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'''Marie Angélique de Scorailles''' (July 1661 – 28 June 1681) was a French ] and one of the many ] of ]. A ] to his sister-in-law ], the ], she caught the attention of the Sun King and became his lover in 1679. She died two years later, most probably as a result of complications arising from childbirth. '''Marie Angélique de Scorailles''' (July 1661 – 28 June 1681) was a French noblewoman and one of the many ] of ]. A ] to his sister-in-law ], the ], she caught the attention of the Sun King and became his lover in 1679. She died two years later, most probably as a result of complications arising from childbirth.


==Royal mistress== ==Royal mistress==
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Soon it appeared she was pregnant, further angering Montespan, who had thought their affair was a passing fancy, easily controlled and easily disposed of. She said to ] that the king had three mistresses: herself in name, this girl in bed and Maintenon in his heart.<ref name="Hilton, Lisa 2002" /> Soon it appeared she was pregnant, further angering Montespan, who had thought their affair was a passing fancy, easily controlled and easily disposed of. She said to ] that the king had three mistresses: herself in name, this girl in bed and Maintenon in his heart.<ref name="Hilton, Lisa 2002" />


In January 1680,<ref>]: ''Louis XIV'', éd. Pygmalion, 2006, ''collection Les Rois qui ont fait la France'', pp. 186-187.</ref> Marie gave birth ] to a stillborn boy. She was then said to have been "wounded in the service." The king bestowed on her the title Duchess of Fontanges and a pension of 80,000 ], however, by this time Louis began to tire of her.<ref name="Hilton, Lisa 2002"/> Still sick (suffering from serious blood loss) since the birth, she retired to the ], and did not appear at court again. In January 1680,<ref>]: ''Louis XIV'', éd. Pygmalion, 2006, ''collection Les Rois qui ont fait la France'', pp. 186-187.</ref> Marie gave birth ] to a stillborn boy. She was then said to have been "wounded in the service." The king bestowed on her the title Duchess of Fontanges and a pension of 80,000 ], however, by this time Louis had began to tire of her.<ref name="Hilton, Lisa 2002"/> Still sick (suffering from serious blood loss) since the birth, she retired to the ].


==Death== ==Death==
In 1681, Marie suffered a high fever and was sent to the ]. According to some sources, she gave birth prematurely to a ] girl in March.<ref name="Hilton, Lisa 2002"/> Sadly, her retirement did not last long. Later the court learned that Fontanges was going to die and she had asked to see the king. Louis XIV agreed to her request. Touched by her suffering, he wept while at her deathbed. Fontanges is reported to have said, "having seen tears in the eyes of my King, I can die happy". But this story was deemed untrue by many at ] because according to them, the king had, in fact, already forgotten her. The duchess died on the night of 28 June 1681. She was not yet 20 years old.<ref>{{cite book|last=Herman|first=Eleanor|title=Sex with Kings: 500 Years of Adultery, Power, Rivalry, and Revenge|year=2005|publisher=Harpercollins|location=Death Takes a Mistress|isbn=978-0060585433|page=215|url=https://archive.org/details/sexwithkings500y00herm}}</ref> In 1681, Marie suffered a high fever and was sent to the ], where, according to some sources, she gave birth prematurely to a ] girl in March,<ref name="Hilton, Lisa 2002"/> realising was going to die, she asked to see the king. Louis XIV agreed to her request, and touched by her suffering, wept while at her deathbed. Fontanges is reported to have said, "having seen tears in the eyes of my King, I can die happy".<ref name="rouge" /> But this story was deemed untrue by many at ] because according to them, the king had, in fact, already forgotten her. The duchess died on the night of 28 June 1681. She was not yet 20 years old.<ref>{{cite book|last=Herman|first=Eleanor|title=Sex with Kings: 500 Years of Adultery, Power, Rivalry, and Revenge|year=2005|publisher=Harpercollins|location=Death Takes a Mistress|isbn=978-0060585433|page=215|url=https://archive.org/details/sexwithkings500y00herm}}</ref>


===Possible death by poisoning=== ===Possible death by poisoning===
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While in prison, the poisoners agreed to name other poisoners so they would not undergo any torture. Their testimonies were fabricated. Then ], a worker in the household of the Fontanges was arrested, she admitted to being a poisoner and ], she entered the trial of Marie Angélique. When asked about what she knew about the duchess's strange death, Filastre panicked and admitted that Montespan had hired her to murder Fontanges. Montespan wished death on her young rival<ref name=rouge/> so she could regain the love of the king. Later Filastre said about her statements: "All I said is false. I did that for me to be free of pain and torment. I say all this because I do not want to kill the guilty conscience of a lie." However she was executed by burning in ] after ] accused her of a child sacrifice. Though many believed the duchess was indeed poisoned by Madame de Montespan, the evidence from the witnesses who later denied their every statement as false made it impossible for the court to determine whether Montespan was the actual murderer. While in prison, the poisoners agreed to name other poisoners so they would not undergo any torture. Their testimonies were fabricated. Then ], a worker in the household of the Fontanges was arrested, she admitted to being a poisoner and ], she entered the trial of Marie Angélique. When asked about what she knew about the duchess's strange death, Filastre panicked and admitted that Montespan had hired her to murder Fontanges. Montespan wished death on her young rival<ref name=rouge/> so she could regain the love of the king. Later Filastre said about her statements: "All I said is false. I did that for me to be free of pain and torment. I say all this because I do not want to kill the guilty conscience of a lie." However she was executed by burning in ] after ] accused her of a child sacrifice. Though many believed the duchess was indeed poisoned by Madame de Montespan, the evidence from the witnesses who later denied their every statement as false made it impossible for the court to determine whether Montespan was the actual murderer.


Louis XIV asked that there be no ] on the body of the duchess, presumably because he feared that the autopsy would encourage rumors that she was poisoned. However, by the request of her family, an autopsy was still performed. Her doctors found that her lungs were in appalling condition (with the right one in particular being full of "purulent matter") while her chest was flooded with fluid.<ref name=":0">{{cite book|last=Somerset|first=Anne|title=The Affair of the Poisons: Murder, Infanticide, and Satanism at the Court of Louis XIV|year=2004|publisher=St. Martin's Press; 1st edition|location=Chapter 10- The End of the Affair|isbn=0312330170|pages=291-292 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n6JBFC_nXjcC&pg=PA292 }}</ref> The cause of her death was perhaps unknown but not in any way connected with the blood loss which she suffered for months in 1680. They were unable to determine whether she was poisoned or not. The doctors later stated that the duchess aborted her children, and she was guilty of the crime of infanticide and ]. This seems unlikely since, like all of the king's mistresses, Marie Angélique would presumably have wanted more than anything to give the king children so she would secure her place at court. Louis XIV asked that there be no ], presumably because he feared to encourage rumours that she was poisoned. However, at the request of her family, an autopsy was performed. The doctors found that her lungs were in appalling condition (with the right one in particular being full of "purulent matter") while her chest was flooded with fluid.<ref name=":0">{{cite book|last=Somerset|first=Anne|title=The Affair of the Poisons: Murder, Infanticide, and Satanism at the Court of Louis XIV|year=2004|publisher=St. Martin's Press; 1st edition|location=Chapter 10- The End of the Affair|isbn=0312330170|pages=291-292 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n6JBFC_nXjcC&pg=PA292 }}</ref> All six doctors concurred that death was due to natural causes.<ref name=":1" />


===Aftermath=== ===Aftermath===
It was not until the early 20th century that some doctors took an interest in the case. Some have suggested that Marie Angélique died from pleuro-pneumonia induced by ]. However, in view of the fact that she was known to have suffered from a persistent loss of blood after her miscarriage, another doctor suggested that when she lost her baby, a fragment of the ] lodged in her uterus. An alternative suggestion is that she was killed by a rare form of ], which occasionally develops after a cyst on the placenta is expelled during pregnancy. On the whole, the overwhelming probability is that she died from complications arising from her earlier miscarriage.<ref name=":0" /> It was not until the early 20th century that some doctors took an interest in the case. Some have suggested that Marie Angélique died from pleuro-pneumonia induced by ]. However, in view of the fact that she was known to have suffered from a persistent loss of blood after her miscarriage, another doctor suggested that when she lost her baby, a fragment of the ] lodged in her uterus. An alternative suggestion is that she was killed by a rare form of ], which occasionally develops after a cyst on the placenta is expelled during pregnancy. On the whole, the overwhelming probability is that she died from complications arising from her earlier miscarriage.<ref name=":0" />


At court, some courtiers wrote about the duchess's death. According to Ernest Lavisse and Bernard Christmas, "Two miscarriages caused her to lose favor with the king." Princess Palatine reported that it was certain that the duchess was poisoned by Madame de Montespan. She suspected that the poison was administered in her milk. Although medical results from the autopsy apparently said otherwise, the court of Louis XIV continued to believe the Duchess of Fontanges died slowly from poisoning.<ref name=":0" /> At court, several courtiers wrote about the duchess's death. According to Ernest Lavisse and Bernard Christmas, "Two miscarriages caused her to lose favor with the king." The Duchess of Orleans reported that it was certain that the duchess was poisoned by Madame de Montespan, and suspected that the poison was administered in her milk.<ref name="rouge" /> Despite the medical findings, rumours persisted that the Duchess of Fontanges died from poisoning.<ref name=":0" />


==Legacy== ==Legacy==

Revision as of 13:21, 16 October 2019

Marie Angélique de Scorailles
Duchess of Fontanges
Full nameMarie Angélique de Scorailles
Born1661
Auvergne, France
Died28 June 1681 (aged 19)
Abbaye de Port Royal, France

Marie Angélique de Scorailles (July 1661 – 28 June 1681) was a French noblewoman and one of the many mistresses of Louis XIV. A lady-in-waiting to his sister-in-law Elizabeth Charlotte, Princess Palatine, the Duchess of Orléans, she caught the attention of the Sun King and became his lover in 1679. She died two years later, most probably as a result of complications arising from childbirth.

Royal mistress

Marie Angélique de Scorailles was born in 1661 at the Château de Cropières in Upper Auvergne. She came from a very old aristocratic family; her father was the Comte de Rousaille, and the Kings Lieutenant. Her family realized that her beauty was a great asset and raised enough money to send her to court with an unspoken yet precise aim of replenishing the family coffers from the royal bed. Marie arrived at the court of Louis XIV in 1678 and became maid of honor to the Duchess of Orléans. At the time Louis XIV was torn between the affections of Marquise de Montespan and Madame de Maintenon. Infatuated by the beauty of the young girl, the King suddenly abandoned both women. Now the stand-off between Montespan and Maintenon was suddenly eclipsed by a new passion which appeared to threaten them equally. Despite her physical charms, Marie Angélique was derided by the court for being "as stupid as a basket." The Duchess of Orleans agreed, writing " a stupid little creature, but she a very a good heart" and describing her as "is lovely as an angel, from head to foot".

Louis XIV, however, suddenly felt young again. He wore diamonds, ribbons and feathers; for her eighteenth birthday, he presented her with a pearl grey carriage with eight horses.

During a hunt in the forest of Fontainebleau, her hair clung to a branch and she appeared before the king with her hair loosely tied in a ribbon, tumbling in curls to her shoulders. The king found this "rustic" style delightful, and the next day, all the courtiers adopted the new "fontage" hairstyle, except the Marquise de Montespan, who thought it was in "bad taste". The bitterness between Athénaïs and Marie went as far as Athénaïs releasing her two tame bears which she kept in a little menagerie Louis had given her on the grounds of the palace, and "accidentally," the two bears went to destroy Marie's apartment in Versailles. This event made both women comical at court.

Soon it appeared she was pregnant, further angering Montespan, who had thought their affair was a passing fancy, easily controlled and easily disposed of. She said to Marquise de Maintenon that the king had three mistresses: herself in name, this girl in bed and Maintenon in his heart.

In January 1680, Marie gave birth prematurely to a stillborn boy. She was then said to have been "wounded in the service." The king bestowed on her the title Duchess of Fontanges and a pension of 80,000 livres, however, by this time Louis had began to tire of her. Still sick (suffering from serious blood loss) since the birth, she retired to the Abbey of Chelles.

Death

In 1681, Marie suffered a high fever and was sent to the Abbey of Port-Royal, where, according to some sources, she gave birth prematurely to a stillborn girl in March, realising was going to die, she asked to see the king. Louis XIV agreed to her request, and touched by her suffering, wept while at her deathbed. Fontanges is reported to have said, "having seen tears in the eyes of my King, I can die happy". But this story was deemed untrue by many at Versailles because according to them, the king had, in fact, already forgotten her. The duchess died on the night of 28 June 1681. She was not yet 20 years old.

Possible death by poisoning

La duchesse de Fontanges

Marie Angélique died during the Affaire des Poisons scandal in France. Poisoning was suspected to be her cause of death. During the interrogation of the accused witches and wizards, some of them mentioned the name of Fontanges, referring to a plot they planned on the duchess. The first witness who testified was Marguerite Monvoisin, the daughter of the sorceress La Voisin. She accused accomplices of her late mother of poisoning the Duchess of Fontanges. Marguerite Monvoisin's lovers, Bertrand and Romani, were arrested in 1681 as suspects. Bertrand was accused of selling poisonous stuffs to Fontanges; while Romani was accused of delivering her gloves contaminated with poison. Defendants pronounced the name of Miss Carnation, a maid to the Marquise de Montespan, however there were no statements to back their claim.

While in prison, the poisoners agreed to name other poisoners so they would not undergo any torture. Their testimonies were fabricated. Then Françoise Filastre, a worker in the household of the Fontanges was arrested, she admitted to being a poisoner and abortionist, she entered the trial of Marie Angélique. When asked about what she knew about the duchess's strange death, Filastre panicked and admitted that Montespan had hired her to murder Fontanges. Montespan wished death on her young rival so she could regain the love of the king. Later Filastre said about her statements: "All I said is false. I did that for me to be free of pain and torment. I say all this because I do not want to kill the guilty conscience of a lie." However she was executed by burning in Paris after Marguerite Monvoisin accused her of a child sacrifice. Though many believed the duchess was indeed poisoned by Madame de Montespan, the evidence from the witnesses who later denied their every statement as false made it impossible for the court to determine whether Montespan was the actual murderer.

Louis XIV asked that there be no autopsy, presumably because he feared to encourage rumours that she was poisoned. However, at the request of her family, an autopsy was performed. The doctors found that her lungs were in appalling condition (with the right one in particular being full of "purulent matter") while her chest was flooded with fluid. All six doctors concurred that death was due to natural causes.

Aftermath

It was not until the early 20th century that some doctors took an interest in the case. Some have suggested that Marie Angélique died from pleuro-pneumonia induced by tuberculosis. However, in view of the fact that she was known to have suffered from a persistent loss of blood after her miscarriage, another doctor suggested that when she lost her baby, a fragment of the placenta lodged in her uterus. An alternative suggestion is that she was killed by a rare form of cancer, which occasionally develops after a cyst on the placenta is expelled during pregnancy. On the whole, the overwhelming probability is that she died from complications arising from her earlier miscarriage.

At court, several courtiers wrote about the duchess's death. According to Ernest Lavisse and Bernard Christmas, "Two miscarriages caused her to lose favor with the king." The Duchess of Orleans reported that it was certain that the duchess was poisoned by Madame de Montespan, and suspected that the poison was administered in her milk. Despite the medical findings, rumours persisted that the Duchess of Fontanges died from poisoning.

Legacy

Marie Angélique's extraordinary style of head-dress and hairstyle maintained the name, Fontanges. It was the only memory she left of her.

In film

See also

References

  1. ^ Le Petit Homme Rouge (1912). The Favourites of Louis XIV. London: Chatto & Windus. pp. 249–252.
  2. Fraser, Antonia (2008). "Chapter 8 A Singular Position". Love and Louis XIV: The Women in the Life of the Sun King. Hachette. ISBN 9780297857921.
  3. ^ Hilton, Lisa (2002).Athénaïs: the life of Louis XIV's mistress, the real queen of France footnote 14, 15, 16, 17
  4. Somerset, Anne (2004). The Affair of the Poisons: Murder, Infanticide, and Satanism at the Court of Louis XIV. Principal Characters of the Affairs of the Poisons: St. Martin's Press. p. xiv. ISBN 0312330170.
  5. ^ Tucker, Holly (2017). City of Light, City of Poison: Murder, Magic, and the First Police Chief of Paris. W. W. Norton & Company. pp. 153–154. ISBN 9780393248845.
  6. Funck-Brentano, Frantz (1901). "II. Madame de Montespan". Princes and Poisoners: Studies of the Court of Louis XIV. Translated by Maidment, George. London: Duckworth & Co.
  7. Georges Bordonove: Louis XIV, éd. Pygmalion, 2006, collection Les Rois qui ont fait la France, pp. 186-187.
  8. Herman, Eleanor (2005). Sex with Kings: 500 Years of Adultery, Power, Rivalry, and Revenge. Death Takes a Mistress: Harpercollins. p. 215. ISBN 978-0060585433.
  9. ^ Somerset, Anne (2004). The Affair of the Poisons: Murder, Infanticide, and Satanism at the Court of Louis XIV. Chapter 10- The End of the Affair: St. Martin's Press; 1st edition. pp. 291–292. ISBN 0312330170.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  10. Bush, Annie Forbes (1843). Memoirs of the Queens of France, Volume 2. p. 175.

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