The Story of The Grande Mademoiselle

The Grande Mademoiselle was a French princess who lived according to her own principles. She got involved in the Wars of the Fronde by risking her own life and reputation. Today we will follow her story.
The images used are in the Public Domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
Music - YT Audio Library.
Sources / Further reading
La Grande Mademoiselle 1627-1652, By Arvede Barine, Translated by Helen Meyer, 1902, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, The Knickerbocker Press, New York
Louis XIV and La Grande Mademoiselle 1652-1693, Arvede Barine, 1905, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, The Knickerbocker Press, New York

[@Jerseyboondocks]

That is awful what he did to her... after Madam gave her wealth to free him and waited for 11 years. Doesn't seem fair that he got to live on for 30 more years after what he did.. and she passed away. But that's just how life goes sometimes sadly

[@livesandhistories]

Can you imagine?! It seemed that people around her were after her wealth only. Thank you for watching,

[@Blaqjaqshellaq]

Another interesting 17-century lady is Elizabeth Stuart, daughter of James II of England, who married Frederick V, Elector Palantine and became Queen of Bohemia for a year. But then the Thirty Years War forced her into exile in Holland, where she became known as "the Winter Queen," supporting the arts and writing a lot of letters. Her son Prince Rupert became one of the leading Royalist generals in the English Civil War, and after the Stuart Restoration he became the first governor of the Hudson's Bay Company. (A British Columbia port is named after him.) Her daughter married the Elector of Hanover and raised a son who became George I of Great Britain.

[@livesandhistories]

If she wrote many letters, I like her already! Thank you James.

[@livesandhistories]

There is a video about Elizabeth Stuart on my channel now. Thank you for your suggestion.

[@dmeblue]

It is terrible to fall in love with the wrong man

[@lillymom7909]

You put your all into your videos and they are beautiful. We really appreciate them; they are so good.

[@livesandhistories]

Thank you so much!

[@bplatt1069]

La Grande Mademoiselle remains a heroine for strong women in the face of adversity. Thanks for your homage.

[@mainlyfine]

She 'priced herself out of the market' as we would say - too much pride.

[@livesandhistories]

Indeed.

[@robertdudley4017]

a very remarkable feisty princess who suffered pain and betrayal she never found true happiness sadly

[@livesandhistories]

Thank you for watching, Mr. Dudley.

[@robertdudley4017]

@@livesandhistories always a plesure to watch and listen to your videos, you have such passion for history and people thank you for the research and the presentation as always.

[@livesandhistories]

@@robertdudley4017 Glad you like them.

[@robertdudley4017]

@@livesandhistories indeed very much thank you

[@suzetteperkins1089]

This would make a good opera and movie

[@2604ernesto]

Wow, this story started really cute but ended in such a sad way, i feel so sad to hear her life and how much she was betrayed even by her cousin, but worst, her loved one Thank you for this biography, it's hard to find such good videos like this one

[@livesandhistories]

You're right. She did not deserve to be treated like that. I'm delighted you like my videos. Thank you.

[@jerolvilladolid]

She could have been Queen of England, or Queen of Portugal. But no, she died unmarried and obscure. Sometimes when opportunity knocks on your door, you have to take it. And not be blinded wanting more that you can never get.

[@livesandhistories]

Very well said. Thank you for watching.

[@a_a4399]

What a sad story, thank you so much for sharing it.

[@whenitsraining861]

I had my exams and didn't watch your videos, but I'm glad I did. It's a little sad that she never got to marry, but at least she got to fulfill many of her desires. Thank you for this video.

[@livesandhistories]

I hope it goes well with your exams. Thank you for watching.

[@whenitsraining861]

*I’m glad I finally did

[@whenitsraining861]

@@livesandhistories Thank you so much. Hope you stay well too.

[@tanyadolgovsky4234]

I don’t understand some comments calling her courageous and progressive. She was motivated by her prospect of becoming a French queen. Toying with people who really protested starvation and high taxes (by either of which she was not impacted) while fighting the kings army. The only time she came close to being a normal human being was when she fell in love with the count. She has not done anything deserving admiration in her lifetime while she had resources to do so. She comes across as self-centered and ignorant person at best.

[@erinsanders4449]

Just stumbled across your work. This is fantastic. You've gained a new subscriber. Your work is exceptional quality.

[@livesandhistories]

Thank you very much, Erin.

[@pamtime22]

That lady deserved a much better life. Very sad.

[@InnateNobility]

Your channel is growing! Slowly but surely, just keep providing the community with your wonderful content and you'll continue to rise. I wish you the best of luck, and thank you for your lovely narration and historical facts.

[@livesandhistories]

Thank you very much for your kind words. Your support means a lot to me.

[@conniecarroll7222]

Yes I especially love the portraits of the people, could you possibly list the who they are and the artists? I want to look them up for their clothing and historical research.

[@lauramcgowan3740]

Hate the ads

[@prettyfar33]

She should have married Charles...she could have been queen and she would have maybe NEVER met that not-so-nice man!!! LOL!!!

[@livesandhistories]

Indeed. Thank you for watching.

[@prettyfar33]

@@livesandhistories Thank you for making the video! King Charles is my favorite King of ALL time!!!

[@kimmccabe1422]

Ues. Charles 2nd would have atleast been kind to her. That's what you get when you're greedy...power,money..

[@derickally]

King Charles II. Hmm. He is my favourite king, granted, but such a rake. Maybe Mademoiselle could have shooed away his Barbara and Nell and the myriad others to keep his affection. Catherine de Braganza or Mademoiselle. We shall never know.

[@prettyfar33]

@@derickally You are SO right!!! But he would not divorce his wife...when so many wanted him to. I think that is why I love him so!!! LOL!!!

[@Reichfurst1981]

One of the greatest heiresses in history...the Grande Demoiselle had all: pedigree, wealth and beauty, but she had the saddest life: her fortune, was her curse -all her marriage plans were discarted by politics and intrigues, and her rebelliouness was punished with exile and loneliness, dying without the love and family that always wanted.

[@livesandhistories]

Very well said!

[@esterherschkovich6499]

Thank you..💐💐💐

[@livesandhistories]

Welcome 😊

[@aaronfryar-parajon4164]

I love this ladies videos

[@itsacarolbthing5221]

I do admire the narrator for not only researching these historically important women, but also for narrating these posts in English, which clearly is not her mother tongue. It must be exhausting! Thank you for doing it.

[@livesandhistories]

Thank you very much for watching.

[@erikhaxhia7184]

French royals are so interesting

[@esterherschkovich6499]

They are💐💐

[@johnlewis3891]

All royals are interesting.

[@d.l.l.6578]

That’s only because your children are not crying themselves to sleep at night from hunger while the royals bathe in strawberries.

[@MrBrownnn696]

She loved him... this should be a movie..

[@pattyanne9982]

Your content is top notch!

[@livesandhistories]

Thank you kindly.

[@AmericanAmy]

Love your videos. 🙂👍

[@livesandhistories]

Glad you like them!

[@MisterSplendy]

Magnificent lady.

[@igor-yp1xv]

Very cool

[@freyasslain2203]

La Grande Madamoiselle is a living breathing cautionary tale , when a stupid spoiled brat inherits too much wealth , and has too much time on her hands . Her hubris .Her big mouth and her love for mischief making dug her grave . She deserved what she got . Luckily for her , the merciful Anne of Austria was the ruler , at the time of the Fronde . If it had been Elizabeth Tudor , La Grande Madamoiselle would have lost her head .

[@joyarana5121]

Love your videos. Amazing! New subscriber here. 🇵🇭❤️

[@livesandhistories]

Welcome!! Thank you Maria.

[@platinum11110]

1) according to documents of the time she was an insufferable person and too full of herself 2) Charles Stuart didn't like her, he thought she was ugly; it was his mother, Henrietta Maria, who wanted that marriage.

[@elainechubb971]

Thank you for an interesting and detailed account of the life of la Grande Mademoiselle. I first made her acquaintance in one of the historical novels of Margaret Irwin, "Royal Flush," whose heroine is Henriette (called Minette), youngest sister of Charles II, who married Louis XIV's younger brother, Philippe d'Orleans, known as Monsieur. (I find French royal titles rather amusing; apart from the Dauphin, eldest son of the King, and his wife the Dauphine, the next oldest brother of the King was Monsieur--apparently the only gentleman of the French court--and his wife was Madame. And the Monsieur of each reign was also Duc d'Orleans--or, in the case of la Grande Mademoiselle, Duchesse d'Orleans.) La G.M. was a vivid character in the novel--described very much as in your factual video. When she came back to the court in the 1660s, time had passed her by; she was an aging princess of the previous reign and rather despised by the courtiers. In the novel, she was a tragic/comic figure and very lacking in self-awareness or understanding of the world. Your video shows how her lack of education hampered her. (This seems to have been a long-standing problem; Mary Queen of Scots was also impeded by lack of a good education--whereas Elizabeth I of England was highly educated, which no doubt helped her survive.) This is one of my all-time favorite novels, and it's great to have more details about this period!

[@livesandhistories]

Indeed, it’s quite accurate to call la G.M. a tragic/comic figure. That’s how I perceived her too. In case you’re interested, there’s also a video I’ve made about Minette - the wife of Monsieur. Thank you for your comment, Elaine.

[@elainechubb971]

@@livesandhistories i shall be sure to watch your video on Minette!

[@user-bo2qc6jt6d]

interesting information

[@crystalharris7394]

💗💗💗

[@universemadeofcreativity5820]

My goodness she definitely the personality of a unique moment even for her time you would think she'd be unbelievably hopeful romantic but she had a different level of what she wanted and she knew how she wanted it in many ways it may have felt like she may have missed opportunities been more ways she was just a very modern woman and others maybe not the most realistic to be honest but she didn't exactly have the best examples that came to concept of love apparently and the ones that she did either we're not you're very realistic or she did not have the same value of what real love to look like or even just genuine feeling I don't know maybe I'm over thinking that last one but my goodness she really wanted to give her heart to with a complete little trouble of a man she did genuinely died with dignity she lived her life as best she could to her personally believe in ideologies and she died with dignity in my opinion Seriously what is with the people the Stewart family dynasty with such a weird bad luck? Seriously the women have personality even the most demure and shy seem to get bottom of the barrel bad luck?

[@livesandhistories]

You're right. "Unbelievably hopeful romantic" - she did not know the meaning of it :) Thank you for watching.

[@daya820]

The betrayal was awful! Poor woman.

[@livesandhistories]

Quite so. Thank you for watching, Daya.

[@missmaggie2620]

It's amazing the jewelry they created in those days...I'm just curious how they cultivated the pearls in her ears. How did they find all those pearls? Then the beautiful embroidery on her gowns. The time that it took, let alone without any electricity, but in the daylight & by candlelight. Then look at the painting of the King's Mistress, how did they do that...the gauze around her bodice... it's sparkles...it's not like the painters could go into a store and buy paint. I wonder who that painter was...amazing.

[@livesandhistories]

Charles Beaubrun was the painter's name. Thank you for watching.

[@plamenivanov92]

Specially for her they made up the title Granddaughter of France

[@houseofvanity8]

🥰🥰

[@patricialong5767]

The royals were all so involved, relatively speaking, so no wonder they had so many medical/health problems,. Keep it all in the family, aye? Ick!

[@davidvoelkel8392]

Tragic life

[@plamenivanov92]

Too bad she rejected Charles II on the other hand if Charles II did not marry Catherine de Bragansa England would never started the tradition of drinking tea

[@livesandhistories]

Quite so. You win some, you lose some :) Thank you for watching.

[@susprime7018]

Lausanne, what a grand chien.

[@livesandhistories]

I know. You're right.

[@Meela234]

Should have married Charles II of England. She turned her nose up at the wrong person.

[@kimmccabe1422]

I'm enjoying these stories. Thank you. Viva La France. If only the French believed in education, knowledge, and wisdom more.. Like Italy, all about sex, money or power. Latin way? Well I'm Latin and i like reading books so viva le 21st century and change. THIS CHICK WAS STUCK IN A TIME WHERE YOU MUST ATLEAST LOVE A MAN OR YOU WEREN'T A TRUE WOMEN. TRUST ME, SHE FELT NO STIRRINGS FOR MEN. JUST PRETEND LAND. Poor princess, if only she cld have taken her money and run.,.RUN!

[@livesandhistories]

Thank you for watching Kim. I am so glad you like these videos.

[@elfeling7187]

GrandE Mademoiselle (feminine form).

[@livesandhistories]

Yes, but in English she is referred to as The Grand Mademoiselle. Thank you for watching.

[@kurtfelix1412]

She was too greedy. Could've been Queen of England