Anne de Pisseleu d'Heilly
Anne de Pisseleu d'Heilly | |
---|---|
Duchess of Étampes | |
Born | 1508 |
Died | 1580 (aged 71–72) |
Noble family | Pisseleu d'Heilly (by birth) Brosse (by marriage) |
Spouse(s) | Jean IV de Brosse |
Father | Guillaume de Pisseleu, seigneur d'Heilly |
Mother | Anne Sanguin |
Anne de Pisseleu d'Heilly (French pronunciation:
King's mistress
Born in 1508,
Anne was described as being sprightly, pretty, witty and cultured, "the most beautiful among the learned and the most learned among the beautiful".
Court influence
With the political fall of the
Despite her capabilities, Anne was of a fickle nature.[13] In 1545, she tried to discredit Admiral d'Annebault, despite him owing his advancement to her.[13] When her intrigues were discouraged by Archbishop Tournon, Anne attempted to bring about his fall on a charge of dishonesty.[13]
The influence of Anne, especially in the last years of Francis' reign, continued to grow.[10] A staunch Protestant,[4] she counseled Francis on toleration for Huguenots.[14] By October 1546, Anne, along with Cardinal du Bellay, was pressuring Francis to break with Rome.[15] Due to her influence Francis was attending more council meetings, and according to an imperial envoy, Anne was "the real president of the king's most private and intimate council".[16]
Basking in her success at bringing peace between Francis and Charles at Crepy in 1544, Anne convinced Francis that his son the Dauphin Henry and Diane de Poitiers were working to reinstate Montmorency at court. Francis, so instructed, banished Diane from court.[17] In response, Henry and his supporters retreated to the chateau of Anet; father and son would not reconcile until 1545.[18]
Loss of position
Despite having influence at Francis' court, Anne had made many enemies:
Anne was still a wealthy woman, having properties in Paris and a capital of 47,615 livres in rentes.[20] By 1554-55 she was maintaining her niece Jossine de Pisseleu's rights to the Lenoncourt succession from the Guise family.[20] In March 1560, she gave 114,000 livres for the marriage of her niece Diane de Barbancon to her husband Jean de Rohan, baron de Frontenay.[21] Anne gave 30,000 livres for her nephew Jean d'Heilly's first marriage,[22] and acted as the intermediary for Jean's second marriage, writing to the lady's ward.[22] She continued to be involved in the lives of her nieces and nephews into her later years.[22]
Anne died in 1580.[18]
References
- ^ Wellman 2013, p. 170.
- ^ a b Potter 1993, p. 135.
- ^ La Fayette 1950, p. 50.
- ^ a b Potter 2007, p. 130.
- ^ Knecht 1994, p. 249.
- ^ Wellman 2013, p. 143-144.
- ^ Wellman 2013, p. 170,172.
- ^ a b Wellman 2013, p. 172.
- ^ a b c d Potter 1993, p. 136.
- ^ a b Knecht 1994, p. 290.
- ^ a b c Wellman 2013, p. 174.
- ^ Potter 2007, p. 135.
- ^ a b c Knecht 1982, p. 411.
- ^ Crawford 2010, p. 201.
- ^ Knecht 1982, p. 407.
- ^ Knecht 1982, p. 300.
- ^ Wellman 2013, p. 176.
- ^ a b c Wellman 2013, p. 177.
- ^ Knecht 1982, p. 410.
- ^ a b c d e Potter 1990, p. 8.
- ^ Potter 1990, p. 6.
- ^ a b c Potter 1990, p. 10.
Sources
- Crawford, Katherine (2010). The Sexual Culture of the French Renaissance. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-76989-1.
- Knecht, R.J. (1982). Francis I. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-24344-0.
- Knecht, R.J. (1994). Renaissance Warrior and Patron: The Reign of Francis I. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-57885-X.
- La Fayette, Madame de (1950). ISBN 978-1-77545-492-2.
- Potter, David (1990). "Marriage and Cruelty among the Protestant Nobility in Sixteenth-Century France: Diane de Barbançon and Jean de Rohan, 1561-7". European History Quarterly. 20 issue: January 1: 5–38. S2CID 144245625.
- Potter, David (1993). War and Government in the French Provinces. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-43189-1.
- Potter, David (2007). "Politics and Faction at the Court of Francis I: The Duchesse D'Etampes, Montmorency and the Dauphin Henri". French History. 21, Issue 2, Jun (2). Oxford University Press: 127–146. .
- Wellman, Kathleen (2013). Queens and Mistresses of Renaissance France. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-17885-2.