Marie Louise II de Grandelumiere

Marie Louise d'Utrecht (9th December 1735 - Present), is Madame la Dauphine and a Grandelumierian Imperial. She was originally from House Utrecht, until her marriage to Louis Jacques de Grandelumiere.
== Reign of Louis XI ==
=== Birth ===
Marie Louise was born the 9th of December, 1735, in a remote wing of the Chateau de Saint-Etienne. Her parents, Jacque Francois de Utrecht, and Louise Charlotte de Utrecht were both first cousins and were married to each other to preserve the family line, as it was dying out fast. Although this only fueled the rumours of incest concerning House Utrecht, as many courtiers took them to be siblings in rumour. 
Marie Louise's parents were only related to House Utrecht through an illegitimate line, Marie Louise's father was the illegitimate son of Gaston d'Utrecht. Due to many family deaths, Sarah Amelie d'Utrecht promptly legitimised them and married them to each other. Although Sarah Amelie d'Utrecht resented them for their interesting circumstances, they were still given rooms at Chateau de Saint-Etienne as her heirs in a remote wing. 
After they were married, Marie Louise's mother, Louise Charlotte de Utrecht, quickly became pregnant. It was said when the Marquise d'Oversticht heard word of Marie Louise's birth, she was said to have famously remarked,"Oh my, I did not even know she was with child!"Two years following her birth, her mother gave birth to twin daughters, Athenais Victoire d'Utrecht and a stillborn daughter. This time, the Marquise d'Oversticht did hear of the birth and desperately wanting more heirs, demanded they keep trying to have more children. Subsequently, Louise Charlotte gave birth to a son, Jean Antoine, in 1738 and had a miscarriage in 1741. However, the miscarriage turned to be fatal and Louise Charlotte died of extensive bleeding. Marie Louise's father, Jacques Francois, loved his wife greatly and as a result of her death, sank into a deep depression, later dying from it that same year. 
=== Education ===
From birth, Marie Louise de Utrecht had been titled Madame d'Oversticht. After her parents died in 1741, she inherited their titles and was formally acknowledged as heiress all at the age of 6.  
Marie Louise was sent, with her sister, from Chateau de Saint Etienne to Fontevraud Abbey for her education, as was the custom with noblewomen.
Marie Louise was educated by a string of governesses and nurses, ordered by Sarah Amelie, as she wished for her inevantable successor to have an intellectual education.
Unfortunately, as House Utrecht was not the one of the more favored houses at the time, she could not pay for much and ended up having to settle with a less than satisfactory education. 
Luckily, she was still tutored at the abbey in geography, reading, writing, dancing, Italian, and a few more subjects. Marie Louise was not an exceptional student, however worked her best to keep up with the lessons. Overall her skills in all subjects were said to be; "Less than satisfactory."In all, she enjoyed spending time with her sister, Athenais Victoire, at the abbey. Many a day they walked the grounds together, gossiping, much to the dissaprovement of several nuns.
=== Marquise d'Oversticht ===
On December 19th, 1752, Sarah Amelie died, leaving the Marquisate of Oversticht to Marie Louise at just age 12. Marie Louise, although just age 12, immediately decided to bring back her house's reputation, which was most tainted. She attended court regularly and soon enough, gained favour with Emperor Louis XI. 
Consequently, after several ducal relations were considered, Marie Louise was engaged to marry to Prince Louis Jacques, to the consternation of several favoured courtiers. 
The extravagant wedding, would take place in mid-1753, in the Dijon Cathedral. Subsequently, a lavish ball was held in honour of the pair, at which Marie Louise would receive several gifts, with which she'd be most delighted.
Marie Louise was most pleased with the behaviour of her husband, the Prince. He was delighted with her, being a dutiful and loving husband. Marie Louise herself was most surprised when her husband took an active role in their children's lives, the first son and child being born in 1754, just 9 months after their marriage was consummated. She was said to have been delighted at the close relationship between father and children, and became a great advocate of it.
== Reign of Louis XII ==
After Louis XII became the Emperor, Marie Louise was shocked at his actions. Her husband, knowing much of his lazy, fat, and stupid brother-now Emperor was not surprised at all. Marie Louise and her husband were known to be great opposers to his actions, however, their loyalty to the Empire was never doubted. 
=== Rebellion ===
Consequently, due to the lavish court of Louis XII, the court became increasingly isolated from the Empire. It did not help that bread prices were rocketing and as the court drank and ate merry, the peasants starved. 
Soon enough, a large Peasants Revolt started. Her husband, expecting such a thing, was most prepared. He immediately had three carriages brought one for himself, Marie Louise, and their children. One for his elder brother who he was most close with, Louis Joseph. And finally, one for his aunt, Marie Sophie. Soon enough, Chretien-Baptiste would join the party at  Avignon. However, with revolutionaries approaching fast, the party was soon forced to flee to Madrid, Spain.
== Reign of Charles III ==
After arriving in Spain, the Imperial Party was soon given permission to stay at the Royal Palace, in the company of Charles III, King of Spain. 
At the Spanish Court, etiquette was most strict, leaving Marie Louise and her children with little to occupy themselves with. Soon after, Marie Sophie died, after which they would hold a small mass. 
To the world's shock, the revolutionaries executed Emperor Louis XII, after being held in the Temple in Dijon for a matter of time. Louis Jacques, soon accompanied his favoured brother, Louis Joseph, after realising his opportunity to take the throne.
Marie Louise greatly missed her husband and spent a great deal of time with her children at this point, greatly improving her relationship with them. They all shared a common hate of the strict etiquette at the Spanish Court, however, still showed great respect to the monarch who harboured them, Charles III of Spain. 
== Reign of Louis XIV ==
To her great joy, Marie Louise soon learned that the revolution had come to an end, and the monarchy restored with her nephew-in-law, Cardinal-Emperor Charles VIII on the throne. However, he soon died of suspected poisoning from his uncle Louis Joseph, now Cardinal-Emperor Louis XIV.
Due to the fact that all his siblings had either died in the revolution or before it, Louis Jacques was named Dauphin and Marie Louise was granted permission to leave the Spanish Court and return home to Grandelumiere, becoming the Dauphine.
Once arriving at court, Marie Louise took up her duties as expected, often holding gatherings and salons in her rooms. Sadly, her sister, who she had grown apart from in the last few years, died from a suspected tumor on her kidney. 
The funeral was held privately and quietly, whereafter her brother, Jean Antoine, returned to the court, taking up his place as the Marquis de Oversticht.
== Issue ==
With her husband, Louis Jacques, Marie Louise would have several children, with their titles at present/death, they are;
* Duc d'Anvers (18th March 1754 - Present)
* Monsieur (24th June 1755 - Present)
* Madame Imperiale (28th April 1756 - Present)
* Madame Deuxieme (5th May 1757 - Present)
* Stillborn daughter (13th January 1758)
* Comte d'Angers (5th February 1759 - 14th October 1760)
* Stillborn daughter (20th June 1760)
* Madame Troisieme (1st September 1761 - Present)
== Titles and Styles ==
* 9th of December, 1735- 8th of October, 1741- Her Ladyship, Madame d'Oversticht
* 8th of October, 1741 - 19th of December, 1752- Her Ladyship, Comtesse de Gueldre
* 19th of December, 1752 - 29th of March, 1753- Her Ladyship, Marquise d'Oversticht
* 29th of March, 1753 - Present- Her Imperial Highness, Madame la Dauphine
Category:Grandelumierian Nobility
Category:House Utrecht
Category:1700s births
Category:Births in Saint-Etienne
Category:Imperial Household
Category:Ladies-in-Waiting
Category:House Lowell-Burgundy
Category:Dauphins and Dauphines