Marie Anne Isabelle de Pologne

## Madame, Duchesse d'Orléans

### Born

8 January 1642, Zamek Królewski w Warszawie, Warszawa, Królestwo Polskie i Wielkie Księstwo Litewskie

### Issue

Louise Marie d'Évreux-Orléans, La Petite MademoiselleLouis Casimir, Duc de Valois

### Mother

Cäcilia Renata von Österreich, Królewna Polska †

### Siblings

Zygmunt Kazimierz Waza †Half Siblings:Władysław Konstanty Waza, Hrabia Wasenau

### Religion

Roman Catholicism

Marie Anne Isabelle de Pologne (*Polish*: Maria Anna Izabela Wazówna; 8 January 1642 - Present), was a Royal Princess of Poland and Lithuania and Imperial Princess of Vasttaire. She was the the only daughter and second child to King Władysław IV of Poland and his first wife Cecilia Reneta of Austria. Her father held multiple titles most notably he was King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania, King of Sweden and Tsar of Russia. Her marriage to Louis Casimir, the Monsieur would solely be based on the prestige of her name, due to the fact that at the time of the wedding in 1657, the Vasa dynasty found itself in a particular position

## **Birth**

Isabelle was born to King Władysław and Queen Cecilia at the Royal Castle in Warsaw. The Birth was a joyous affair and she was baptized at St John's Cathedral, in Warsaw shortly after. A rushed baptism was required due to her sickly condition. Her godparents were King Philip IV of Spain, Maria Anna of Spain, Archduchess of Austria and Pope Innocent X.

## **Childhood**

### **Reign of Władysław IV**

Isabelle was destined to join the Carmelites so she was moved to the *Kazanowski Palace*, in doing such she would be close to her eventual convent the *Res Sacra Miser*. Her

   childhood was one of luxury, the *Kazanowski Palace* was filled with luxuries and curiosities of all sorts. At only the age of 2 her mother passed due to complication with childbirth. As the young princess did not understand what was happening her governess simplyfailed to tell her and continued with everyday life. As the princess grew older she was educated in Polish, German, Latin and French as well as the arts. She would be educated every Wednesday and Friday starting on her 4th birthday by some of the sisters of the *Res Sacra Miser*. In 1647 tragedy hit again for the young princess and her older brother the Prince Zygmunt Kazimierz died after contracting dysentery. After this event her governess brought her to Krakow for the funeral in which her own father did not attend due to the grief of the loss of his heir. In 1648 once again tragedy struck but it was the King himself who has passed due to a complication with kidney stones. The young princess once again found herself in Krakow for both a funeral and a coronation.

### **Reign of Jan II Kazimierz**

After the death of her parents, she was taken in by her uncle Jan II Kazimierz Vasa, the new King of Poland. By 1649 her step-mother Marie Louise Gonzague had remarried to her uncle making the realm hopeful there would be a male heir, thus Isabelle was to marry. Her education was changed and she was taught to write and became fluent in Latin, Polish, German, French, Italian and Swedish. She was educated in the principles on how to run a court in the hopes she would marry the Archduke of Austria. Everyday she was required to spend 3 hours embroidering with her governess and the 4 ladies of noble birth chosen to serve her in the future. An additional 2 hours were devoted to prayer as her adoptive parents were strict Catholics.

### **The Deluge**

In the summer of her twelfth year, war broke out with Russia. The princess' studies persisted despite the immense intercity of her safety if she was to remain in the *Royal Palace of Warsaw*. The amount of guards was increased to protect the royal family from attack. The young princess old enough to have an educated idea of what was happening was not informed of the war but was told she was not allowed outside of the Palace. In 1655, only one year later, her cousin the King of Sweden, declared war. The situation became dire with enemies on both sides. Tensions grew in the palace but the education of the royal princess persisted. Later that same year, Swedish forces took the city of Krakow. In 1656, the Queen knew the situation would reach the palace and it did. The siege of Warsaw began on July 28 1656, the royal family remained trapped in the city as the King defended Warsaw and it's people. The next day staff prepared as the Queen knew they had to flee the palace, that night the royal children were awoken and the family made their escape. Warsaw was lost on July 30 1656 shortly after the royal family escaped to Silesia. The family would remain there for the rest of the war.

## **Relationships**

### **Issue**

With her husband, Louis Casimir d’Évreux-Orléans, Isabelle would have several pregnancies, some successful and some not. These pregnancies are as follows:

* **Louise Marie d’Évreux-Orléans,** *La Petite Mademoiselle (26th March 1664)*
* **Louis Casimir II d’Évreux-Orléans,** *Duc de Valois (16th July 1666)*
* **Élisabeth Christine d’Évreux-Orléans,** *Mademoiselle de Chartres (27th August 1669)*

## Titles & Styles

* **8 January 1642 - 15 March 1663,** *Her Royal Highness, Mary Anna Isabella Vasa, Princess of Poland*
* **15 March 1663 - Present,** *Son Altesse Impériale, Madame la Duchesse d'Orléans*
* **16 September 1668 - Present,** *Queen of Poland, Grand Duchess of Lithuania, Ruthenia, Prussia, Masovia, Samogitia, Livonia, Smolensk, Severia and Chernigov and hereditary Queen of the Swedes, Goths and Vandals*