Louis Alphonse of Nassau

Louis Alphonse de Nassau (1730 - 1776) was a Grandelumierian nobleman of House Nassau who held the title of Comte de Treves from early childhood until his death. Widowed at a young age, Alphonse became a noted libertine in the court, being known to have various dalliances and affairs with ladies of the court.
== Reign of Louis XI ==
=== Early Years - Comte de Treves ===
Louis Alphonse was born to the Comte and Comtesse de Treves on a particularly cold night in November of 1730. It was snowing outside, and the gardens of the Chateau de Saint-Etienne were covered in white. The birth was a tragedy, as it was particularly difficult for his mother and after a long and painful labour, she gave birth to a son. Shortly after, his mother died from complications with the birth. His father had loved his wife dearly, and resented the child due to the complications. 
The father left the child with indifferent nurse maids, who treated him very poorly. His childhood was difficult, and it became worse when his father died from consumption when Alphonse was 3. The young Alphonse was taken in by his uncle, the now notorious Cardinal Etienne Henri. He began his formal education here and studied economics, languages, writing, mathematics and much more. He was a very bright child, as his tutors commented.
The young Comte de Treves arrived at the Imperial Court of Louis XI in 1741, when he was 11. He was quite charming, as courtiers noted. It was soon being discussed that Alphonse was to marry a member of House Lowell-Brittany, Jeanne Sophie. This soon became a reality, and the engagement was made official with the agreements of Cardinal Etienne and Elisabeth Adeline. They were married in 1743, shortly after Alphonse's 14th birthday. She became pregnant some time after.
=== Adolescence - Comte de Treves ===
The marriage was happy, while it lasted. She gave birth to a son, Jean Auguste, on the 3rd of August 1744. It was a joyous occasion for them, and Alphonse was enthusiastic to be a father. However, she soon became pregnant again and this would be a disaster. On the 18th of December 1745, she went into labour again. However, there were complications with the birth. The child was stillborn, and the shock on the mother caused her to die shortly after. It was a sickening blow.
Alphonse, now widowed, moved away from court for a short time, to the Chateau de Saint-Louis en Nassau, for some time of mourning with his son. He left his young son with nurses at Saint-Louis en Nassau as he made his way back to court a few years later, in 1748.
=== Adulthood - Comte de Treves ===
Alphonse returned to court in June of 1748, where he would take up new interests. He became passionate for reading and decided to venture into business. Alphonse invested in business such as bakeries and tailors, which would become successful businesses in Dijon. He'd invest a lot of his time into these businesses and would get a healthy profit in return, some which he would re-invest into the businesses and some of which he'd keep for himself.
Alphonse was handsome in his younger years and soon took up lovers in the court. His sexual exploits became notorious when it was rumoured that he was in bed with a different woman every night. Most prominent of his lovers was Antoinette de Foix, a minor noblewoman from House Foix, a lesser house. He'd have many illegitimate children with Antoinette, who would be raised as part of House Foix and were documented as the children of Antoinette's husband, Francois. 
[WIP] Category:Births in Saint-Etienne
Category:1700s births
Category:House Nassau
Category:Grandelumierian Nobility