
audiobook
by Mme. Du Hausset, princesse de Marie Thérèse Louise de Savoie-Carignan Lamballe
A rare, first‑hand account pulls listeners into the fevered heart of late‑eighteenth‑century France. Through the eyes of a lady’s maid serving the queen’s inner circle and an unnamed English observer, the memoirs reveal the private anxieties, whispered conspiracies, and daily rituals that framed a court on the brink of collapse. Their voices capture the clash between polished ceremony and the rising tide of popular unrest.
The narrative follows the tumult that erupted after the dismissal of Necker, the violent mob actions that led to the storming of the Bastille, and the frantic attempts of the king and his family to navigate a world turned upside‑down. Vivid scenes—such as a shattered bust foretelling doom, the gruesome display of the Bastille’s fallen commander, and the queen’s desperate pleas for a dialogue with the new Assembly—bring the chaos to life with immediacy and humanity.
Listeners will find a compelling blend of political drama and intimate court life, offering a nuanced portrait of a society teetering between decadence and revolution, all told from the perspective of those who lived in its shadows.
Full title
Memoirs of the Courts of Louis XV and XVI. — Volume 6 Being secret memoirs of Madame Du Hausset, lady's maid to Madame de Pompadour, and of the Princess Lamballe
Language
en
Duration
~3 hours (174K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2004-12-03
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
1713–1801
A close observer of life at the court of Louis XV, she is remembered for memoirs that offer a lively, intimate glimpse of Madame de Pompadour’s world. Writing under the name Madame du Hausset, she became linked with one of the most enduring first-hand portraits of 18th-century Versailles.
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1749–1792
A close friend of Marie Antoinette, she moved from courtly luxury to the terror of the French Revolution, and her life ended in one of its most shocking episodes. Her story blends intimacy, politics, loyalty, and tragedy in a way that still grips readers today.
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