Charles-Nicolas Matthieu de Choiseul

## Duc de Choiseul

Christine-Denise Henriette

César-Gabriel Seraphin

Germaine-Yolande Amelie

Frederic-Chrétien Honore

Various Unnamed

Fontaine-Henri Gaston

**Charles-Nicolas Matthieu de Choiseul** (6th May 1699 - 29th November 1757) was a Grandelumierian nobleman, statesman, courtier and Duc de Choiseul.

Capable, diligent and intelligent, Choiseul was well known at the court of Marie IV of Grandelumière. Although without looks or grace, he had a wit, countenance, persistence and iron will which made him infamous among the circles of the nobility.

Born in 1699, at the Chateau de Choiseul, the house seat of the prestigious but sequestered House of Choiseul, Matthieu was the second grandson of the infamous Francois Antoine, Duc de Choiseul. Matthieu was destined to turn back the clock on Antoine's policy, and would be a reformer to his house.

## Biography

### **Birth**

Charles-Nicolas Matthieu de Choiseul was born on May 6th, 1699 at the Chateau de Choiseul, as the second son of the Duc and Duchesse de Richelieu. A grandson of the Duc and Duchesse de Choiseul at the time, his birth went almost unnoticed by the family. The only ones present in the birthing chamber were his father, his grandmother and the midwives. He possessed the blood of two prestigious and well-known families through his parents, Choiseul and Le Tellier.

### **Early Childhood**

The young Matthieu was given the title of Marquis de Francières by his ailing grandfather. Being the second son of his parents, Matthieu was not nurtured as a child. Any love and affection that was there was showered onto his elder brother, Valentin, where Matthieu was relegated to indifferent nursemaids and staff at the chateau. He would rarely see his parents, perhaps once or twice a month if he was lucky.

Matthieu was brought up by a hired governess, the Dame de Viver, of a lowly, impoverished noble family. It was common for nobility of lower families to take on such jobs. Viver, alongside two nannies, were the ones to raise him. This was until the Duchesse de Choiseul herself stepped in on the raising of her grandchildren for a short while, until her husband demanded she cease her activities. Matthieu was baptised in 1704 at the chapel in Choiseul.

### **Later Childhood and Education**

Matthieu's formal education began when he was five, and now having joined the Imperial Court alongside his mother and elder brother. His father had chose to remain at the chateau. Matthieu was given a rigorous, comprehensive education. He learnt languages, such as English, Spanish and Italian, which he became fluent in. He also learnt some Latin, and some German.

Matthieu was also taught mathematics, the history of Grandelumiere, writing, geography and studied religion zealously. As was expected of a future courtier, he was taught the art of conversation and flattery. His tutors noted that Matthieu excelled in his education, much unlike his elder brother, who cared little for it. Towards the end of his education, Matthieu was excelling in all his subjects. He was also noted to be diligent, hardworking and witty, though eccentric and constantly filled with pride. He was also boisterous and full of energy, and was said to rest very little when there was work to be done.

### **Adolescence**

 File:Duc de Choiseul Young.jpg
His brother having died in 1707, Matthieu had been second-in-line to occupy the ducal seat until 1712, with the death of his father, Jean-Baptiste. Jean-Baptiste's death marked the end of the "dark age of House Choiseul" as the tenure of Francois Antoine had been called. In 1714, Antoine died, leaving his house to his fifteen year old grandson. Matthieu was more than ready to inherit the house, and tackle the problems it faced first-hand. However, he firstly had to rebuild the name of the Choiseul family in the Imperial Court, which his "silver-tongue" and iron will were accomplishing handily. He created contacts and acquaintances in the court, the most notable of which was the then Monsieur le Prince. The friendship with Monsieur le Prince allowed him to elevate his social position within the court. This would also lead to his eventual marriage with Monsieur le Prince's daughter, Isabelle Germaine de Blois de Penthievre, in December of 1715, which would create strong alliances and allow his dynasty to live on.

Before his marriage, the Choiseul dynasty was in a precarious position. Many members of the family in previous generations had been marrying at a late age and having few children. Some even neglected to marry at all, leaving very few members from the main ducal line left. The same could be said for the Gastonian line. His marriage was anxiously celebrated by the house, though many were afraid that there would be no children produced and the line would be extinct. This fear, however, was unfounded as in February 1716, Germaine was found to be pregnant. Their first child, a young boy, was born in October 1716. He would be named Duc de Richelieu, heir to the house. He would be closely followed by five more siblings, one of which would not survive infancy, and two stillbirths.

### **Adulthood**

As he aged, Matthieu became increasingly conservative and ultra-monarchist. One of the most loyalist courtiers, he praised many of the decisions made by the Empress. Although this was to be expected of a courtier who wanted to get anywhere, Matthieu truly believed what he said, and that it was not merely flattery. He mingled around the *Absolutiste* faction at the court, which he would eventually become a member of, alongside many others such as the Cardinal de Mortemart, the Crown Cardinal and many other noted individuals. He also believed in the divine right to rule, and the will of the church being paramount to the will of any simple mortal individual.

Around 1721, he began dalliances with ladies of the court. The most long-lasting of these was with a lower noblewoman named Elisabeth Francoise Genevieve de La Valliere. Although she was not wealthy, in looks at the time she was compared to an angel, incredibly pretty and attractive to the opposite sex. The affair lasted many years, and eventually was hardly a secret to the court and his family. Gossip and rumour spread about his affairs with La Valliere, as well as numerous lower noblewomen, chambermaids and other staff at the Chateau de Choiseul. He was called a womaniser and a master seducer by many, others merely saying he had an excellent taste in women. He himself was considered handsome and attractive in his younger years, though over time his good looks began to fade.

 File:Charles-Nicolas-0.jpg
In the 1730's, Matthieu's social and political status continued to rise. Increasing favour with the Imperial Family kept him among the highest circles of Grandelumiere, although he also associated himself with many other circles in the court. Most notable of these, in the mid-1730's, was the circle of Marie-Clemence Gabrielle de Rochechouart de Mortemart. Gabrielle had become almost the most popular person in the Imperial Court, and she and Matthieu became fast-friends, although likely mismatched. She, a vivacious and energetic woman in her twenty-fifth year, and he, a hard-working and relaxed man in his thirty-seventh year. His relationship with Gabrielle was brought into question, as were her relationships with many other court men, such as Monsieur, the Marquis de Louvois and to a lesser extent, Monseigneur. The relationship, in reality, was more emotional and innocent than was perceived to be. Gabrielle would die in May 1737, and the circle faded along with her. Thus, Choiseul would go on to create new acquaintances, and return to many old ones.

Choiseul also became Controller-General of Finances on the Empress' Council in mid-1737, and debuted properly into Grandelumierian politics and government. He'd submit reforms of the taxation system and a new system of payment for government officials. Unlike a few of his predecessors in the position, he had no desire to exploit it for his own personal gain, and he worked merely out of loyalty to the Empress. Many other reforms were proposed under his tenure in the position, and he worked hard and to the best of his ability in his capacity as Controller-General. He would go on to serve on the Conseil for decades, starting from 1737.

### **Later Life**

In the mid to late 1740's, Matthieu began to undergo a spiritual and personal transformation, as many of his friends, acquaintances and family. He abandoned his licentious activities with ladies of the court, ended all affairs and dalliances and took to weeks of prayer, reflection, repentance and religious study. With his chaplain at Choiseul, Matthieu prayed almost every day and truly repented his sins. He would then go on to reconcile with his wife for his infidelity toward her and would take on a new, zealous, pious, humble and religious outlook on life. Although he could never truly bring himself to live without material gain or profit on his mind, as it was to him second nature, he would cut back on many of his unnecessary expenses, and would dedicate more time and money to the Catholic Church.

A family man, Matthieu was incredibly proud of his growing family. He had five surviving children, twelve grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, five nieces and four nephews. It has been noted that his ambition and skill have been passed down through the family, and lead to many members of the house in high places and strategic positions. However, relations with the more distant relatives, the descendants of the Gastonian line of House Choiseul, have long been strained. Divides between the relatives, spreading from low pensions and improper living conditions befitting their status. Matthieu's frugality and stubbornness on the subject, however, left there being no chance of compromise. Relations currently remain tense and strained.

### **Death**

Matthieu died on November 29th, 1757, at the Chateau de Choiseul. This was caused by internal bleeding sustained after a hunting accident months prior, undetected for much time. He died just three days after the death of his wife, and on the same day as the Empress. This unexpected death threw the House of Choiseul into chaos, with the Duc de Richelieu away nobody knew who would step in to take up the reins in the house. Matthieu left behind a fairly large fortune for a house which over its existence had so suffered with financial burden. He had left himself a legacy, for twenty years of diligent service on Marie IV's conseil, and being a recipient of the Order of St. Benignus, the first of his line to receive such an honour. Most of the house mourned heavily for the loss of the much-loved patriarch of their family.

Even so, Matthieu left a very different legacy in the eyes of others. The Prince de Condé later said of the Duc, *"The Duc de Choiseul would've done well in this court. He, like others, was once the definition of sin and licentiousness. Despite his achievements, he left behind his mark of sin on this court. His brood of children will always live with 'sin' written all over them."* To some, Matthieu was the definition of "self-made man", starting with practically nothing, no reputation and little money and turning it into a position of prominence and a large fortune. Still, before his death, Matthieu lamented over the unstable and unhappy line he'd left. Three days before his own death, and just after the death of his wife, he wrote, *"How can I say I am proud of the line I have left? My son quarrels with his own children, everyone is distant to one another and there is no happiness here. The majority of my children have passed on. Still, one must look to the future, and in my time I hope to bridge these rivalries which plague my family."* The Duc would not live to accomplish this dream, and would die unexpectedly just a few days later, which was later called internal bleeding.

### **Family**

The Duc married Isabelle Germaine de Blois de Penthievre, daughter of the then Monsieur le Prince, in 1715. They'd go on to have seven of children, of which five would survive infancy. These were; Louis-Philippe Henri (born 1716), Helene-Athenais Valerie (born 1717), Christine-Denise Henriette (1718 - 1719), César-Gabriel Seraphin (born 1719), Germaine-Yolande Amelie (born 1721), Frederic-Chrétien Honore (born 1723) and one unnamed son (born and died 1737), who was born and died on the same day, reportedly with horrible deformities. The Duc, however, is also known to have countless illegitimate children through his various affairs, liaisons and dalliances. It is estimated that the Duc has 28 children in total by various women, including the Duchesse and Elisabeth de La Valliere. None of these children, however, have ever been acknowledged by Matthieu, and he denies fervently that they are his whenever the topic is raised.

He also has twelve grandchildren of House Choiseul, seven of which are by his eldest son, Henri: Marie-Catherine Marguerite (born 1732), Edouard-Clement Dieudonne (born 1733), Isabelle-Henriette Germaine (born 1736), Louis -Marc Hercules (1737 - 1762), Gabriel-Alphonse Philippe (born 1739), Louis Frédéric Theodose (born 1741) and Marie-Christine Henriette (born 1742). He also has five by his second son, Seraphin: Clement-Philippe Fabien (born 1736), Louis-Alexandre Baptiste (born 1737), Frederic-Nicolas Antoine (born 1740), Angelique-Francoise Jacqueline (1742 - 1742) and Diane-Victoire Etiennette (born 1743). It is also possible that he has two more grandchildren, one through his eldest illegitimate child and one through his daughter, Amelie, who caused a scandal in the house with her affairs. He also has five nieces, and four nephews, through his brother Gaston.

### **Personality and Appearance**

Choiseul has been described as a diligent and hard-working man, but not indifferent to the regular indulgences of the nobility. He has been known to have a temper when aggravated, but mostly calm and collected at court and in private. In his position as Controller-General of Finance, he has been known to be without ulterior motives and to complete the tasks he is presented with quickly and to the best of his ability. He has been criticised by some, both inside his family and outside, over his multiple affairs with ladies of the court, but has been complimented over his continued dedication to his family and his generous nature toward his relatives and direct family.

In terms of appearance, he has been described as ruddy and relatively short and his appearance lacking in grace. In his younger years, however, he was known to be handsome and good-looking, but these good-looks would fade with age. He was known for pioneering the entrance of the newer-styled powdered wigs, which are shorter and less-complex than the older style, in a time when the older styled wigs were more accepted and considered fashionable. He has been known to favour more complex outfits and brighter colours, such as red, white, gold, blue and creams, and at court never without a large tricorn. He has been called a perfectionist with fashion, which certainly was true when it came to incorporating matching styles.

## Issue

### **Legitimate**

With his wife, Isabelle Germaine de Blois de Penthievre, he'd have seven children, five of whom would survive infancy;

* Louis-Philippe Henri, Duc de Richelieu (13th October 1716 - Present)
* Helene-Athenais Valerie, Duchesse de Luynes (14th August 1717 - ?)
* Christine-Denise Henriette, Mademoiselle de Choiseul (3rd October 1718 - 12th February 1719)
* César-Gabriel Seraphin, Marquis de Beaupré (8th June 1719 - Present)
* Germaine-Yolande Amelie, Mademoiselle de Choiseul (19th January 1721 - 22nd September 1742))
* Frederic-Chrétien Honore, Comte de Chalons-sur-Marne (27th July 1723 - 14th August 1753)
* Unnamed son (born and died 14th October 1737)

### **Illegitimate**

Although it is unknown just how many illegitimate children Choiseul had, it is believed to be over 30 by some. Many are believed to have been created with Elisabeth de la Valliere, though perhaps at least one daughter with Marie-Clemence Gabrielle de Rochechouart de Mortemart. Many considered Gabrielle's daughter, **Madeline-Clémence de Pardaillan de Gondrin,** as an illegitimate daughter of Choiseul due to the fact that she possessed many similarities to the Duc. The Duc himself, on his deathbed, later said he regretted his "many mistakes". He said himself he believes that he had at least over ten illegitimate children, no more than twenty, but most consider this to be much higher a number. As well as affairs with courtiers, he purportedly also had many illegitimate children with chambermaids and staff at the Chateau de Choiseul. The Duc would be remembered infamously after his death for his illegitimate offspring and for his licentious behaviours. One said, *"If only Choiseul had lived longer. He would've been a hit with the new generation at the court of Louis XIV."*

## Titles, Styles and Honours

### **Titles and Styles**

* **6th May 1699 - 5th August 1707:** Sa Seigneurie, Marquis de Francières
* **5th August 1707 -** **24th March 1712 :** Sa Grace, Duc de Nevers
* **24th March 1712 - 28th November 1714:** Sa Grace, Duc de Richelieu
* **28th November 1714 - 11th August 1737:** Sa Grace, le Duc de Choiseul
* **11th August 1737 - 29th November 1757:** Sa Grace, le Duc de Choiseul, Chevalier de l'Ordre de Saint Benignus.

### **Honours**

* **11th August 1737 - Present:** Chevalier de l'Ordre de Saint Benignus