French Royalty. Known as Madame de Maintenon, she was the second wife King Louis XIV, though it was never publicly acknowledged. The daughter of Constant d'Aubigné and Jeanne de Cardillac, she was born in Niort, France. She was educated in a convent. In 1651, she married Paul Scarron, an accomplished poet and novelist who was 25 years her senior. Françoise became Madame Scarron. She was widowed in 1660. In 1669, Madame de Montespan, Louis XIV's mistress, arranged to have Madame Scarron raise her first child by Louis in secrecy. She was rewarded for her efforts by Louis, and was able to purchase a property at Maintenon. In 1678, the king gave her the title of Marquise de Maintenon and she became known as Madame de Maintenon. Queen Maria Theresa died in 1683. Not long after, Françoise married the king in a private ceremony. Her wedding to Louis XIV had been performed secretly due to the difference in their social status. Françoise exerted a substantial positive influence on the king, which had even been noted by Queen Maria Theresa prior to her death. She founded the Maison Royale de Saint-Louis, a school for poor girls of noble birth, at Saint-Cyr, near Versailles. She also encouraged the king to promote his legitimized children to high positions at court. After the death of Louis in 1715, Françoise retired to Saint-Cyr. She was interred in the chapel of the Maison Royale de Saint-Louis at Saint-Cyr on April 17, 1719. However, she was by no means laid to rest. She was reburied six times, the first time in 1793 when her tomb had been desecrated during the French Revolution. There were additional reburials in 1802, 1836, 1890, 1944, and 1969. At the time of the 1969 reburial, her remains were returned to the chapel at Saint-Cyr. The inscription on the black marble gravestone reads: "Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon, 1635-1719."
French Royalty. Known as Madame de Maintenon, she was the second wife King Louis XIV, though it was never publicly acknowledged. The daughter of Constant d'Aubigné and Jeanne de Cardillac, she was born in Niort, France. She was educated in a convent. In 1651, she married Paul Scarron, an accomplished poet and novelist who was 25 years her senior. Françoise became Madame Scarron. She was widowed in 1660. In 1669, Madame de Montespan, Louis XIV's mistress, arranged to have Madame Scarron raise her first child by Louis in secrecy. She was rewarded for her efforts by Louis, and was able to purchase a property at Maintenon. In 1678, the king gave her the title of Marquise de Maintenon and she became known as Madame de Maintenon. Queen Maria Theresa died in 1683. Not long after, Françoise married the king in a private ceremony. Her wedding to Louis XIV had been performed secretly due to the difference in their social status. Françoise exerted a substantial positive influence on the king, which had even been noted by Queen Maria Theresa prior to her death. She founded the Maison Royale de Saint-Louis, a school for poor girls of noble birth, at Saint-Cyr, near Versailles. She also encouraged the king to promote his legitimized children to high positions at court. After the death of Louis in 1715, Françoise retired to Saint-Cyr. She was interred in the chapel of the Maison Royale de Saint-Louis at Saint-Cyr on April 17, 1719. However, she was by no means laid to rest. She was reburied six times, the first time in 1793 when her tomb had been desecrated during the French Revolution. There were additional reburials in 1802, 1836, 1890, 1944, and 1969. At the time of the 1969 reburial, her remains were returned to the chapel at Saint-Cyr. The inscription on the black marble gravestone reads: "Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon, 1635-1719."
Bio by: Anne Philbrick
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