Born: 27 November 1635, France
Died: 15 April 1719
Country most active: France
Also known as: Françoise de Maintenon, Madame Scarron
From Famous Women: An Outline of Feminine Achievement Through the Ages With Life Stories of Five Hundred Noted Women. Written by Joseph Adelman, published 1926 by Ellis M Lonow Company:
Françoise d’Aubigné, Marchioness de Maintenon, second wife of King Louis XIV of France.
Her father, Constant d’Aubigné dissipated his fortune, and in 1652 Françoise had lost both of her parents, and was left in poverty to make her way in the world. The comic poet, Scarron, had become interested in the modest and sweet-mannered girl, and to protect her, asked her to become his wife. She accepted his offer of marriage, though only seventeen, and he forty-two and a cripple. She became his secretary and pupil; studied under him Latin, Italian and Spanish, and presided with grace and tact at his literary gatherings, where she met some of the eminent men and women of the time. Scarron died in 1660, leaving his young widow nearly penniless, his pension ceasing at his death. Mme. Scarron petitioned for the recession of her husband’s pension but without success until Mme. de Montespan, the king’s favorite, hearing of her destitution, procured her an annual allowance of 2000 francs, and in 1669 made her the governess of the children she had had by Louis XIV, much to the dissatisfaction of the king, who at first did not like the extreme gravity and reserve of the young widow.
Her talents and wisdom, however, soon attracted his attention, and she became his confidant and adviser, was made a marchioness, and took the name Maintenon from an estate at Versailles which the king purchased for her.
She probably assisted in bringing about a permanent separation between the king and Mme. de Montespan, and shortly after the death of the queen in 1683, Mme. de Maintenon was secretly married to Louis XIV. From this time until his death Louis was greatly under her influence, though her power over him was exercised with extreme prudence and moderation. She carefully shunned the appearance of meddling with the affairs of state, though in reality nothing was done without her knowledge and consent. After the death of the king, in 1715, she retired to the convent and seminary of St. Cyr, which she had founded, and spent the rest of her life in acts of charity and in devotional exercises.
Writers differ in their estimates of Mme. de Maintenon, but it is generally agreed that she was the most influential woman of French history, and that in the midst of a corrupt court she gave no occasion for scandal.
Dr. John Lord in his Beacon Lights of History says: “No woman in modern times, ever rose so high from a humble position, with the exception of Catherine I, wife of Peter the Great.” Imbert de Saint-Amand in his Court of Louis XIV, said of her:
“During more than thirty years, Mme. de Maintenon reigned without rival over the soul of a great king. The monarchy inclined respectfully before her, the whole court was at her feet, soliciting a word, a glance. Here we have a woman who, at fifty years of age, takes possession of a sovereign of forty-seven in all the prestige of victory and power; a woman who, with an ability that borders on witchery, supplants all the fairest, richest, and noblest young girls in the world; a woman who, after having been several times reduced to poverty, becomes, next to Louis XIV, the most important personality in France.”
From Woman: Her Position, Influence and Achievement Throughout the Civilized World. Designed and Arranged by William C. King. Published in 1900 by The King-Richardson Co. Copyright 1903 The King-Richardson Co.:
Second wife of Louis XIV of France
Françoise d’Aubigné Maintenon was born at Niort, November 27, 1635 and died at St. Cyr, April 15, 1719. Her birthplace was a prison. Chateau Trompette, where her father, Constant d’Aubigné, Baron of Surimeau, was confined for having killed his wife and her lover, whom he had taken in adultery.
The mother of Françoise was the daughter of the governor of the prison, whom d’Aubigné had persuaded to marry him secretly. In 1639 he was discharged from prison, and with his wife and children emigrated to Martinique, where he died in the utmost poverty. His widow returned to France, whither she was soon followed by her daughter, who, after various vicissitudes and much suffering from poverty and ill treatment on the part of her relatives, found herself, at the age of fifteen, in Paris, an inmate, in a dependent and almost menial position, of the house of her godmother, the Countess de Neuillant, who had converted her from Calvinism to Catholicism.
The comic poet Scarron, who was a paralytic and a cripple, lived in the same street with the Countess de Neuillant, became interested in the young, beautiful, and intelligent girl, whose adventures had been related to him, and furnished money to enable her to enter a convent, which poverty had hitherto prevented her from doing. Françoise called to thank her benefactor, and at their first interview he proposed to her to become his wife. After a week’s deliberation she consented, and they were married in 1651. She was at this time exceedingly beautiful, graceful, and witty, and the house of Scarron soon became the resort of the most brilliant intellects of Paris. Scarron died October 14, 1660, leaving his young widow nearly penniless, his pension ceasing at his death.
In 1669 she become governess to the children of Louis XIV by Madame de Montespan, much to the dissatisfaction of the king, who at first did not like the extreme gravity and reserve of the young widow.
Her talents and wisdom, however, soon attracted his attention, and she became his confidant and adviser, was made marchioness, and took the name of Maintenon from an estate, and, after resolutely refusing to become the king’s mistress, became his wife by a secret marriage in 1683. From this time till his death, Louis was greatly under her influence, after which event she retired to the convent of St. Cyr.