*** Welcome to piglix ***

Angélique de Fontanges

Marie Angélique de Scorailles
Duchess of Fontanges
Marie Angelique de Scorailles.jpg
Full name
Marie Angélique de Scorailles
Born 1661
Auvergne, France
Died 28 June 1681
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 most probably as a result of complications arising from childbirth.

Marie Angélique de Scorailles was born in 1661 at the Château de Cropières in Upper Auvergne. 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 to the court of Louis XIV in 1678 and became the maid of honor to the Duchess of Orléans. Louis XIV was then torn in 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 Athénaïs and La Maintenon was suddenly eclipsed by a new passion which appeared to threaten them equally. Despite her physical charm, Marie Angélique was, in the court parlance, "as stupid as a basket," This declaration made Montespan and Maintenon certain that Louis XIV would return to either one of them. Arrangements were quickly made, and, a few weeks after the presentation of the young girl to court, the king made her his new favourite royal mistress and presented entertainments in her honour.

Louis showed his great affection for Marie by wearing ribbons often matched to hers. This flattery spoiled her, and she began to consider herself as the Queen. She flaunted herself before Queen Marie Thérèse, and put Athénaïs de Montespan to shame with her behavior. The king gave her one hundred thousand crowns a month, twice as gifts, but he could not exhaust her extravagance, her coach was being driven by eight horses, it seemed to "eat her reign at a time." Louis XIV suddenly felt young again. He wore diamonds, ribbons and feathers. Every day they went out to a new party, ballets, and comedies—never had luxury been pushed so far.


...
Wikipedia

...