Marie Anne de Bourbon (1678–1718)
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Marie Anne de Bourbon, ''Légitimée de France'''','' born Marie Anne de La Blaume Le Blanc, by her marriage Princess of Conti then Princess Dowager of Conti, ''
suo jure ''Suo jure'' is a Latin phrase, used in English to mean 'in his own right' or 'in her own right'. In most nobility-related contexts, it means 'in her own right', since in those situations the phrase is normally used of women; in practice, especi ...
'' Duchess of La Vallière and of Vaujours (2 October 1666 – 3 May 1739) was a French noblewoman as the eldest legitimised daughter of
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Vers ...
, King of France, born from his
mistress Mistress is the feminine form of the English word "master" (''master'' + ''-ess'') and may refer to: Romance and relationships * Mistress (lover), a term for a woman who is in a sexual and romantic relationship with a man who is married to a d ...
Louise de La Vallière Françoise ''Louise'' de La Vallière, Duchess of La Vallière and Vaujours, born Françoise Louise de La Baume Le Blanc de La Vallière, Mademoiselle de La Vallière (6 August 1644 – 7 June 1710) was a French noblewoman and the first mistress ...
, and the king's favourite daughter. She married Louis Armand I, Prince of Conti in 1680 and was widowed in 1685. She never married again and had no issue. Upon her mother's death, she became the ''suo jure'' Duchess of La Vallière and of Vaujours.


Early life (1666–1680)

Marie-Anne de La Blaume Le Blanc de la Vallière was born 2 October 1666 in the Castle of Vincennes in secret to an unmarried mother, Louise de La Blaume Le Blanc de La Vallière, ''Mademoiselle de La Vallière'' (1644–1710), who had been the
mistress Mistress is the feminine form of the English word "master" (''master'' + ''-ess'') and may refer to: Romance and relationships * Mistress (lover), a term for a woman who is in a sexual and romantic relationship with a man who is married to a d ...
of
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Vers ...
,
King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
of France for about 5 years by then. She had had three full brothers, at least one of whom, Charles (1663–1665) had already died by the time she was born, while two of them, Philippe (1665–1666) and Louis (1665–1666) died sometime during the year of her birth. On 14 May 1667, she was
legitimised Legitimation or legitimisation is the act of providing legitimacy. Legitimation in the social sciences refers to the process whereby an act, process, or ideology becomes legitimate by its attachment to norms and values within a given society. I ...
, after which she could use the surname ''de Bourbon'' ("of Bourbon"), while her legitimate half-siblings were known as ''de France'' ("of France"), and she was created ''Mademoiselle de
Blois Blois ( ; ) is a commune and the capital city of Loir-et-Cher department, in Centre-Val de Loire, France, on the banks of the lower Loire river between Orléans and Tours. With 45,898 inhabitants by 2019, Blois is the most populated city of the ...
''. On the same day, her mother was given the titles of Duchess of La Vallière and of Vaujours, which she perceived as a kind of retirement gift and a sign of the end of her relationship with the king. On 2 October 1667, Blois' youngest full sibling,
Louis Louis may refer to: * Louis (coin) * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also Derived or associated terms * Lewis ( ...
(1667–1683) was born. The two children were placed in the care of Madame Colbert (born Marie Charron), the wife of
Chief Minister A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union terri ...
Jean-Baptiste Colbert Jean-Baptiste Colbert (; 29 August 1619 – 6 September 1683) was a French statesman who served as First Minister of State from 1661 until his death in 1683 under the rule of King Louis XIV. His lasting impact on the organization of the countr ...
(1619–1683).


Married life (1680–1685)

On 16 January 1680, at the age of 13, Blois was married to her distant relative, 18-year-old Louis-Armand I de Bourbon, Prince of
Conti Conti is an Italian surname. Geographical distribution As of 2014, 63.5% of all known bearers of the surname ''Conti'' were residents of Italy (frequency 1:756), 11.8% of the United States (1:24,071), 9.2% of Brazil (1:17,439), 6.3% of Argentina ...
(1661–1885), in the
chapel A chapel is a Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. Firstly, smaller spaces inside a church that have their own altar are often called chapels; the Lady chapel is a common ty ...
of the Castle of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. She was given a
dowry A dowry is a payment, such as property or money, paid by the bride's family to the groom or his family at the time of marriage. Dowry contrasts with the related concepts of bride price and dower. While bride price or bride service is a payment b ...
of 1 million
livres The (; ; abbreviation: ₶.) was one of numerous currencies used in medieval France, and a unit of account (i.e., a monetary unit used in accounting) used in Early Modern France. The 1262 monetary reform established the as 20 , or 80.88 gr ...
. As Conti was a '' prince du sang'' ("Prince of the Blood"), a male member of the
House of Bourbon The House of Bourbon (, also ; ) is a European dynasty of French origin, a branch of the Capetian dynasty, the royal House of France. Bourbon kings first ruled France and Navarre in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Spanis ...
legitimately descended from a
sovereign ''Sovereign'' is a title which can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French , which is ultimately derived from the Latin , meaning 'above'. The roles of a sovereign vary from monarch, ruler or ...
, while Blois was illegitimate, their marriage caused a
scandal A scandal can be broadly defined as the strong social reactions of outrage, anger, or surprise, when accusations or rumours circulate or appear for some reason, regarding a person or persons who are perceived to have transgressed in some way. Th ...
. This was the first but not the last such marriage, as Louis XIV married many of his illegitimate daughters into the royal family. Even though the prince fell in love with his bride at first sight, their
wedding night In many traditions and statutes of civil or religious law, the consummation of a marriage, often called simply ''consummation'', is the first (or first officially credited) act of sexual intercourse between two people, following their marriage to ...
was disastrous. During its five years, their marriage remained childless, and the princess shocked the
royal court A royal court, often called simply a court when the royal context is clear, is an extended royal household in a monarchy, including all those who regularly attend on a monarch, or another central figure. Hence, the word "court" may also be appl ...
by openly stating that her husband was not good at
sex Sex is the trait that determines whether a sexually reproducing animal or plant produces male or female gametes. Male plants and animals produce smaller mobile gametes (spermatozoa, sperm, pollen), while females produce larger ones (ova, oft ...
. In June 1682, her beloved brother
Louis Louis may refer to: * Louis (coin) * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also Derived or associated terms * Lewis ( ...
, by then legitimised and created the
Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
of
Vermandois Vermandois was a French county that appeared in the Merovingian period. Its name derives from that of an ancient tribe, the Viromandui. In the 10th century, it was organised around two castellan domains: St Quentin ( Aisne) and Péronne ( Som ...
, was
exiled ''Exiled'' () is a 2006 Hong Kong action drama film produced and directed by Johnnie To, and starring Anthony Wong, Francis Ng, Nick Cheung, Josie Ho, Roy Cheung and Lam Suet, with special appearances by Richie Jen and Simon Yam. The action ...
for his participation in ''La Sainte Congregation des Glorieux Pédérastes'' ("Holy Congregation of Glorious Pederasts"), a secret group of young aristocrats practicing ''le vice italien'' ("the Italian
vice A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character tra ...
"), male
homosexual Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to peop ...
sodomy Sodomy () or buggery (British English) is generally anal or oral sex between people, or sexual activity between a person and a non-human animal ( bestiality), but it may also mean any non- procreative sexual activity. Originally, the term ''sodo ...
. The following year, on 18 November 1683, he died in disgrace at the age of 16, devastating the princess. For a little over 4 years following her marriage, she was one of the most important ladies at her father's court, outranked only by
Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
Maria Theresa Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina (german: Maria Theresia; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was ruler of the Habsburg dominions from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position ''suo jure'' (in her own right). ...
, Maria Anna, the Dauphine (from 7 March 1780), Elizabeth Charlotte, Duchess of Orléans and the two daughters of the
Duke of Orléans Duke of Orléans (french: Duc d'Orléans) was a French royal title usually granted by the King of France to one of his close relatives (usually a younger brother or son), or otherwise inherited through the male line. First created in 1344 by King ...
, Princesses
Anne-Marie Anne-Marie Rose Nicholson (born 7 April 1991) is an English singer. She has attained charting singles on the UK Singles Chart, including Clean Bandit's "Rockabye (song), Rockabye", which peaked at number one, as well as "Alarm (Anne-Marie song ...
, ''
Madame Royale ''Madame Royale'' ({{IPA-fr, madam ʁwajal, ''Royal Lady'') was a style customarily used for the eldest living unmarried daughter of a reigning French monarch. It was similar to the style '' Monsieur'', which was typically used by the King's sec ...
'' (until 10 April 1684) and Élisabeth-Charlotte, ''Mademoiselle de Chartres'' then ''Madame Royale''. However, in May 1685, her 11-year-old half-sister Louise-Françoise de Bourbon, ''Mademoiselle de
Tours Tours ( , ) is one of the largest cities in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Indre-et-Loire. The Communes of France, commune of Tours had 136,463 ...
'' (1673–1743) was married to
Louis de Bourbon Louis de Bourbon may refer to: * Louis I, Duke of Bourbon (1279 – 1342), Count of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis and La Marche, and the first Duke of Bourbon * Louis II, Duke of Bourbon, called the Good (1337 – 1410), third Duke of Bourbon * Louis de B ...
,
Duke of Bourbon Duke of Bourbon (french: Duc de Bourbon) is a title in the peerage of France. It was created in the first half of the 14th century for the eldest son of Robert of France, Count of Clermont and Beatrice of Burgundy, heiress of the lordship of B ...
(1668–1710). As the groom was the heir to the title of Prince of Condé, and the Bourbon-Conti branch descended from the Bourbon-Condé branch of the royal house, the new duchess outranked the Princess of Conti, leading to tension between the sisters. In 1685, the Princess of Conti contracted
smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by variola virus (often called smallpox virus) which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) c ...
, which then spread to her husband. While she recovered, he succumbed after 5 days. After his death, she was known as ''Madame la Princesse Douairière de Conti'' ("Madam the
Dowager A dowager is a widow or widower who holds a title or property—a "dower"—derived from her or his deceased spouse. As an adjective, ''dowager'' usually appears in association with monarchy, monarchical and aristocracy, aristocratic Title#Aristocr ...
Princess of Conti") or ''la Grande Princesse de Conti'' ("the Great Princess of Conti").


Widowed life (1685–1739)

The question of rank and precedence always remained central to the dowager princess' life. In February 1692, her half-sister Françoise-Marie de Bourbon (1677–1749), who inherited her maiden title of ''Mademoiselle de Blois'', was married to Philippe, Duke of Chartres (1674–1723), heir to the title of
Duke of Orléans Duke of Orléans (french: Duc d'Orléans) was a French royal title usually granted by the King of France to one of his close relatives (usually a younger brother or son), or otherwise inherited through the male line. First created in 1344 by King ...
. From the day of the wedding, their 15-year-old sister outranked both the 26-year-old dowager and the 19-year-old Duchess of Bourbon. She was given a dowry of 2 million
livres The (; ; abbreviation: ₶.) was one of numerous currencies used in medieval France, and a unit of account (i.e., a monetary unit used in accounting) used in Early Modern France. The 1262 monetary reform established the as 20 , or 80.88 gr ...
, twice the amount that the Princess of Conti and the Duchess of Bourbon had received, as well as the
Palais-Royal The Palais-Royal () is a former royal palace located in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France. The screened entrance court faces the Place du Palais-Royal, opposite the Louvre. Originally called the Palais-Cardinal, it was built for Cardinal ...
. The young girl deliberately flaunted her position, much to the annoyance of the two formal rivals, who were from then on openly
hostile Hostility is seen as form of emotionally charged aggressive behavior. In everyday speech it is more commonly used as a synonym for anger and aggression. It appears in several psychological theories. For instance it is a facet of neuroticism in ...
to their sister. After the death of Louis XIV on 1 September 1715, leaving his 4-year-old grandson the throne. A
regency A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...
was established and the dowager princess' brother-in-law,
Philippe II, Duke of Orléans Philippe II, Duke of Orléans (Philippe Charles; 2 August 1674 – 2 December 1723), was a French prince, soldier, and statesman who served as Regent of the Kingdom of France from 1715 to 1723. He is referred to in French as ''le Régent''. ...
(1674–1723) was appointed regent, ''
de facto ''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with ''de jure'' ("by la ...
'' ruling the country between 1715–1723, a period of French history known as ''
régence The ''Régence'' (, ''Regency'') was the period in French history between 1715 and 1723 when King Louis XV was considered a minor and the country was instead governed by Philippe d'Orléans (a nephew of Louis XIV of France) as prince regent ...
''. In 1721, the princess was put in charge of the education of Louis XV's 3-year-old
fiancée An engagement or betrothal is the period of time between the declaration of acceptance of a marriage proposal and the marriage itself (which is typically but not always commenced with a wedding). During this period, a couple is said to be ''fi ...
, ''
Infanta ''Infante'' (, ; f. ''infanta''), also anglicised as Infant or translated as Prince, is the title and rank given in the Iberian kingdoms of Spain (including the predecessor kingdoms of Aragon, Castile, Navarre, and León) and Portugal to th ...
''
Mariana Victoria of Spain Mariana Victoria of Spain ( pt, Mariana Vitória; 31 March 1718 – 15 January 1781) was an '' Infanta of Spain'' by birth and was later the Queen of Portugal as wife of King Joseph I. She acted as regent of Portugal in 1776–1777, during the l ...
(1718–1781), her grandniece. The engagement was called off 4 years later, as an
heir to the throne An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...
was desperately desired, but the ''infanta'' was too young to
conceive Fertilisation or fertilization (see spelling differences), also known as generative fertilisation, syngamy and impregnation, is the fusion of gametes to give rise to a new individual organism or offspring and initiate its development. Proce ...
. She was sent back to
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...
in 1725 and later became the Queen (consort) of
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
. After her departure, the princess dowager retired from
court A court is any person or institution, often as a government institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance ...
and spent her remaining years mainly in the
countryside In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, ...
.


Marriage proposals

It is possible that in 1698, the 32-year-old dowager princess, renowned for her beauty, received a
marriage proposal A marriage proposal is an event where one person in a relationship asks for the other's hand in marriage. If accepted, it marks the initiation of engagement, a mutual promise of later marriage. It often has a ritual quality. Traditional prop ...
from her 15-year-old nephew
Philippe, Duke of Anjou Philippe, Duke of Anjou (Philippe Louis; 30 August 1730 – 7 April 1733) was a French prince and the second son of king Louis XV of France and Marie Leszczyńska. He was styled Duke of Anjou from birth. Biography Philippe was born at the Pala ...
(1683–1746), a younger son of her legitimate half-brother
Louis Louis may refer to: * Louis (coin) * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also Derived or associated terms * Lewis ( ...
, the ''Grand
Dauphin of France Dauphin of France (, also ; french: Dauphin de France ), originally Dauphin of Viennois (''Dauphin de Viennois''), was the title given to the heir apparent to the throne of France from 1350 to 1791, and from 1824 to 1830. The word ''dauphin'' ...
'' (1661–1711), who would later become
King of Spain , coatofarms = File:Coat_of_Arms_of_Spanish_Monarch.svg , coatofarms_article = Coat of arms of the King of Spain , image = Felipe_VI_in_2020_(cropped).jpg , incumbent = Felipe VI , incumbentsince = 19 Ju ...
. She also refused a proposal from the
Sultan Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...
of
Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...
,
Ismail Ibn Sharif Moulay Ismail Ibn Sharif ( ar, مولاي إسماعيل بن الشريف), born around 1645 in Sijilmassa and died on 22 March 1727 at Meknes, was a Sultan of Morocco from 1672–1727, as the second ruler of the Alaouite dynasty. He was the sev ...
(circa 1645–1727), preferring her freedom as a
widow A widow (female) or widower (male) is a person whose spouse has Death, died. Terminology The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed ''widowhood''. An archaic term for a widow is "relict," literally "someone left over". This word ...
.


The three Princesses Dowager of Conti

In 1709, the heir of her late husband, François-Louis, Prince of Conti (1664–1709) died, leaving a second dowager princess of Conti, born Marie-Thérèse de Bourbon, ''Mademoiselle de Bourbon'' (1666–1732). From then on, they were known ''Madame la Princesse de Conti Première Douairière'' ("Madam the Princess of Conti FIrst Dowager") and ''Madame la Princesse de Conti Seconde'' (until 1727)''/Douxième'' (from 1727) ''Douairière'' ("Madam the Princess of Conti Second Dowager"). In 1713, the first dowager helped to secure the marriage of her late husband's nephew, Louis-Armand II Prince of Conti and her half-niece,
Louise Élisabeth de Bourbon Louise Élisabeth de Bourbon (22 November 1693–27 May 1775) was a daughter of Louis III de Bourbon, Prince of Condé, and his wife, Louise Françoise de Bourbon, ''légitimée de France'', a legitimised daughter of King Louis XIV of France ...
, ''Mademoiselle de Charolais'' (1693–1775), who became ''Madame La Princesse de Conti Troisième/Dernière Douairière'' (Madam the Princess of Conti Third/Last Dowager) in 1727.


Houses

In 1710, the princess' mother, who had lived as a Carmelite nun in a
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
convent A convent is a community of monks, nuns, religious brothers or, sisters or priests. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The word is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...
, died, leaving to her the substantial fortune she had acquired as a royal mistress, as well as her titles of Duchess of La Vallière and of Vaujours ''(duchesse de La Vallière et de Vaujours).'' In 1713, she bought the '' Hôtel de Lorges'' on Saint Augustin Street ''(rue Saint-Augustin)'' in Paris, where she lived from 1715. In 1716, she also bought the Castle of Choisy,' and in 1718, she was given the Castle of Champs-sur-Marne by the new king, her
grandnephew In the lineal kinship system used in the English-speaking world, a niece or nephew is a child of the subject's sibling or sibling-in-law. The converse relationship, the relationship from the niece or nephew's perspective, is that of an ...
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reache ...
("Louis the Beloved"; 1710–1774). She later gave this castle to her nephew and heir, Charles-François de La Blaume Le Blanc to settle some
debts Debt is an obligation that requires one party, the debtor, to pay money or other agreed-upon value to another party, the creditor. Debt is a deferred payment, or series of payments, which differentiates it from an immediate purchase. The de ...
.'


Relationship with her family

Both as a child and as an adult, the Princess of Conti had a great relationship with her father, becoming his favourite daughter, while his favourite child overall was his younger half-brother, Louis-Auguste, Duke of Maine (1670–1736).' She was also close with her only full brother,
Louis, Count of Vermandois Louis de Bourbon, ''Légitimé de France'', Count of Vermandois, born Louis de La Blaume Le Blanc, also known as Louis de/of Vermandois (2 October 1667 – 18 November 1683) was a French nobleman, illegitimate but legitimised son of Louis XIV, ...
(1667–1683), whose early death in 1683 at the age of 16 devastated her.' With those of her half-sisters who outranked her after their marriage ( Louise-Françoise, Duchess of Bourbon/Princess of Condé, (1673–1743) and Françoise-Marie, Duchess of Anjou/of Orléans) she had a strained relationship. With her only legitimate half-sibling,
Louis Louis may refer to: * Louis (coin) * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also Derived or associated terms * Lewis ( ...
,
Grand Dauphin Louis, Dauphin of France (1 November 1661 – 14 April 1711), commonly known as Grand Dauphin, was the eldest son and heir apparent of King Louis XIV and his spouse, Maria Theresa of Spain. He became known as the Grand Dauphin after the birth of h ...
(1661–1711), she had a close relationship, and often visited him at his
country estate An estate is a large parcel of land under single ownership, which would historically generate income for its owner. British context In the UK, historically an estate comprises the houses, outbuildings, supporting farmland, and woods that s ...
, the Castle of Meudon.' There, she met the
Knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...
of Clermont-Chaste, a young and poor
aristocrat The aristocracy is historically associated with "hereditary" or "ruling" social class. In many states, the aristocracy included the upper class of people (aristocrats) with hereditary rank and titles. In some, such as ancient Greece, ancient Ro ...
, and fell in love with him. The knight was hoping to take advantage of his position, but Louis XIV learned of the romance, he
exiled ''Exiled'' () is a 2006 Hong Kong action drama film produced and directed by Johnnie To, and starring Anthony Wong, Francis Ng, Nick Cheung, Josie Ho, Roy Cheung and Lam Suet, with special appearances by Richie Jen and Simon Yam. The action ...
him.' It is possible that the king learned of the affair through his daughter-in-law,' born Émilie de Joly de Choin, ''Mademoiselle de Choin'' (1670–1732), who had been introduced to the grand dauphin by the Princess of Conti. ''Mademoiselle de Choin'' was the princess'
maid of honour A maid of honour is a junior attendant of a queen in royal households. The position was and is junior to the lady-in-waiting. The equivalent title and office has historically been used in most European royal courts. Role Traditionally, a queen r ...
.' The princess seems to have disliked the grand dauphin's first wife, born Maria Anna of Bavaria (1660–1690). Once, when the princess dowager saw her sleeping, she commented that the Dauphine was "as ugly asleep as she was awake". Awakened, the Dauphine replied that she did not "have the advantage of being a love child".' After the dauphine's death in 1690, her widower secretly married ''Mademoiselle de Choin.'' The princess dowager mourned his death in 1711 deeply.' The Princess Dowager of Conti died of a
brain tumor A brain tumor occurs when abnormal cells form within the brain. There are two main types of tumors: malignant tumors and benign (non-cancerous) tumors. These can be further classified as primary tumors, which start within the brain, and seconda ...
on 3 May 1739 in
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
.' She was buried in the Chapel of Our Lady in the Saint-Roch Church (''Église Saint-Roch)'' in Paris.' Her titles and fortune were inherited by her nephew, Charles-François de La Baume Le Blanc, and then by his son, famous
bibliophile Bibliophilia or bibliophilism is the love of books. A bibliophile or bookworm is an individual who loves and frequently reads and/or collects books. Profile The classic bibliophile is one who loves to read, admire and collect books, often ama ...
Lous-César de La Baume Le Blanc (1708–1780).'


Titles and styles

* 2 October 1666 – 14 May 1667: ''Mademoiselle'' Marie-Anne de La Blaume Le Blanc de La Valliére * 14 May 1667 – 16 January 1680: ''Mademoiselle de Blois'' * 16 January 1680 – 3 May 1739: ''Madame la Princesse de Conti'' ** 9 November 1685 – 3 May 1739: ''Madame la Princesse Douairière de Conti'' *** 22 February 1709 – 3 May 1739: ''Madame la Princesse de Conti Première Douairière''


Ancestry


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bourbon, Marie Anne Of 1666 births 1739 deaths People from Vincennes 17th-century French women 18th-century French women Illegitimate children of Louis XIV Marie Anne House of Bourbon-Condé House of Bourbon-Conti La Vallieres, Duchess of, Marie Anne de Bourbon Dukes of La Vallière Marie Anne Marie Anne People of the Regency of Philippe d'Orléans People of the Ancien Régime Deaths from brain cancer in France Burials at Saint-Roch, Paris Daughters of kings