rhyssain – Page 15 – French Travel Boutique

1 Min Read

CATCH UP—Louis XIII and Louis XIV

Almost 23 years after the double wedding of the two brothers with two sisters, the first child was born to Louis XIII and Anne of Austria.* He was named Louis, like his father. Five days later, Philip IV of Spain and his wife Elisabeth of France had a daughter they named Marie-Thérèse. Twenty one years later the two cousins married. Neither of the French siblings lived to see their children wed. Louis XIII died before his son’s fifth birthday. His sister Elisabeth died the following year. Anne of Austria never remarried. Her brother Philip followed in the footsteps of his grandfather and married his niece. It appeared that Marie-Thérèse was going to have more luck than her mother and mother-in-law when she gave birth to a healthy baby boy the year after the wedding. He was named Louis after his father. Five more children did not survive. *It appears that Anne had several early stage miscarriages. She gave birth to her first child Louis at the age of 37, followed two years later by another son Philip. Both sons lived to a ripe old age. Anne’s sister-in-law Elisabeth gave birth to eight children, and had a number of miscarriages. She died giving birth to a stillborn ninth child. Elisabeth was survived by only two children—Marie-Thérèse and her brother Baltasar, who died at seventeen.

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The Five Queens’ Bedroom

Mary Queen of Scots— At the beginning of his reign, Henri II had organised the marriage of the young Queen of Scotland to his eldest son, the four year old Francois. Mary was brought to France before the age of 6 and she grew up with the King’s children. When Henri died Mary’s young husband became Francois II at the age of 15. He had never been in robust health and died the following year. Mary was Queen of France for less than seventeen months. Her mother-in-law Catherine de Medici never liked her. With nothing more for her in France, she returned to Scotland. Elisabeth, Archduchess of Austria— Catherine’s second son became Charles IX at the age of ten, with his mother acting as Regent. When Charles was twenty, he married Elisabeth, one of the Austrian Emperor’s sixteen children. The marriage did not prevent Charles from keeping his long time mistress Marie Touchet. When Charles died at the age of 24, he had no legitimate son. The year before he died Marie had given birth to a son, named Charles after his father. Charles IX’s brother became Henri III, King of France and the illegitimate child was brought up with the royal family. Louise of Lorraine— Catherine’s third and favourite son Henri III married Louise of Lorraine. Louise was one of fourteen children of a Count from the House of Lorraine. No one, least of all Louise, would have suspected she would become Queen of France. It was a Cinderella story – the only royal marriage which had no political considerations. Louise was Queen of France for 14 years until her husband was assassinated. She had no children, which meant that against the odds, it was the end of the dynasty. Elisabeth de Valois— At 14, Catherine’s eldest daughter Elisabeth married King Philip II of Spain. He was 32 and had already been married twice. His second wife had been his cousin Queen Mary I of England who had died seven months earlier. Elisabeth had two daughters before dying in Madrid at the age of 23. Philip remarried. His fourth wife was his 20 year old niece Anne, one of his uncle, the Austrian Emperor’s sixteen children. Anne had five children before dying ten years later. Philip then turned his eye to her fourteen year old sister who decided she preferred to become a nun. Marguerite de Valois— Catherine’s daughter married Henri de Navarre, becoming the Queen of Navarre. Their marriage was meant to signal peace between the Catholics and Huguenots (French Protestants) but five days after the wedding, on St Bartholemew’s Day, one of the worst massacres in French history occurred. The marriage was not at all happy and both had lovers. Catherine cut Marguerite out of her will but her fate changed when her brother Henri III was assassinated and next in line to the throne was Marguerite’s estranged husband Henri de Navarre. None of the five queens left an heir to the throne.

Marie Antoinette's Boudoir at Versailles

2 Mins Read

Boudoirs

Louis XV was the great grandson of Louis XIV and was only five years old when he became King of France. Until he was officially old enough to rule (the legal majority for a King was 13), his uncle Phiilppe d’Orleans was the Regent His uncle was well known as a “libertine” and had no interest in living in Versailles. His main residence was the Palais Bourbon in Paris (now back to its original name of Palais Royal). Versailles was effectively closed and Louis XV was living in the Tuileries Palace. Paris was then the style capital and the aristocracy as well as the financiers, wealthy merchants, cultivated bourgeois and nouveau riche all wanted to build new residences, known as “hotels” (English equivalent of mansion, not hotel as we know it today). There was a new emphasis on comfort as opposed to grandeur. “Harmony” was the new theme and having harmonious living quarters was a sign of decorum and good manners. In polite society decorating became a fashionable pastime and the distribution of the spaces became a new art. Louis XV chose to return to Versailles when he was twelve. In France, it had been normal for the King to create the fashions and happily Louis XV had “noble, fine taste and architecture was his passion”. He was very shy compared to Louis XIV and he left the grand state apartments as his predecessor had displayed them (apart from adding another fireplace to the main bedroom) and concentrated on the surroundings of his private life. In small rooms private retreates were continually being redeveloped. It had been a standard practice for a king or nobleman to have a “cabinet”, a delicious small room where he housed his precious possessions, accessible strictly by invitation. In this period with the emphasis on new private spaces, the lady of the house now had her own “cabinet”. This was not necessarily a new idea. Catherine de Medici had brought the Italian Renaissance idea of a “studiolo” to her residences, which she used more like a private office. What was new was the concept of a woman being able to retreat to her own space. With typical misogynist outlook, this new space was called a “boudoir” from the French verb “bouder” which means “to sulk”, or in this case more accurately “stay away from”. The new boudoir was decorated to please its occupant and decorated with her special things, reflecting her favourite pastimes such as reading, embroidery, playing a musical instrument and so on. Naturally they were decorated in a very feminine way and frequently designed as oval or round rooms. The idea was that the lady could retire for “me” time, either on her own or with her closest friends – by invitation only. It did not contain a bed – that remained in the main bedroom. Over time the concept of the boudoir has shifted from its original quite innocent identity to being associated with pornography, for which we can probably thank the Marquis de Sade.* The idea survived the Revolution for noble women at least, with both of Napoleon’s wives having boudoirs in the various residences. The last Empress of Russia had a world famous lilac boudoir in her residence. The walls were lined with mauve French silk and she had all the furniture covered in the same shade. The fresh flowers were always the same colour as well. It was her favourite space, and she had decorated the walls with religious paintings and photos of her family apart from one portrait – Marie-Antoinette, whose fate she sadly shared.

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The bed back in time

For people of all social classes, the bed was the main piece of furniture. It was where the King and other dignitaries received guests. In medieval times the bed was very basic – virtually square and big enough to sleep two to six people. For the average rural family, there was a main room where everyone lived, eating and sleeping together. Among all social classes, to benefit from the fire, the bed was usually placed in a corner next to the fireplace, separated by a chair. Often the bed was placed on a wooden platform. Mattresses were of wool or feathers. There was a large pillow and a fur cover for warmth, all of which were covered by a quilt falling to the ground. For extra protection against the chill, the bed was surrounded by curtains mounted on an iron rod. These could be closed at night and drawn back during the day. Most of the beds exhibited at the chateaux are recreations. There are two reasons for this – Firstly, the court was itinerant throughout most of the centuries. This meant that furniture was very basic and the rich appearance came from the fabrics used. That fortunately makes it easy for the various chateaux to furnish the rooms with examples evoking each relevant period. Secondly, many original pieces of furniture did not survive the French Revolution. The contents of the Royal palaces were auctioned off, but locally many of the aristocratic residences were ransacked and their contents destroyed. The French Kings who had been involved in the wars in Italy (1494 to 1544) returned with the new ideas they had seen. They had been amazed at the magnificence of the palaces of the Italian princes and their towns of “marble and silk”. Fabric, sumptuously enriched with precious embroidery, was the most important feature. Our story starts with this period of the French Renaissance…..

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Beds for Babies

During the Middle Ages, it was common for the whole family to sleep in one bed. For a baby this often proved lethal, with the baby being suffocated during the night or falling out of the bed. A cradle was the solution. Cradles came in different forms, largely reflecting the social class of the family. The lower classes were more likely to make a simple cradle out of planks. Another option for those who could not afford an iron, wicker or wood cradle was hanging a hessian bag for the baby to sleep in. The traditional cradles used by wealthier families would be passed down from generation to generation. It was considered beneficial for the baby’s health to live with a wet nurse in the countryside. This practice was common among aristocrats. In a time of high infant mortality, this healthy start to life for the first year or two was considered desirable. Working class parents also tried to give their children the same advantages if they could find the money.

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Château de Chaumont

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Charles of Angoulême

Charles, Count of Angoulême, came from an illustrious family. His great grandfather was French King Charles V and his father was Jean, the younger brother of the celebrated poet/prince Charles, Duke of Orleans. This made him the cousin of Louis, the Duke d’Orleans. When King Louis XI died, his son and heir was only twelve years old when he became King Charles VIII. His elder sister, Anne de Beaujeu, was acting as Regent. Louis d’Orleans decided to challenge her authority. Charles d’Angoulême joined his cousin Louis d’Orleans in a rebellion known as the “Mad War”. Unfortunately for the two cousins, Anne de Beaujeu won the day. Louis was imprisoned and Charles returned to his land. He lived there with Antoinette de Polignac, a woman from a prestigious local family. Their affair did not stop Charles’ roving eye and he also fell for Jeanne Comte (Leconte?), a pretty young commoner. The two women lived in, sharing Charles. His domestic bliss was threatened when the King’s sister Anne decided to arrange his marriage with Louise of Savoy. Being in disgrace, Charles did not have the option to refuse. It must have come as a pleasant surprise to find his very young bride (under 12 at the time of the marriage – Charles was 28) did not seem shocked by his domestic arrangements. Just over a year after François’ birth, his father’s easy life with the three women and five children came to an abrupt end. Charles d’Angoulême had been hunting in freezing conditions and he died from a resulting chill at the age of 36. It was New Years Day 1496. He had no idea that nineteen years later – to the day – his baby son would become King of France. Charles’ unexpected death left Louise a widow at 19. She had no intention of remarrying, nor did she even consider evicting her husband’s two mistresses and their children. Louise kept the unusual household together at the château of Cognac where she took great care with the education of her children. Her late husband had been as interested in books as women and they had an impressive collection for the time. François was surrounded by two generations of women, all of whom adored him. It was a situation he would always enjoy and find perfectly normal.

8 Mins Read

Louise of Savoy

Louise was used to irregular households. Her parents, Philip of Savoy and Marguerite of Bourbon, had married when they were both 34, late for the 15th century. The following year, her father’s 14 year old mistress Libera had a son, who would become known in history as René the Grand Bastard. About three years later Marguerite gave birth to Louise. Four years later Marguerite gave birth to a son who, like his father, would become Duke of Savoy. During the same time Libera gave birth to another son and daughter. Louise was six years old when her mother died. Her father decided to send her to the French court to be brought up by Anne de Beaujeu. Anne was acting as Regent for her thirteen year old brother who had just become King Charles VIII. In the wonderful way that noble intermarriages worked, Louise was the Regent’s cousin by her father and the niece of the Regent’s husband Pierre de Beaujeu by her mother. With Louise away at the French court, her father remarried. His second wife had six children and at the same time, his new mistresses gave birth to at least four more children. Louise’ family’s domestic situation had been good preparation for what she would have to deal with when she married Charles. Initially not at all happy about the marriage which had been forced on him, Charles was pleased to find Louise accepted his mistresses. She made Antoinette her lady in waiting and Jeanne also had an official position in the household. It appears the three women became very good friends and had no problem with the idea of taking turns in Charles’ bed. About two years after the marriage Antoinette gave birth to a daughter Jeanne. Louise became worried that she might be sterile. She decided to travel to Plessis-Lèz-Tours to consult Francis of Paola. The elderly monk had a growing reputation of being able to either predict or intercede with the birth of a son. Louise was thrilled when Francis of Paola not only confirmed she would have a son, but made the startling prediction that her son would be King. This seemed highly unlikely. The only person who believed it could be true was Louise. When Charles VIII married Anne of Brittany at the end of 1491, Louise was already pregnant. Four months later at the age of 15 she gave birth. The child was not Louise’s “Caesar”, as she referred to the promised son, but a daughter. She named her Marguerite, after both the baby’s grandmothers. Six months later the Queen Anne of Brittany gave birth to Charles Orland (also predicted by Francis of Paola). The young heir to the throne was fit and healthy and he was to be the first of a total of six children Anne would give birth to during her marriage to King Charles VIII. Francis of Paola’s prediction to Louise seemed highly improbable. Nevertheless she continued to believe. Two years later, Louise was pregnant again. In September 1494 the promised son was born. She named him François after the monk who had predicted his birth – and his glorious future. Around the same time both Antoinette and Jeanne also gave birth to daughters who were named Madeleine and Souveraine. The strange little household had settled in Charles’ chateau in Cognac. They didn’t have much money but it seems to have been a cultured, harmonious atmosphere. Just over a year after François’ birth, his father’s easy life with the three women and five children came to an abrupt end. Charles d’Angoulême had been hunting in freezing conditions and he died from a resulting chill at the age of 36. It was New Years Day 1496. He had no idea that nineteen years later – to the day – his baby son would become King of France. Charles’ unexpected death left Louise a widow at 19. She had no intention of remarrying, nor did she even consider evicting her husband’s two mistresses and their children. Louise kept the unusual household together at the château of Cognac where she took great care with the education of her children. Her late husband had been as interested in books as women and they had an impressive collection for the time. François was surrounded by two generations of women, all of whom adored him. It was a situation he would always enjoy and find perfectly normal. Amboise The Chateau of Amboise had been the residence of King Charles VIII and his wife Anne of Brittany. It was here that he died at the age of 27 after accidentally hitting his head on the doorway on his way to watch a game of tennis. Louis d’Orleans succeeded him as Louis XII. Charles VIII’s will called on his successor to marry his widow, Anne of Brittany, if he died without an heir. Louis set about organising an annulment of his marriage and he married Anne nine months later. Until they had a child the next in line to the throne would be the three year old Francois d’Angouleme. Given that the new King decided Louise should bring Francois from Cognac to grow up in the French court. Louis XII preferred to remain in his own chateau in Blois, 35 kilometres away along the Loire River. He gave the Chateau of Amboise to Louise as a residence and it became François’ home for the next eight years. Anne was pregnant almost immediately following her marriage to Louis and it is not hard to imagine Louise’ anguish as she waited for the Queen to give birth. She was relieved when the baby was a girl they named Claude. In France, the Salic Law denied females the right to inherit the throne. Louise had the same nervous wait for almost fifteen years with Anne’s eight subsequent pregnancies. In the end only Claude and another daughter survived. It is not hard to understand why the relationship between Anne and Louise was strained. It was a ghastly situation but

2 Mins Read

Claude

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Salic Law

The Salic law was the civil law code started by Clovis, the first King of France. It called for agnatic succession (only males could inherit) of the throne. It had not been a relevant part of French law. In 1317 Philippe V used it as justification for taking the throne after the death of his brother who had only a daughter as heir. Philippe had no male heirs so his brother succeeded him. When he too died without a male heir, their sister Isabelle claimed the throne on behalf of her son, Edward III of England. The Salic Law became the justification for France refusing his claim. It was the start of the Hundred Years War.