Sophie de France

## Madame Sophie

Madame Cinquième par François-Hubert Drouais, c. 1774

### Born

27 July 1734, Palais de Versailles, Versailles, Île-de-France, Royaume de France

### Siblings

Louise Élisabeth (14 August 1727 – 6 December 1759)
Anne Henriette (14 August 1727 – 10 February 1752)

Marie-Louise (28 July 1728 – 19 February 1733)

Louis, Dauphin de France (4 September 1729 – 20 December 1765)

Philippe of France, Duc d'Anjou (30 August 1730 – 17 April 1733)

Marie Adélaïde (23 March 1732 - Present)

Victoire Louise Marie Thérèse (11 May 1733 - Present)

Marie Thérèse Félicité (16 May 1736 – 28 September 1744)

Louise Marie (15 July 1737 – 23 December 1787)

### Signature

Signature of Madame Sophie

**Sophie Philippine Élisabeth Justine de France** (27 July 1734 - Present) is a *Fille de France*. She is the sixth daughter and eighth child of Louis XV, King of France and his Polish consort, the beloved Marie Leszczyńska. She is otherwise known as *Madame Cinquième or Madame Sophie*. She and her sisters are known as the *Mesdames*, the daughters of the king, who hold influence over their father.

## **Early Life**

Sophie Philippine Élisabeth Justine was born on the 27th of July at the Palais de Versailles. Her birth occurred with no significant complications, as her mother had previously had seven children before her. The court relatively unremarked her delivery and went without the common pompous and celebration.

## **Upbringing**

In June 1738, she was sent to the Abbey of Fontevraud, alongside her sisters Victoire, Thérèse, and Louise, because the cost of supporting three Princesses of France, was deemed to be costly by the Cardinal de Fleury, who promoted the idea of sending the younger girls to the abbey. The trip to the Abbey took thirteen days to trek, with eight coaches attending to them. Upon arrival, their mother, Queen Marie Leszczyńska, was forbidden from visiting with her daughters. In light of this, Marie Leszczyńska and her daughters remained in contact through letters and gifts.

According to Madame Campan, the sisters had a traumatic upbringing at the abbey and were not provided a suitable education:

> *"Cardinal Fleury, who in truth had the merit of reestablishing the finances, carried this system of economy so far as to obtain from the King the suppression of the household of the four younger Princesses. They were brought up as mere boarders in a convent eighty leagues distant from the Court. Saint Cyr would have been more suitable for the reception of the King’s daughters; but probably the Cardinal shared some of those prejudices which will always attach to even the most useful institutions, and which, since the death of Louis XIV., had been raised against the noble establishment of Madame de Maintenon. Madame Louise often assured me that at twelve years of age she was not mistress of the whole alphabet, and never learnt to read fluently until after her return to Versailles. Madame Victoire attributed certain paroxysms of terror, which she was never able to conquer, to the violent alarms she experienced at the Abbey of Fontevraud, whenever she was sent, by way of penance, to pray alone in the vault where the sisters were interred. A gardener belonging to the abbey died raving mad. His habitation, without the walls, was near a chapel of the abbey, where Mesdames were taken to repeat the prayers for those in the agonies of death. Their prayers were more than once interrupted by the shrieks of the dying man."*
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## **Adolescence**

In her final years at the Abbey of Fontevraud, Madame Sophie spent most of her time secluded to her lone self. The nuns neglected her education. Her education consisted of etiquette, reading and writing, and Latin. Madame Sophie longed to be reunited with her mother, a factor which caused her a great deal of melancholy throughout her early adolescence. However, she maintained a near-constant correspondence with her mother, she once wrote to her mother detailing her daily routine;

> “My heart aches every waking moment. My life here in these dreaded stonewalls only ascertains to test my strength by the day. My days here lately have consisted of waking at six sharp for prayer, where I hear the screams of the demented in the infirmary, followed by a meal of broth and brioche. Following my breakfast I stroll along the gardens for thirty minutes, before returning to my room till noon for mass and then lunch. My afternoon is when I am able to spend my hours however I please. I beg you mother, take me from this repetitive abyss and allow me to return to you and papa.”
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## **Court of Louis XV**

### **Return & Early Life at the Court of Louis XV**

In 1750, much to her merriment, Madame Sophie returned to Versailles with her sisters, Victoire and Louise. The three girls were greeted with a ball to mark their return to their father and mother. Madame Sophie notably attended in an emerald gown, with silver embroidery decorating her hem. Her hair was done in an absurd amount of curls with flower decorations. Madame de Thoury remarked the Madame’s style as, “A refreshing and youthful approach to the courtly style.” Madame Sophie continued to blaze the court with her fashion, showcasing her sense of style, which many of ladies her age imitated.

Her return was witnessed by Madame de Dahomey, her father's mistress. Dahomey described Madame Sophie as "almost as tall as I" and "very attractive if rather plump, with a fine complexion …" However, Madame Sophie would not return the courtesies to Dahomey, viewing her with contempt and disgust.

The Mesdame’s lacklustre education at Fontevraud was shortly rectified at Versailles, where they would perfect their reading and writing skills, while also learning English and Italian. They additionally went on to learn higher forms of mathematics, history, literature and other scholarly pursuits. Madame Sophie would also grow a strong bond with her brother Monseigneur le Dauphin.

### **Adulthood at Court**

Madame Sophie never married while eligible, but instead formed a group alongside her sisters which would become known as the Mesdames. It was common knowledge that Madame Sophie and her sisters often joined their mother, the queen, in charity. The Mesdames would visit parishes surrounding Paris, donating food, clothes, and livres to the poor and needy, additionally, Madame Sophie would also donate money to impoverished noble children, funding their educations at noble institutions.

She was described as incredibly shy and reserved, commonly playing second fiddle to her sister, Madame Adélaïde, allowing herself to be directed by her elder sister. The Mesdames often challenged their father's mistresses, notably Madame de Dahomey . The sisters ‘lovingly’ referred to her as “Maman Putain.”

The Mesdames were often at the center of plots to displace the reigning Maîtresse-en-titre. Their attempts proved futile as they were never able to displace the mistresses of their father. The sisters headed the anti-Dahomey and Du Barry factions at court, with the support of their cousins the Princes de Condé and Conti.

The Mesdames were also prolific hostesses, garnering their own petite société at court. The Mesdames hosted many notable nobles. Their salons were considered as a faction of sorts, for the older generation courtiers. Courtiers who wished to retain the decorum and who openly opposed the enlightenment.

In 1765, tragedy befell the family, when Louis Ferdinand, the Dauphin, died of tuberculosis. Madame Sophie was heartbroken by the untimely death of her beloved older brother. She and her sisters notably attended his funeral in simple gowns of black silk, full face-covering veils, a golden cross adorning their necks, and a black hankie with their brother's name embroidered onto it. Three years later, their mother Marie Leszczyńska died. The not yet healed wounds of their brother's death were reopened, as the sisters once again fell into a deep state of mourning. Drama occurred in the royal family when their father seemingly moved on to a new mistress, Charlotte Béraud de La Haye de Riou, so soon after their mother's death. The sisters were said to have refused to speak with their father for a month.

In the 1770s, her nephew Charles de Bourbon married Marie Thérèse de Savoy. Madame Sophie quickly became fond of her godson's wife and prompted her sisters to allow her in their entourage.

## **Character Synopsis**

### **Appearance**

Madame Sophie was described as a plump princess, with an attractive face. Her natural hair is honey brown, with light crystal blue eyes. She is the shortest of her sisters, standing at 5’0. A plump lady in her old age, she still maintains herself with a friendly smile and fluttering eyes.

### **Personality**

Madame Sophie is incredibly shy, only opening up emotionally to her closest of friends and family. Those lucky enough to know Madame Sophie will know she is a kind and loyal woman, with a admiration for knowledge. She can often be found in her salon, reading a book with a cup of chocolate. Her loyalty knows no bounds, especially when it comes to her family, her sisters in particular. She is notably loyal to her older sister, Madame Adélaïde, often following her lead in every aspect of daily life. While nowhere as outspoken as her sisters, she finds herself to be beloved by the court for her aptitude and erudition.

## **Titles, Styles, and Honours**

**27 July 1734 - Present;** *Son Altesse Royale, Sophie Philippine Élisabeth Justine de France, Fille de France, Madame Cinquième*