Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon

Madame de Maintenon  (27 November 1635 – 15 April 1719) was a French woman. She became the second wife of King Louis XIV, even though the marriage was never announced to the public.

She was born "Françoise d'Aubigné", a daughter of Constant d'Aubigné and his wife Jeanne de Cardilhac. She was born in Niort, in western France. In 1652, Françoise  married Paul ScarronHimself a French poet, dramatist, and novelist, born in Paris As a result, she became known as "Madame Scarron". She eventually became a friend of Madame de MontespanThe mistress of the King and was to be the main governess of the children of King Louis and Montespan.

In 1675, the king gave her the title of Marquise de Maintenon after the name of her personal estate. This favour incurred Madame de Montespan's jealousy. At court, she was now known as Madame de Maintenon, as a result of King Louis buying her and estate at Maintenon. It has been suspected that Maintenon and King Louis a private marriage ceremony between October 1683 and January 1684. King Louis' wife Queen Marie Thérèse died in July 1683. As a result of her birth Maintenon would never be acknowledged as Louis' wife or as queen. She founded the Maison royale de Saint Louis, a school for girls from poorer noble families, in 1684.

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Category:1635 births
Category:1719 deaths
Category:French nobility
Category:House of Bourbon
Category:People from Deux-Sèvres
Category:Niort