The governess of the children of France (sometimes the Governess of the Royal Children) was an office at the royal French court during pre-Revolutionary France and the Bourbon Restoration. As the head of the royal nursery, she was charged with the education of the children and grandchildren of the

monarch A monarch () is a head of stateWebster's II New College Dictionary. "Monarch". Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. Life tenure, for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest ...

. The holder of the office was taken from the highest-ranking

nobility of France The French nobility () was an aristocratic social class in France from the Middle Ages until its abolition on 23 June 1790 during the French Revolution. From 1808 to 1815 during the First Empire the Emperor Napoléon bestowed titles that we ...

and was passed between female family members for much of its history by right of succession (''survivance''). The

governess A governess is a woman employed as a private tutor, who teaches and trains a child or children in their home. A governess often lives in the same residence as the children she is teaching; depending on terms of their employment, they may or ma ...

was supported by various deputies or under-governesses (''sous gouvernantes'') and oversaw a household consisting of dozens of servants and caregivers. The ''Livre qui contient tout ce qui peut interesser Madame la Gouvernante des Enfans de France et surintandante de Leurs Maisons'' (1704-44) is the primary written source on the office of the royal governess during the Bourbon dynasty. It is housed and digitized by the

Bibliothèque nationale de France The (; BnF) is the national library of France, located in Paris on two main sites, ''Richelieu'' and ''François-Mitterrand''. It is the national repository of all that is published in France. Some of its extensive collections, including bo ...

. The official court document serves as a manual for the governess and her deputies. It includes the etiquette, ceremonial procedures and daily responsibilities of the role in great detail. It also consists of household inventories of the royal nursery.

Governesses of the Children of France

Children of
Louis XII of France Louis XII (27 June 14621 January 1515), also known as Louis of Orléans was King of France from 1498 to 1515 and King of Naples (as Louis III) from 1501 to 1504. The son of Charles, Duke of Orléans, and Marie of Cleves, he succeeded his second ...

* Michelle de Saubonne

Children of
Francis I of France Francis I (; ; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin once removed and father-in-law Louis&nbs ...

* Charlotte Gouffier de Boisy, Madame de Cossé-Brissac *

Guillemette de Sarrebruck Guillemette de Sarrebruck (–1571) was a French court official. She served as Governess of the Children of France, and as the Première dame d'honneur to the queen of France, Mary Stuart. She had the title comtesse de Braine ''de jure'' afte ...

, comtesse de Braine

Children of
Henry II of France Henry II (; 31 March 1519 – 10 July 1559) was List of French monarchs#House of Valois-Angoulême (1515–1589), King of France from 1547 until his death in 1559. The second son of Francis I of France, Francis I and Claude of France, Claude, Du ...

* 1544–1557: Françoise de Contay (d. 1557), Madame d'Humières, Dame de Contay. ** Marie-Catherine Gondi, 'Madame Duperon' (d. 1570), sous gouvernante (deputy) **

Charlotte de Curton Charlotte de Curton, née ''de Vienne'' (1513-1575), was a French court official; she served as deputy royal governess to the French royal children. Biography Charlotte de Curton was the daughter of Gérard de Vienne and Bénigne de Dinteville, ...

(d. 1575), sous gouvernante (deputy) *

Louise de Clermont Louise de Clermont-Tallard, Countess of Tonnerre by inheritance and Viscounts and Dukes of Uzès, duchess of Uzès by marriage was a French court official. She was a lady-in-waiting of queen regent Catherine de Medici of France and a royal gover ...

(1504–1596), comtesse de Tonnerre and duchesse d’Uzès. *

Claude Catherine de Clermont Claude Catherine de Clermont- Tonnerre de Vivonne (1543 – 18 February 1603), lady of Dampierre, countess and duchess of Retz, was a French courtier, writer, and salon host. Life Family and private life Claude Catherine de Clermont was bor ...

(1543–1603), Duchess of Retz.

Children of
Charles IX of France Charles IX (Charles Maximilien; 27 June 1550 – 30 May 1574) was List of French monarchs, King of France from 1560 until his death in 1574. He ascended the French throne upon the death of his brother Francis II of France, Francis II in 1560, an ...

* 1572–1578: Isabelle de Crissé.

Children of
Henry IV of France Henry IV (; 13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), also known by the epithets Good King Henry (''le Bon Roi Henri'') or Henry the Great (''Henri le Grand''), was King of Navarre (as Henry III) from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 16 ...

* 1601–1625: Françoise de Longuejoue, baronne de Montglat (d. 1633)

Children of
Louis XIII Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown. ...

* 1638–1643:

Françoise de Lansac Françoise de Lansac, née ''de Sainte-Maure de Montausier'' (1582-1657) was a French courtier. She was the royal governess of King Louis XIV of France and his brother from 1638 until 1643. She was the daughter of Gilles de Souvré and married t ...

(1583–1657) * 1643–1646:

Marie-Catherine de Senecey Marie Catherine de Senecey née de La Rochefoucauld (1588–1677) was a French courtier. She served as '' Première dame d'honneur'' to the queen of France, Anne of Austria, from 1626 until 1638, and royal governess to king Louis XIV of France an ...

(1588–1677)

Children of
Louis XIV LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...

*1661–1664:

Julie d'Angennes Julie d'Angennes, Duchess of Montausier (1607 - 15 November 1671) was a French courtier. She served as royal governess of Louis, Grand Dauphin in 1661–1664, and ''Première dame d'honneur'' to the queen of France, Queen Marie Thérèse, from 1 ...

, (1607–1671) duchesse de Montausier *1661–1672:

Louise de Prie Louise de Prie de La Mothe-Houdancourt (1624–1709), was a French noblewoman and court official. She served as royal governess to the children of king Louis XIV of France in 1661–1672, to the children of Louis, Grand Dauphin in 1682&nd ...

, (1624–1709), Marquise of Toucy, Duchess of Cardona

Children of the
Grand Dauphin Louis, Dauphin of France (1 November 1661 – 14 April 1711), commonly known as le 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 ...

*1682–1691:

, (1624–1709), Marquise of Toucy, Duchess of Cardona

Children of the
Duke of Burgundy Duke of Burgundy () was a title used by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, from its establishment in 843 to its annexation by the Crown lands of France, French crown in 1477, and later by members of the House of Habsburg, including Holy Roman E ...

*1704–1709:

(1624–1709), Marquise of Toucy, Duchess of Cardona *1709–1710: Marie Isabelle Gabrielle Angélique de La Mothe-Houdancourt (1654–1726), Duchess of La Ferté-Senneterre *1710–1735: Charlotte de La Mothe-Houdancourt, (1651–1744), Duchess of Ventadour ** Anne Julie de Melun acted as a ''sous gouvernante'' to Madame de Ventadour ** 1704–1717: **1710–1717: Marie-Suzanne de Valicourt(Génalogie de la famille de Valicourt) Souvenirs de la Flandre-Wallonne: recherches historiques et choix de documents relatifs à Douai et à la province - Volume 9 - Société d'agriculture, des sciences et arts de Douai - 1869

Children of
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (), 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 reached maturity (then defi ...

*1727–1735: Charlotte de La Mothe-Houdancourt, (1654–1744), Duchess of Ventadour. *1735–1754:

Marie Isabelle de Rohan Marie may refer to the following. People Given name * Marie (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name ** List of people named Marie * Marie (Japanese given name) Surname * Jean Gabriel-Marie, French compo ...

, (1699–1754), Duchess of Tallard **1727–1746: Madame de La Lande, sous gouvernante (deputy) **1727–1744: Marie-Suzanne de Valicourt, sous gouvernante (deputy) **1729–?: Marguerite d'Armand de Mizon, sous gouvernante (deputy)

Children of Louis, Dauphin of France

*1735–1754:

, (1699–1754), Duchess of Tallard *1754–1776: Marie Louise de Rohan, (1720–1803), Countess of Marsan ** 1771–1778:

Marie Angélique de Mackau Marie may refer to the following. People Given name * Marie (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name ** List of people named Marie * Marie (Japanese given name) Surname * Jean Gabriel-Marie, French compose ...

, sous gouvernante (deputy)

Children of
Louis XVI Louis XVI (Louis-Auguste; ; 23 August 1754 – 21 January 1793) was the last king of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. The son of Louis, Dauphin of France (1729–1765), Louis, Dauphin of France (son and heir- ...

*1776–1782:

Victoire de Rohan Victoire de Rohan, ''Princess of Guéméné'' (Victoire Armande Joséphe; 28 December 1743 – 20 September 1807) was a French noblewoman and court official. She was the governess of the children of Louis XVI of France. She is known better as '' ...

, (1743–1807), Princess of Guéménégreat-great-granddaughter of the Duchess of Ventadour *1782–1789:

Yolande de Polastron Yolande de Polastron, Duchess of Polignac (Yolande Martine Gabrielle; 8 September 17499 December 1793) was the favourite of Marie Antoinette, whom she met when she was presented at the Palace of Versailles in 1775, the year after Marie Antoinett ...

, (1749–1793), Duchess of Polignac. *1789–1792:

Louise Élisabeth de Croÿ Louise-Élisabeth de Croÿ (''Louise Élisabeth Félicité Françoise Armande Anne Marie Jeanne Joséphine''; 11 June 1749 – 15 May 1832) was a French noblewoman and courtier, as the Marquise of Tourzel. She was the Governess of the Child ...

, (1749–1832), Marquise of Tourzel. ** 1776–1792:

, sous gouvernante (deputy) ** 1781–1792: Renée Suzanne de Soucy, sous gouvernante (deputy) ** 1785–1792:

Agathe de Rambaud Agathe de Rambaud was the official nurse of the royal children, and particularly was in charge of the Dauphin of France, ''Dauphin'' from 1785 to 1792. She was born in Versailles (city), Versailles as Agathe-Rosalie Mottet and was baptized in the ...

Children of
Charles Ferdinand, Duke of Berry Charles Ferdinand d'Artois, Duke of Berry (24 January 1778 – 14 February 1820), was the third child and younger son of Charles, Count of Artois (later King Charles X of France), and Maria Theresa of Savoy. In 1820 he was assassinated at the P ...

*1819–1830: Marie Joséphine Louise, duchesse de Gontaut (1773–1857)

Notes

{{Reflist History of education in France Ancien Régime People of the Ancien Régime Ancien Régime office-holders Government of France French monarchy Education and training occupations French nobility Court titles in the Ancien Régime Gendered occupations French royal court

Governesses of the Children of France

Children of Louis XII of France Louis XII (27 June 14621 January 1515), also known as Louis of Orléans was King of France from 1498 to 1515 and King of Naples (as Louis III) from 1501 to 1504. The son of Charles, Duke of Orléans, and Marie of Cleves, he succeeded his second ...

Children of Francis I of France Francis I (; ; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin once removed and father-in-law Louis&nbs ...

Children of Henry II of France Henry II (; 31 March 1519 – 10 July 1559) was List of French monarchs#House of Valois-Angoulême (1515–1589), King of France from 1547 until his death in 1559. The second son of Francis I of France, Francis I and Claude of France, Claude, Du ...

Children of Charles IX of France Charles IX (Charles Maximilien; 27 June 1550 – 30 May 1574) was List of French monarchs, King of France from 1560 until his death in 1574. He ascended the French throne upon the death of his brother Francis II of France, Francis II in 1560, an ...

Children of Henry IV of France Henry IV (; 13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), also known by the epithets Good King Henry (''le Bon Roi Henri'') or Henry the Great (''Henri le Grand''), was King of Navarre (as Henry III) from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 16 ...

Children of Louis XIII Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown. ...

Children of Louis XIV LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...

Children of the Grand Dauphin Louis, Dauphin of France (1 November 1661 – 14 April 1711), commonly known as le 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 ...

Children of the Duke of Burgundy Duke of Burgundy () was a title used by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, from its establishment in 843 to its annexation by the Crown lands of France, French crown in 1477, and later by members of the House of Habsburg, including Holy Roman E ...

Children of Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (), 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 reached maturity (then defi ...