battle of Faubourg St. Antoine in July 1652. Unluckily for the Grand Condé, he suffered a final defeat.

He was not done yet, though, although the chance for him to overthrow the royal party by military force was over. La Grande Mademoiselle ordered her soldiers to open fire on the king's soldiers before the Bastille and convinced the Parisians to open the gates to the capital. Thus, Louis de Bourbon-Condé managed to escape to Spain with his closest allies.

Consequence of rebellion: by 1659, the Franco-Spanish War came to an end with the Treaty of the Pyrenees. This meant that Louis de Bourbon-Condé found himself in the unpleasant situation of having to choose between going into exile somewhere else - or bending the knee to the Sun King. He chose the latter and was officially welcomed back to court with his official titles restored; nevertheless, he was never again given the opportunity for having decisive power. Understandably, Louis XIV kept a close eye on his relative.

Le Grand Condé

Anne Marie Louise d'Orléans, Duchesse de Montpensier (La Grande Mademoiselle)

The daughter of Gaston d'Orléans - and thereby the cousin of Louis XIV - Anne Marie Louise played a particularly active part in the Fronde.

By 1652, the royalist troops were pressing on the Bastille where La Grande Mademoiselle's own soldiers were based. On 2nd July she personally ordered her soldiers to fire their cannons at the young king's soldiers.

It has been argued that La Grande Mademoiselle's opposition to Cardinal Mazarin was not purely political but also a matter of personal revenge. She had allegedly hoped to marry Louis XIV but her overtures to him had been strongly rejected by the Cardinal. However, by this period any such pretensions had been given up and she instead hoped to wed the Prince de Condé. Indeed, her order worked as a life-line to the prince.

Consequence of rebellion: Anne Marie Louise's betrayal was taken personally by Louis XIV as she was one of his closest relatives. She was immediately exiled to her estates. She was permitted to return to court in 1657 but it was not until 1664 that she was permanently relocated there.

Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne, Marèchal de Turenne

Henri had initially attempted to stay clear of the in-fighting between Condé and Mazarin. However, his reluctance to choose a side led Cardinal Mazarin to remove him from his position in the French army. Henri left France for the Netherlands where he remained until the first Fronde was over. He then returned to France where he joined causes with the rebellious aristocrats. One of his tasks was to secure the Frondeurs aid from Spanish troops. 

He was originally intended to have been imprisoned with Condé, Conti and Longueville but managed to escape. Along the line, he reconciled with the king and rejoined the court. It was largely due to Turenne's military prowess that the royal forces gained the upper hand in the martial part of the rebellion. In recognition of his - although belated - loyalty, he was later given the title of Marèchal de France.

Turenne

 

Armand de Bourbon, Prince de Conti

Armand's role in the Fronde was largely decided by his siblings (the Prince de Condé and the Duchesse de Longueville) since Armand's mental health was declining. Still, he was named generalissimo of the Frondeurs and as such held considerable sway in the movement. He was arrested with La Grande Condé in 1650 and taken to Vincennes. Sometime during his imprisonment he sustained a wound to the head which enabled him to smuggle messages out when he was visited by his doctors. He was released with his brother in 1651 only to face an uphill battle. 

Armand retreated to Bordeaux where he eventually surrendered to the royal forces in 1653.

Consequence of rebellion: exile to La-Grange-des-Prés where he began thinking of ways to regain position at court. The solution came when a match was proposed between himself and a niece of Cardinal Mazarin, Anne-Marie Martinozzi. Much to the chagrin of his family, he agreed to the match and was pardoned.

François de Bourbon-Vendôme, Duc de Beaufort

The Duc de Beaufort was already in prison when the Fronde broke out; he found himself there after his part in a plot to assassinate Cardinal Mazarin. He managed to escape, though, and joined forces with the Frondeurs. In Paris, he was a general favourite with the public due to his looks and the fact that he was a legitimised son of the immensely popular Henri IV.

He acted as one of the leading generals of the rebellion and personally led the patrols circling Anne of Austria to prevent her from escaping with the young Louis XIV. 

Consequence of rebellion: he was exiled and not recalled until 1658. Wisely, he chose to focus on his post as admiral rather than make himself too noticed at court

Duc de Beaufort

 

Anne-Geneviève de Bourbon-Condé, Duchesse de Longueville

If the Fronde had a First Lady, it would have been the Duchesse de Longueville. The first Fronde was largely centered around her - and she brought both her husband and brother (Prince de Conti) into it. Her failure was in attempting to convince her other brother, the Prince de Condé.

However, once the latter had joined the Frondeurs, she acted as a focal point for the rebellion and used her talent for persuasion and many connections to further their cause. When the war was coming to an end she went into the region of Aquitaine 

Consequence of rebellion: following her two unsuccessful attempts at thwarting the crown, she was persona non grata at court. Having been abandoned by her lover, the Duc de La Rochefoucauld, she rejoined her husband and dedicated herself to Jansenism and charity for the remainder of her life

The Duchesse de Longueville -
ironically, she is depicted as
peace and concord

Jacques Henri de Durfort, Duc de Duras

Jacques Henri had initially supported the Prince de Condé but decided to abandon the rebellious cause for the royal one. It is likely that he was lured by the promise of several prestigious titles; shortly after his return to court, he was name lieutenant-general. 

His quick return to royal grace meant that there were no consequences for his initial disloyalty - rather, the Duc de Saint-Simon mentions that he was able to say whatever he pleased in front of Louis XIV

Duc de Duras

Henri II de La Trémoille, Duc de Thouars

Henri lend his services as a soldier to the Prince de Condé - and quite openly supported him in public. Apparently, he had long been at odds with Cardinal Mazarin.

Consequence of rebellion: imprisonment until 1658 in Amiens. He was only released after several months of petitioning by his mother and promptly shipped to Poitou and further to the Netherlands to serve in the military. He kept a very low profile after the Fronde and focused on maintaining his father's estates

Charles-Amédée de Savoie-Nemours, Duc de Nemours

The Frondeurs might have appreciated the support of another duke in their cause but they soon came to regret the inclusion of Charles Amédée. Rather than being an asset, he caused considerable chaos in his own camp by ill-timed flirtation with his comrades' wives and constant bickering with his brother-in-law.

The Duc de Nemours would eventually participate in the final salute of the Fronde, the Battle of the Faubourg St. Antoine where he was wounded. He would not live to see the end of the rebellion, though, as he was killed in a duel by his brother-in-law, the Duc de Beaufort.

François de La Rochefoucauld, Duc de La Rochefoucauld

Originally, François had been a friend of Anne of Austria but the increasing power of Cardinal Mazarin set the two on collision course - and it certainly did not help that the Duc's mistress was the Duchesse de Longueville. Soon, therefore, he found himself on the side of the Frondeurs.

He partook in the defence of Paris from the royal forces and would later fight in the Battle of the Faubourg St. Antoine where he was shot in the head. Miraculously, he survived that and spent the next year recovering. Once he returned to health, his circumstances had drastically changed. His fortune was diminished and he was not particularly welcome at court. 

Consequence of rebellion: he slowly reclaimed some of his fortune through his friends and finally returned to court when Mazarin died. He appears to have turned his focus from sieges to salons and wrote his memoirs in the following period

Duc de La Rochefoucauld

Louis d'Astarac de Fontrailles, Marquis de Marestaing

Louis had long been a thorn in the eye of the royalist party. He had participated in a plot against Cardinal Richelieu and had even concluded a secret peace treaty with Spain in exchange for gold before attempting to oust Cardinal Mazarin. Unsurprisingly, he also joined the Fronde but does not appear to have had much influence there.

Consequence of rebellion: Louis XIV officially allowed him to return to court but would never forgive him his (many) treasons. Thus, he was excluded from any political or honorary office. Realising that he would gain nothing but a cold, royal shoulder the Marquis returned to his estates where he died

Frédéric-Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne, Duc de Bouillon

Much like the Duc de Duras, Frédéric-Maurice found his personal ambition to be stronger than his rebellious side. He was lured from the side of the Prince de Condé by Cardinal Mazarin with the promise of land (in compensation of those he had lost) and high positions in the king's service. The Duc de Bouillon accepted the terms, turned his back on the rebellion and thus suffered no further punishment once order had been restored

Marie de Rohan, Duchesse de Chevreuse

The Duchesse de Chevreuse was another notorious intriguer who had already been exiled several times. She had always been close to Anne of Austria and drifted a bit closer to Cardinal Mazarin in the initial stages of the Fronde. 

However, that did not last long. Once she joined the Frondeurs, she was a valuable ally. Her long spells abroad had brought her important connections with Spain

Consequence of rebellion: she appears to have gotten off rather easily - probably due to her close relationship with the queen mother. She turned from intrigues and would eventually die in a convent, having retired from court

Duchesse de Chevreuse

There you have the fates of the primary plotters. It is remarkable that the civil war came to such a "clean" end; none of the participants found themselves on the scaffold despite having committed high treason. Rather than spilling the blood of his ci-devant enemies - and in some cases, relatives - Louis XIV contended himself with creating a system of absolute monarchy where his courtiers were held on a short leash. The strategy worked; the next revolt faced by the French monarchy came not from the nobility but from peasants.