Charlotte Christine d'Anjou

## Biography

"Charlotte d'Anjou", par Jean-Marc Nattier (c. 1751)

**Charlotte d'Anjou** (Charlotte Christine d'Artois-Anjou; 20th September 1735—present) was a Vasttairian princess of the blood. The daughter of Charles II, Duc d'Anjou, and Marie Charlotte Diane d'Orléans, Charlotte was a dual descendant of the illustrious House of Artois. During the reign of her cousin, Philippe XIV, she was styled as *Mademoiselle*, a courtly honorific afforded to the eldest non-imperial female member of the Vasttairian ruling house. Upon her marriage to Charles Ferdinand de Vasttaire, she was titled Duchesse de Valois.

## Biography

### Early Life

Charlotte Christine d'Anjou was born to Charles II d'Anjou and Diane d'Orléans on 20th September 1735. Delivered at the Château de Saint-Denis, she was born in the presence of Philippe XIV and his consort, Amélie d'Hanovre. She was preceded in birth by Charles Philippe d'Anjou, Duc d'Évreux.

At the time of her baptism, she was afforded the name *Charlotte Christine*. As the daughter of a *fils de Vasttaire* (the son of an emperor or eldest son of an emperor), she was styled as a *petite-fille de Vasttaire* ("granddaughter of Vasttaire") and took the surname *d'Anjou* despite being born into the House of Artois. Her godparents were Philippe XIV and Amélie d'Hanovre.

### Education

At the age of six, she was relocated from the nursery at the Château de Saint-Cloud to the Palais-Impériale in Paris. There, she was educated by a private tutor in various fields. A proficient student, it was noted that Charlotte was not academically inclined, immensely preferring the arts. Her academic studies included mathematics, literature, Roman Catholic theology, and the languages of Castilian, Italian, and English.

Unconventionally so, she did not receive a further education at an abbey, preferring to remain at the Palais-Impériale until her presentation to court. She mastered feminine skills and was an excellent singer and dancer. Her musical inclinations resulted in her excelling at the harp and harpsichord, her lifelong instruments of choice.

### Marriage

As a granddaughter of the empire, Charlotte was a sought-after bride. At the behest of her mother, Diane d'Orléans, a courtship between her and the second-eldest son of Philippe XIV — Charles Ferdinand de Vasttaire — was arranged. After several months of courting, the arrangement was officialized with a marriage on 18th December 1751 at the Cathédrale Notre-Dame in Paris. Upon her marriage, Charlotte took up the title of Duchesse de Valois.

Her relationship with the Duc de Valois was more platonic than romantic. The charming Duc was more occupied with romantic endeavors than that of a conventional marriage, whereas Charlotte was incredibly formal even in private. Referring to her husband always as "Monsieur" and never by his Christian names, her prudish tendencies resulted in a detached relationship with her husband. However, her loyalty and devotion to the Duc made her the epitome of a perfect wife. Despite their distance, the marriage resulted in three children born in rapid succession. After the birth of their last child, the Duc de Valois and his wife's platonic relationship improved greatly.

### Imperial Court

At the imperial court of her cousin, Philippe XIV, Charlotte remained a fixture of the aristocracy. She was renowned not only for her birth and marital statuses, but further her candid personality and her extravagant lifestyle. Her disposition was considered *eccentric* by some as she lived outside of the regulatory conventions imposed on the average aristocrat due to her dual princely status.

On one such occasion, for example, ten thousand crates of perfume were delivered to her apartments at the Château de Saint-Denis from her fragrance merchant in Paris. Upon interrogation by Philippe XIV and Madame la Dauphine, Charlotte reportedly exclaimed that she had meant to order *one* crate and had "added too many zeros" to the order. Another incident that rendered her as figure of eccentricity was during a visit to the Château d'Houilles — while touring the menagerie, she stopped at the habitat of a giraffe and, upon greeting him, lost her wig before it was rescued by the emperor. While the court panicked, Charlotte ran off and was found sobbing on the ground by her mother.

Charlotte was considerably close with her grandmother, Louise Marie Stuart, as well as the Duchesse Douairière d'Anjou. Her dislike for Marie-Félicitée de Savoie, Madame la Dauphine, was obvious and she did not care to hide it. She served as a representative of her parents and her husband at court due to their absent tendencies, the Duc d'Anjou and his wife preferring their residence in Paris and her husband's preferring his retreat at Meudon.

### Appearance

Charlotte Christine d'Anjou is described as an intelligent beauty; her appearance an ephemeral, “striking and disturbing beauty of the Anjou type characterized by elegance”, with “large light eyes at once passionate and soft”, and her personality as extremely haughty, with a dominant and ambitious character with a strong will. However, she was described as altogether deficient in that kindness which alone creates affection for the great, abrupt manners, a harsh voice, and a short way of speaking, rendering her more than imposing. She carried the idea of the prerogative of rank to a high pitch.

## Titles and Styles

20th September 1735—6th September 1741: *Son Altesse Sérénissime* *Mademoiselle d'Anjou*

6th September 1741—18th December 1751: *Son Altesse Sérénssime* *Mademoiselle*

18th December 1751—present: *Son Altesse Impériale* Madame la Duchesse de Valois

## Issue

With her husband, Charles Ferdinand de Vasttaire, Charlotte had the following children:

* Marie-Catherine-Bénédicte de Valois, Mademoiselle (22nd April 1752—present)
* Louis-Michel-François de Valois, Comte de Champagne (29th November 1753—present)
* Louise-Charlotte-Diane de Valois, Mademoiselle de Valois (6th August 1754—present)