Louis Étienne de Blois de Soissons

## Prince de Condé

Louis Valentin Christophe

Marie Jeanne Yolande

Louis Armand Philippe

Louis Étienne Valentin

Louis Francois Auguste

Marie Adelaide Claudine

Marie Victoire Marguerite

Marie Elisabeth Charlotte

Marie Therese Jeanne

Marie Philippine Angelique

**Louis Étienne de Blois de Soissons** (born 4th September 1737) is a Grandelumierian nobleman and aristocrat, holding the title of *Prince de Condé*, following the death of his uncle Louis Alphonse de Blois de Soissons.

Handsome, intelligent and charming, Étienne became a popular figure at the courts of Marie IV and Louis XIV of Grandelumière. Strong willed and graceful, Étienne built up a large group of friends and acquaintances during his time at court, becoming well known in the circles of nobility. Eventually, he had his own circle, which became known as *"Les Croisés de Condé"* or jokingly, the Prudites.

Born in 1737 at the Château d'Argenteuil, the son of Louis François César, *Monsieur le Comte*, he lived a life of luxury and great wealth from the moment of his birth, which he quickly became accustomed to.

## Biography

### **Birth**

Born on September 4th, 1737 at the Chateau d'Argenteuil, Louis Étienne de Blois de Soissons was the first son of Louis François César de Blois de Soissons, then *Duc de Montmorency* and his wife Marie-Henriette Jacqueline. It was a painfully long labour for the mother, so much so that it was said that the Duc had fallen asleep in a chair beside the bed, and the midwives were struggling to keep their eyes open. The labour had begun on September 3rd at around 8:30 in the evening, and lasted until the following morning at 8:15. The Duchesse later recalled that it was the worst night of her life, but nonetheless there was an instant love for the newborn. He was named *Comte d'Alais* by the Prince de Conde.

### **Early Childhood**

Étienne was sent off to the Château de Chantilly, the seat of his house, to be brought up by nurses, maids and governesses, as was common for children of higher birth. Coddled, cosseted and pampered, his every whim and need was catered to by staff at the Château. He was soon joined by two younger sisters and a younger brother, who would bring him much happiness as they grew up together. The oldest of the group, Étienne had a natural air of leadership about him, and the others would rally around him often.

His childhood was a happy one. With his status as a Prince du Sang, his relatively minor branch of his house was richer than most baronial houses could ever aspire to be. He was incredibly close to his father and younger brother, sharing with them many common interests. Unlike many children, however, Étienne was diligent and a bookworm. He'd spend much of his time indoors studying and reading, which would ultimately pay off with his intelligence.

He was finally baptised and given his name at age 5, in late 1742. His mother chose his names. She chose the name Louis, in honour of the Emperors and many of his ancestors. She chose the name Étienne in honour of his great-great uncle, Louis-Charles Étienne de Blois de Soissons, a notable military commander. Finally, she close the name Barthélémy in honour of St. Bartholomew the Apostle.

His baptism was a minor, yet meaningful affair. Only the Duc and Duchesse de Montmorency and the aging Princesse de Condé were in attendance. It was noted that the baptism was the first time his intelligence would shine, and the Duchesse was insistent it would not be the last. She put in place a rigorous system for his upbringing, involving much discipline and hard work. She began to scour the Empire for the best tutors she could find for her young son.

### **Later Childhood and Education**

Following the baptism, preparations were put in place for the beginning of Étienne's formal education. No expense was spared by the Duchesse, who scoured together all of the funds she could find to pay for the best and most sought after tutors in the Empire. Eventually, she had hired three tutors, two governesses and other children of lower nobility to be brought in to accompany the young Comte. He took to his studies with the diligence and ambition that nobody expected from him. The Duc de Montmorency was quoted saying, *"Some days I believe that my son's mind outpaces my own. I see clearly that his ambition and his hardworking demeanour will take him to great places in this world. He will either grow up to be successful or we will all die trying to make him so."* High expectations had clearly been placed upon him, and knowing this he became determined to please his parents and grandparents. He took devotedly to his studies, and spent much of his time with his tutors and governesses. It was noted that most of these men and women were old, traditionalist and pious. This would go on to mould Étienne's own political position as a devoted absolutiste, zealot and traditionalist against the rising liberal factions in the Imperial Court.

He studied many subjects on advanced levels, such as literature, music, languages, writing, reading, etiquette studies, philosophy and was also taught about court politics. Otherwise, he was given physical and practical lessons also, such as swordsmanship, horse riding, shooting and the military arts. Étienne's greatest growing passion was clearly for the hunt. He would cherish his riding lessons, and each one he would beg his instructor to allow him to begin hunting lessons. He would be given small targets and began to exercise his prowess in shooting and pair it with his skill in riding. Upon learning of this, Madame la Duchesse de Montmorency was horrified. A noted lover of all animals, the Duchesse forbade any more exercises in hunting, much to Étienne's dismay. This cemented an apathetic relationship between Étienne and his mother, as he had never truly grown close to her and now she had put a stop to his passion, he grew to merely tolerate her for the time. Later on, when she went into seclusion after the death of her husband, she would have no future contact with any of her children, especially not Étienne, during her self-inflicted isolation.

Eventually, Étienne's grandfather, Louis François Gabriel, would die in a hunting accident in 1745, leaving his sickly and infirm eldest son as head of the house. It, however, did not take Louis Armand long to succumb to grief and poor health and he would die just under a year afterwards. This would leave Gabriel's younger son, Louis Alphonse, as head of the house. Louis Alphonse was a cleric, however, and could legally not marry or have children. Therefore, he chose his younger brother, Étienne's father, as his chosen heir. This helped to bring this branch of the family into further prominence, as for the longest time it was not expected that the line descendant from the Duc de Montmorency would inherit anything of worth from the house. Now, Étienne's father traded in his title as Duc de Montmorency for a much more prestigious title and style, becoming known as Monsieur le Comte and receiving the title Prince de Conti. It would not take long before the new Monsieur le Comte would become ill with Typhus however, casting doubt on the succession plans laid out. It was said that, should Louis François die, his son Étienne would become heir and Monsieur le Comte, which some in the house opposed.

 File:Louis Etienne young.jpg
In 1748, Étienne's father, Louis François de Blois de Soissons, died suddenly from typhus. This now made Louis Étienne take on the style and position of Monsieur le Comte, as well as his father's title of Prince de Conti. He would now be expected to succeed to the house of Blois de Soissons on his uncle's death, as his uncle was a cleric he could have no children. This helped propel Louis Étienne's status rapidly, boosting him to one of the highest ranking Princes du Sang in the Empire, as the heir to the third princely house. His education was quickly adapted to suit administration and courtly intrigue, skills he would need to master for taking over the house. The task which would be ahead of him, however, was not a daunting one, as the house's finances remained healthy and stable, and the house possessed a great deal of influence in the Empire. His education continued, more concentrated than ever, after the Prince's death. His mother, wracked with grief, would never recover from the death, and left all public life to hide away in the Chateau de Chantilly.

### **Adolescence**

As he grew, Étienne's skill and expertise in many fields became more apparent. He became excellent in speech and courtly ways, and would soon be expected to put these skills to use in court. He'd make his first debut in court at age 14, attending with his uncle for the first time. He made a good first impression, according to some nobles, never butchering his word nor stumbling over the rituals of court. His stay there, however, was not permanent as he was forced to return to Chantilly to finish off his education. Étienne missed the court, finding the extravagance and the rituals there to be fascinating, entertaining and the perfect life for him. He would attend court irregularly for two years, in between travelling between Argenteuil, Paris and Chantilly. Even with his travels and irregular attendance, he created new allies in court and Paris and grew his favour with the Imperial Family. These first impressions would later culminate in Louis XIV agreeing on an engagement between Étienne and his daughter, Marie Therese, just under six years after his first appearance.

His education would come to a close in 1753, when he was sixteen. Now he moved to the court permanently and was given a modest yet homely suite below the Rue d'Honneur in the Chateau d'Argenteuil. Having inherited a large estate and fortune from his father, he was the envy of the men of the court for both his beauty and his wealth. Even so, for many in the court of his age group, it was a rare sight to see such a young man swear off many of the vices and sins that they held dear. A new age of courtly liberalism was budding in the younger members of the court, and here was he mingling with the circles of the oldest members of court, including the circles of the then Dauphin Raphael and the *Absolutiste* faction of court. Many approved of Monsieur le Comte's choice in circles, including his uncle the Cardinal de Conde, while many around his age belittled him for it. Still, his mind was fixed and his mindset would not shift.

In 1753, an engagement would be agreed on between the new Emperor Louis XIV and the Cardinal de Condé between Monsieur le Comte and Marie Therese, Madame Troisieme. Étienne was ecstatic to hear it, and this was considered an extremely prestigious and politically strong match. A renewal of the dynastic ties between the Imperial Dynasty and its cadet branch, Blois de Soissons. Noted to be a great beauty and incredibly cultured, they held many of the same interests. Often having discussions over literature, preference in music and playwrights, they'd grow to become good acquaintances quickly, then friends and soon confidants. With this high expectations were placed on the future of this marriage. He said of her, when queried about his opinion of the match by his uncle, *"Yes, I agree that I've been lucky. To be given a bride of such high intellect and of great beauty, yet a part of me still worries that I am unworthy of her still,".* Soon after the engagement, his prestige was further advanced when he was made Grand Equerry of the House in the Imperial Household.

Louis Étienne, Monsieur le Comte, married the third daughter of Louis XIV Raphael, Marie Therese de Grandelumiere. It was a grand, long and traditional affair taking place at Notre-Dame de Dijon in the presence of the court and the Emperor himself, it also being held by the Crown Cardinal. It was followed by a celebration at the Chateau d'Argenteuil, this however quickly spiralled out of control. A bishop, attending the celebration, was stabbed by a renegade who had snuck into the Chateau. He was quickly apprehended, however, and condemned to death by the Emperor. This shook Étienne, himself almost taking it as a bad omen for his life and his marriage, but nonetheless went onwards. The marriage was reported to be consummated on the first night, and some time afterwards Therese was declared to be with child by a physician. After this, Étienne would pray endlessly for a healthy, male child. The Princesse would give birth to a son, Monsieur le Comte, later that year.

### **Adulthood**

A shadow was soon cast over the future. The Cardinal de Condé took ill in late 1757, continuing into early 1758. Étienne would be almost hysterical about it. He believed himself unready and unsuited for such a high position of such responsibility. He was appointed Regent of the House of Blois de Soissons for his uncles incapacity, being given full control over all assets and riches of the house. Behind closed doors, Étienne's famed confidence and composure began to fault him. He would constantly find fault in his work, which he so tied himself to in an attempt to prove himself capable, and wrack his nerves to get it right. In public, however, he remained so composed and as himself that nobody would have batted an eye in his direction. His comfort, however, came in that his marriage was approaching quickly. However, on the 4th of January 1758, the Cardinal de Condé died, leaving his house, many of his belongings, his estates and 24,000,000 Livres in the hands of Louis Étienne. Later, he was also appointed Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on the newly reorganised Conseil of Emperor Louis XIV.

His children would be a great joy to him, dedicating himself to family and his children. His first child, a boy who would be named Comte de Soissons at birth and later Monsieur le Comte, would be like a treasure to him. Later baptised Louis Raphael, the child would be the apple of his eye, apparently looking just like him. They'd be further overjoyed when they'd be blessed with a set of twins, one girl who'd be named Marie Isabelle and a boy who'd go on to be named Louis Valentin. They'd be sadly followed by a miscarriage, most distressing to the family, and then by a daughter named Marie Jeanne. She would, however, sadly die just under a year after her birth, much to the parents' dismay. By 1762, he had been appointed Chancelier de l'État on the Conseil, and would set to work on enforcing justice.

### **Personality and Appearance**

Étienne was famed for his beauty and appearance. His hair, although rarely seen by many, was one of his greatest qualities. His perfectly curled, long blond hair was considered one of his greatest aspects, as such hair was prized by many. His brown eyes would appear so piercingly dark that many lower courtiers feared to catch his eye. He possessed a natural authoritative figure, towering over most of his contemporaries and other courtiers. Over 6'3'' in height, with broad shoulders, long arms, long legs and massive hands, many couldn't help but feel intimidated when he stood in front of them. He would always ensure that his outfits were fully organised and constructed to perfection. He favoured reds, creams, whites and blues in suits. Adding to his monstrous height, he always wore a tricorn properly colour coordinated with his choice of suit, with a large feather attached to it. His wig was always fully powdered, and infamously said upon learning from one of his staff that they'd ran out of powder, *"Well, Monsieur, I believe you will get some. I don't care how, or where you get it from, but you will get it. How shall one go without it, after all?"*

Étienne was noted to be greatly kind, compassionate, caring and charitable. He was also incredibly proud, by some considered to be vain and perfectionist, as was seen in his insistence on perfection in his dress and appearance. Through the influence of his tutors, he grew to be massively traditionalist, zealous and absolutiste. He frowned on adultery and other sins, notably making a small enemy out of the Comte de Limoges, being disgusted by his homosexual relationships and how public he made the affairs, especially his involvement with Dauphin Louis Auguste. Much like his father, he possessed a certain wit and personality which made him famous and well-liked with some circles, but infamous with others. He favoured mingling with the older circles in the court, which whom he found he had more in common with than most his age. He was devoted to preserving the old customs of the court and the absolute rule of the Emperor, in an era where these traditions were more under attack. He was sometimes called "le toutou" (the Lapdog) insultingly, a name which he refused to acknowledge.

## Titles and Styles

* **4th September 1737 - 2nd February 1748:** *Son Altesse Serenissime, Monsieur le Comte d'Alais*
* **2nd February 1748 - 5th January 1758:** *Son Altesse Serenissime, Monsieur le Prince de Conti*
* **2nd February 1748 - 5th January 1758:** *Monsieur le Comte* (customary courtly style)
* **5th January 1758 - Present:** *Son Altesse Serenissime, Monseigneur le Prince de Condé*

## Issue

* Louis Raphael Dieudonne, Monsieur le Comte (born 27th November 1753)
* Marie Isabelle Therese, Mademoiselle de Sancerre (born 14th December 1754)
* Louis Valentin Christophe, Duc d'Enghien (born 14th December 1754)
* Miscarriage (19th July 1755)
* Marie Jeanne Yolande, Mademoiselle de Valery (3rd October 1756 - 1st June 1757)
* Louis Armand Philippe, Duc de Bourbon (born 2nd February 1758)
* Louis Étienne Valentin, Duc de Châteauroux (born 19th July 1760)
* Unnamed Son (20th September 1762 - 21st September 1762)