Duchess of Burgundy of Savoy Marie Adelaide

author

Duchess of Burgundy of Savoy Marie Adelaide

1685–1712

A lively young princess from the House of Savoy, she became one of the brightest presences at Versailles and the mother of the future Louis XV. Her short life linked dynastic politics, court culture, and one of the most fragile moments in French royal history.

1 Audiobook

The Correspondence of Madame, Princess Palatine, Mother of the Regent; of Marie-Adélaïde de Savoie, Duchesse de Bourgogne; and of Madame de Maintenon, in Relation to Saint-Cyr

The Correspondence of Madame, Princess Palatine, Mother of the Regent; of Marie-Adélaïde de Savoie, Duchesse de Bourgogne; and of Madame de Maintenon, in Relation to Saint-Cyr

by Madame de Maintenon, Duchess of Burgundy of Savoy Marie Adelaide, duchesse d' Charlotte-Elisabeth Orléans

About the author

Born in Turin on December 6, 1685, Marie Adélaïde of Savoy was the eldest daughter of Victor Amadeus II of Savoy and Anne Marie d'Orléans. Her marriage to Louis, Duke of Burgundy, in 1697 helped seal the reconciliation between Savoy and France after the Treaty of Turin, and from then on she was known as the Duchess of Burgundy.

At Versailles, she became especially popular for her energy and charm, and sources describe her as a favorite of Louis XIV. Although still very young, she grew into an important figure at court. She and her husband had several children, and their youngest surviving son later became King Louis XV of France.

In 1711, after the death of the Grand Dauphin, she became Dauphine of France. Her rise was brief: she died of measles on February 12, 1712, and her husband died only days later. Even so, her place in history remained secure through her son and through the strong impression she left on the court of Louis XIV.