Anna Maria Viktoria Christina de Hesse-Rotenbourg

## Duchesse de Rohan-Rohan

Madame de Rohan-Rohan par Johann Heinrich Tischbein, c. 1775

Princesse de Maubuisson (by marriage)

Princese de Soubise (by marriage)

Princesse d'Épinoy (by marriage)

Marquise de Roubaix (by marriage)

Comtesse de Saint-Pol (by marriage)

Anne Marie Louise de La Tour d'Auvergne (1st of August, 1722 – † 19th of September, 1739)

## Occupations

### Court Posts

Prémiere Dame d'Honneur de La Grande Dauphine

## Biography

### Full Name

Anna Maria Viktoria Christina de Hesse-Rotenbourg (French: Anne Marie Victoria Christine de Hesse-Rotenbourg)

### Branch

 Hesse-Rotenbourg (by birth) Rohan-Soubise (by marriage)

### Spouse

Charles de Rohan-Soubise, Duc de Rohan-Rohan (m. 23rd of December, 1745)

### Father

Joseph de Hesse-Rheinfels-Rotenbourg, Prince de Hesse-Rotenbourg (23 of september, 1705 - † 28th of june, 1744)

### Mother

Princesse Christine Anna Luise Oswaldine de Salm (29th of April, 1707 - Present)

### Siblings

Landgravine Ludovika of Hesse-Rheinfels-Rotenburg, Duchesse de Hoogstraten. (18th of April, 1729 - Present)
Léopoldine Dorothée Élisabeth Marie (1st of October, 1731 - † died during the childhood)

Ernest (28th of May of 1735 - † 6th of June, 1742)

### Religion

Roman-Catholic

**Victoria de Hesse-Rotenbourg, Duchesse de Rohan-Rohan** (*German: Anna Maria Viktoria Christina; French: Anne Marie Victoria Christine;* 25th of February, 1728 - Present), was a Princesse de Hesse by birth, and Princesse de Soubise by marriage with Charles de Rohan-Rohan, Duc de Rohan-Rohan. She was a courtier of the Royaume de France, holding the titles of Princesse de Hesse by her birth, and by marriage, Duchesse de Ventadour; Princesse de Maubuisson; Princese de Soubise; Princesse d'Épinoy; Marquise de Roubaix; and Comtesse de Saint-Pol. She was Dame d'Honneur of La Grande Dauphine for more than 15 years after her marriage, and soon she become Prémiere Dame d'Honneur de La Grande Dauphine in 1760.

Victoria de Hesse-Rotenbourg was daughter of ***Joseph de Hesse-Rotenburg***, Prince de Hesse-Rotenburg, and his spouse, Princesse ***Christine Anna Luise Oswaldine* of Salm**. Her father was brother of ***Polyxène de Hesse-Rheinfels-Rotenbourg***, future queen of Sardínia; ***Eleanor de Hesse-Rheinfels-Rotenburg***, Countess Palatine von Sulzbach*; **Caroline de Hesse-Rheinfels-Rotenbourg**, future Princesse de Condé, spouse of Louis IV Henri de Bourbon-Condé, Prime-Minister of France from* 1723 *to* 1726*; **Constantin de Hesse-Rheinfels-Rotenbourg***, Landgrave de Hesse-Rotenburg from 1754 to 1778, Landgrave de Hesse-Eschwege and Landgrave de Hesse-Wanfried from 1755 to 1778; and ***Christine-Henriette de Hesse-Rheinfels-Rotenbourg,*** Princesse de Carignan. Her mother was the youngest daughter of three children of ***Louis Otto***, Prince of Salm and his spouse, Princesse ***Albertine Johannette de Nassau-Hadamar***.

## *BIOGRAPHY*

### Birth and Childhood

Victoria de Hesse-Rotenbourg was born in **Rotenburg an der Fulda**, Hesse, Holy Roman Empire (Actual Germany's territory), in the Palace of Rotenburg an der Fulda. She was the oldest daughter of four children of her father, ***Joseph de Hesse-Rotenburg***, Prince de Hesse-Rotenburg, with Princesse ***Christine Anna Luise Oswaldine* of Salm**. She was accompanied by 3 other younger siblings- 2 girl and 1 boy - ***Marie Ludovika Éléonore de Hesse-Rotenbourg*** (18th of April, 1729 - Present), ***Léopoldine Dorothée Élisabeth Marie*** (1st of Octuber, 1731 - † died during childhood), and ***Ernest*** (28th of May, 1735 - † 6th of June, 1742). She was baptized two weeks after her birth as "*Anna Maria Viktoria Christina".* She was extremely dear to her father, and very dear to her mother, both of whom were sure that she would be their greatest pride.

Viktoria was raised in good the German manners, surrounded by her siblings and nannies, especially nannies. She adored her parents, and would do anything to honor them and her family name. Even though her mother was sometimes strict with her, she still had her way. At the age of 8, she had already started taking **etiquette classes**, and later, with her mother, she had learned how to crochet, embroider and various sewing techniques. With her home surrounded by a beautiful garden, Viktoria developed a love for flowers and plants, studying botany with pleasure. She spent much of the day playing with her younger siblings throughout the palace. During her childhood she have saw the death of her two most younger siblings, Léopoldine Dorothée Élisabeth Marie and Ernest - Viktoria never would forget them, with them staying in her memory for all the rest of her life.

### Adolescense, Loose, and Becoming a French Courtier Member

   Entering adolescence at age 12, in 1740, she began taking language classes, learning to write and speak fluently in **Latin**, **French**, **Italian**, **Russian**, and **English**, as well as taking classes in ***history***, ***geography***, and ***literature***. Her tutors were proud of her intelligence, charisma and sense of humor. It was in the same year that she began to participate in events at the *Holy-Roman German court* and consequently *Austrian court*, when her parents decided to take a trip to Austria in September of that year for the coronation of the new Queen, ***Maria Theresa of Austria***. They stayed there until the end of the month. As the years passed, it blossomed like a beautiful rose, and matured well.

At age of 16, a tragedy would bring her family and life down, her dear father, Joseph, had contracted **measles**, which left him extremely weak. Despite medical advice, Viktoria spent more than 2 hours with her father during her remaining days. It was during the night of June 24th, 1744, that her father had breathed his last. His death hit her severely, however, even with a lot of pain in her heart, she should move on and follow what she had always promised, honor her parents and the family name. Her father's burial took place two days after her death, and her uncle, Constantin, became hereditary prince-later **Count of Hesse-Rotenburg**. Now, who would take the reins of their marriage would be her dear mother, who now a widow, had to deal with the **severe** grief. It was then that Viktoria and her mother went to the ***Kingdom of France*** that same year, looking for a good candidate for her marriage. There were several candidates, however, Viktoria's mother wished to her marries for love, not arranged. After getting out of the mourning of her father in November, she was already wearing colors again, and on her mother's advice, she began to participate in parties and court balls in Paris. It was at one of these events that she meet the love of her life and future husband, Charles de Rohan-Rohan, who was Prince of Soubise, Duc of Rohan-Rohan, Duc de Ventadour, Prince de Maubuisson, Prince de Soubise, Prince de Épinoy, Marquis de Roubaix, Comte de Saint-Pol, and Monsieur de Roberval. He was very close to the future Roi de France, ***Louis XV***.

### Marriage, Stepmother, Stepgrandma, Friendship and Live in the Court.

The two were enchanted with each other, even with too much difference between their ages, being approximately 13 years old. Charles was a member of the House of Rohan, where his line descends from the **Vicomtes de Porhoët**, and is said to go back to the legendary ***Conan Meriadoc***. Through Porhoët, the Rohan are related to the **Ducs de Bretagne**, with whom the family intermingled again after its creation. During the Middle Ages, it was one of the most powerful families in the Duchy of Brittany. They developed ties to French and English royal houses as well, and played an important role in French and European history. After two months in France, Viktoria and her mother returned to their home in Germany. Charles and Viktoria would later exchange letters until September 1745, when she would return to France with her mother to have a surprise from him. After they arrived and settled in at the Hôtel de Rohan, by Charles's courtesy, he proposed to her there, with his mother giving the two her blessing. The wedding in turn was held two months later, so that Viktoria had enough time to meet most of the Courtiers and Nobles of France.

Before marrying, she knowed of the history of Charles, in which he had already been widowed twice, his first wife being ***Anne Marie Louise de La Tour d'Auvergne*** (1722- † 1739), where they had two children, ***Charlotte Élisabeth Godefride de Rohan*** (1737-† 1760) - married in 1753 to the Prince du Sang, ***Louis Joseph de Bourbon***, Prince de Condé. Anne of La Tour d'Auvergne died giving birth to a boy who died in 1742. His second wife was the brilliant ***Anne-Thérèse de Savoie-Carignan*** (1717-† 1745), where they had a daughter, ***Victoire-Armande-Josèphe de Rohan*** (28th of December, 1743 -Present) - later governess to the royal children, and married her cousin Henri de Rohan in 1761 , Prince of Guemené. On April 5, 1745, Anne-Thérèse also died in childbirth too.

The wedding took place with great fanfare and celebration on 23rd of December 1745, at the **Château des Rohan**, in Saverne. Knowing of the truly disturbing traumas of her husband, she didn't complain or even get sad when he said he didn't want children. Her easy understanding, reason and maturity were more than praised by Charles, who was more satisfied than ever with the woman he will marry. Now, Viktoria was one of the most powerful woman and one of the most richest in the entire Kingdom, this made her act wisely and politely, she knows she could never do **mistakes**, so for start your works to the people, she decided to put in her mind that, every month she will make the charity action by her own self, giving always 8,000-9,000 livres to the poors and the Abesses and visiting them. After the marriage, they still had a honeymoon. After coming back from the honeymoon, Viktoria was formaly named, Duchesse de Rohan-Rohan, Duchesse de Ventadour, Princesse de Maubuisson, Princese de Soubise, Princesse d'Épinoy, Marquise de Roubaix, and Comtesse de Saint-Pol. She stayed with her title by birth of Princesse de Hesse, and after being formaly introduced to the court, she was hired in the Household of La Grande Dauphine. Now at the best-known, most elegant - and at the same time very lively - court in Europe, Viktoria did not succeed in meeting and making friends, most notably those of her serving lady, Madame La Grande Dauphine, and the others, Madame Sophie, Madame Adelaide, Duchesse de Poix, Princesse de Grande-Bretagne, Comtesse de La Marche, Comtesse de Polignac, Duchesse de Ramboulet, Duchesse d'Orléans, Duchesse de Montbazon, Dowager Duchesse de Thouars, and Dowager Duchesse de Montbazon. She also didn't want to have the stereotype of "**The Evil Stepmother**" so, she tried very hard to have a great friendship with her step-daughters, Charlotte Élisabeth Godefride de Rohan and Victoire-Armande-Josèphe de Rohan, where she was very successful aswell along her step-granddaughter, Louise-Adélaïde de Bourbon-Condé, Mademoiselle de Condé. Her life at the French court was great, she had already made many friends, and her kindness, charisma and sense of humor gave her credit for it all. After a few years, she got used to practically everything, she saw her step-daughter, Charlotte, marry the Prince du Sang, ***Louis Joseph de Bourbon***, Prince de Condé in 1753, but she also lived her funeral on March 4, 1760, the cause of her death being, a "long illness". That same year, she also became **Prémiere Dame d'Honneur de La Grande Dauphine**, which gave her even more influence and importance. The following year, on 15th of January 1761, she saw Victoire marry her cousin, ***Henri Louis Marie de Rohan***, Prince of Guéménée.

In the 1770s, Viktoria and Charles live a great life at court. Living with their friends and kin, always serving their duty to the empire and the people.

## Titles and Styles

* **25th of February, 1728 – 23rd of December, 1745:** *Durchlaucht*, Princesse Victoria de Hesse-Rheinfels-Rotenbourg.
* **23rd of December, 1745 – present:** *Son Altesse*, Madame la Duchesse de Rohan-Rohan.

* **By marriage:** Duchesse de Ventadour, Princesse de Maubuisson, Princesse de Soubise, Princesse d'Épinoy, Marquise de Roubaix, Comtesse de Saint-Pol.