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French Eccleastical Territory
Also see France Substates, Princess-Abbesses and Women Clergy
The Monastery of Remiremont
(including Saint Pierre, Metz and 72 other lordships) (Chapitres
de dames nobles de Remiremont (Saint-Pierre de Remiremont)
Remiremont was the most illustrious monastery in whole of Europe. It was
founded ca 620 and transferred to its present location in 818. The act of 1070
whereby the abbey became directly dependent of the emperor is probably a
falsification - it was probably much earlier that this statute was achieved.
The Abbess, who
was elected among the highest nobility, was granted the title of Princesse
d'Empire - Princess of the Holy Roman Empire in 1290.
Alternatively it did not happen until Duke Theobald von Lothringen asked king
Albrecht to grant the Abbess of Reiremont the status of a Princess of the Realm.
She reigned over 74 lordships, and as sovereign of the territory she had
the right to choose the mayor of Remiremont from a list proposed by the nobles
of the city. The mayor's deputy, the Grand Eschevin, was chosen by the mayor
from a list of 3 candidates presented by the bourgeois of the city with her
advice.
Ca 620 Mactefliède (Mactfledis)
... Erkhendrudis
...Sigoberga-Vecile-Clara
...Gebedrudis-Tetta
...Seuilla
...Ansberga
...Ermentrudis
...Perpetua
...Uuachila I
...Huna
...Alahtrudis
...Ruotheit
...Guncia
...Plictrudis
...Giltrudis
...Until 818/19 Imma
...819/20-862/65 Teythildis
Teuthildis
...Asprin
...Adeluuis
Until ca. 900 Uulfrada II
Until ca. 920s Ida I
Until ca. 940s Berta
...Adelsinda
During the reign of King Otto I of Germany
Around 960s Ermengardis
Around 970/75 Uulfrada III
Around 970s/980s Gisela I.
Around 980's-begining of 1000s Haduidis I
Around 1000
Richenza de Lorraine
She was daughter of Count Hermann I Pusillus, Count in Auelgau and Count
Palatine of Lorraine (945-996), and Heylwig von Dillingen.
Around 1000-1020 Uuilleburga
Ca. 1020-35 Dame Abbesse Berscinda
Daughter of Gerard/Gerhard II von Metz, Count of Elsass and Eva von Luxemburg.
She lived (After 1013-40)
1035-68/70 Dame Abbesse Oda d'Alsace
Also known as Ode de Luxembourg, she was daughter of Gérard d'Alsace, Comte de Metz
and Duke of Lorraine, and Gisèle
Around 1065 Dame Doyenne Bilarde
1070-ca. 1115 Dame Abbesse Gisèle II von Lothringen of Remiremont, St. Pierre and Metz
She falshified a document that stated that she optained independent political
position of the abbey from Emperor Heinrich IV on 28. September 1070 and the
document showing that Pope Urban II placed the abbey
directly under his protection in 1088 was also falce. She lived
(1070-1114).
Ca. 1114-61/4 Dame
Abbesse Judith I de Lorraine
1139-61/4 Dame Abbesse
of St. Pierre and Metz
Also known as Judith de Vaudemont, she succeeded her aunt Gisèle II and was in
dispute over the authority over the chapter with her counsins, Simon I and
Mathieu I and Lorraine, and did not hesitate to appeal to Emperor Konrad III to
maintain her rights. She was daughter of Thierry II of Lorraine and Hedwig von Formbach.
Ca. 1114-23 Dame Doyenne Emma
Around 1151 Dame Doyenne Berthe
Ca. 1155-60 Dame Doyenne Eve
Ca. 1160-65 Dame Doyenne Ide
Before 1165-79 Dame Abbesse Mathildis
Ca. 1176-80 Dame Doyenne Adélaide
Around 1180s Dame
Abbesse Cunegundes
Around 1180s Dame
Abbesse Euphemia
Around 1194 Dame Abbesse Clémemce de Vois
1191-ca. 96 Dame
Abbesse Clémence de Lunéville
Ca. 1196-ca. 1204 Dame
Abbesse Cecile II.
Ca. 1205-ca. 10 Dame
Abbesse Haduidis II.
Ca. 1209-15 Dame Abbesse Agnès de Monbis
Ca. 1211-31 Dame
Abbesse Margarete (Marguerite)
1231-39 Dame Abbesse Agatha
von Bitsch
Also Abbess of L'Entanche and Bouxières, she was daughter of Frederick I, Duke von Bitsch and Lorraine and Ludmilla of
Poland (d. 1242). Her sister was also Abbess at one point.
....
Ca. 1246-79 Dame
Abbesse Agnès II de Salm
After her death, there were 2 candidates for her succession: Marguerite de Bayon
and Agnès de Glère
.........
About
1287 Dame
Abbesse Anne I de Glère
Abbess of Säckingen and charged with the administration of Masevaux when she was
imposed as Abbess by Emperor Rudolf von Habsburg. Later excommunicated for
ursurping the abbasiate.
1288-92 Dame Doyenne Clémence
d'Oiselay
1292 Secrète
1306-24/26 Princess-Abbess
Also known as d'Oyselet, d'Oiselet
or Oizelay, she was
aughter of Jean d'Oyselet,
Seigneur de Flagey, the issue of an illegitemate branch
of the Counts of
Bourgogne
Around 1290 Princess-Abbess Laure-Félicité de Dombasle
Raised to the rang of Princesse of the Empire (princesse d'Empire) in 1295, the same year a peace-treaty was concluded with the Duke of Lorraine,
Ferry III, after years of dispute over control of the territory. In 1284
Emperor Rudolph had married Elisabeth de Bourgogne in the abbey. She was member
of a line of the countly family of Salm.
Ca. 1293-ca. 1303 Princess-Abbess Catherine I de Vaudemont
1294-98 Dame Doyenne Gertrude
1300 Dame Doyenne Simonette/Pétronille de Dommartin
Before 1322 Dame Doyenne Clémence de Scey
1324/26-47 Princesse-Abbesse
Jeanne I de Vaudemont
Daughter of Henri II de Vaudemont, Count de Vaudémont et d'Ariano and
Helissende de Vergy, Dame du Fay, and lived (Ca. 1267-1347)
1329-46
Dame Doyenne Jeanne de Lanques
The list is not totally consistant - several women are named as Dame Doyennes at the
same time.
Before 1330 Dame Doyenne Judith
Before 1333 Dame Doyenne Marie de Bergues
Before 1334 Dame Doyenne Jeanne de Mont
Before 1336 Dame Doyenne Béatrix d'Arcey
Before
1340 Dame Doyenne Alix de Marey (Known as Adèle)
1350 Princess-Abbess Simonetta de Vara/Symonate de Varre
1350-66 Princess-Abbess Eléonore de Châlon
Also known as Aliénor, she was the 10th child of John II de Chalon and Alix de Bourgogne.
1351
Dame Doyenne Marguerite de Charmes
Also sometime Abbesse
1358 Dame Doyenne Isabelle de Scey
1359 Dame Doyenne Cathrine de Saint-Remy
1366-70
Dame Doyenne Guye de Granges dite d'Arbois
Secrète ca. 1370-76.
1369-1404 Princess-Abbess Jeanne II d'Aigremont
In 1371 an act stated that there were 21 ladies in residence. Her long reign
contributed to the development and stability of the chapter.
1395
Dame Doyenne Cunégonde d'Oricourt
1404-06 Administratrice
1406
Dame Doyenne Cathreine de Saint-Aubin
1406-07 Administratrice
1407-18 Princess-Abbess Henriette II
d'Amoncourt
She had been Secrète 1381, 1384 and afterwards. Her election was contested by
the supporteres of Catherine de Blamont, Abbess of Epinal (d. 1408), and Henri de Blamont deployed his troops
in the territory, making it impossible for her to take up her position until
1412.
1414-21
Dame Doyenne Isabelle de Demangevelle
1421-44 Princess-Abbess
Also known as
Yasabel. In 1441 Duchess Isabelle de Lorraine stated in a document that the
chapter had 40 noble ladies residing.
1418 Princess-Abbess Marguetite II de Salvain/Grilde de Salverne
1432 Dame Doyenne Alix de Ville-sur-Illon
1427-52
Dame Doyenne Jeanne III
d'Anglure de Germainvilliers
1473-1505
Princesse-Abbesse
In the beginning of the sixteenth century discipline was lax and the
nuns, without the pope's consent, declared themselves canonesses. They did not
take the vows and admitted only novices who could give proof of noble descent.
Also Dame de Germainvilliers. (d. 1505).
1444-52 Princess-Abbess Henrica III de Vienne
Also known as Henriette de Vienne
1452-53 Princess-Abbess Jenne III de
Chauvirey
1452-55
Dame Doyenne Alix de Paroye
1455-73 Princess-Abbess
In 1468 the territory was hit by
plague.
1473 Princess-Abbess
Catherine II de Neufchatel
Her election was not confirmed.
A sister, Agnes was canoness at Remiremont until her death in 1474 and another,
Marguerite, was Abbess of Baume-les-Dame. They were children of Thibaut
IX, Lord de Neufchatel, de Blamont, etc, Vicomte de Baume, Marshall and
Captain-General of Burgundy and Bonne de Chateauvillain, Dame de Grancey.
Catherine lived (1455-1501)
1487 Dame Doyenne Clémemce d'Uzès
1505-07
Princess-Abbess
Agnes II de Dommartin
As
sovereign of the territory she had the right to choose the mayor of Remiremont
from a list proposed by the nobles of the city. The mayor's deputy, the Grand
Eschevin, was chosen by the mayor from a list of 3 candidates presented by the
bourgeois of the city with her advice.
1507-20
Princesse-Abbesse Alix de Choiseul
Also known as
Aleidis, she resigned in favour
of Madeleine de Choiseul shortly before her own death.
1520 Princess-Abbess Madeleine de Choiseul
1528-44 Coadjutrice
1544 Princess-Abbess
She was selected by her predecessor, and not elected by the ladies of the
chapter as the rules stipulated, which caused some protests, and she resigned in
favour of Nicole de Dommartin, who resigned shortly after in favour of
Marguerite d'Haraucourt. This on the other hand was contested by
Marguerite de Neufchâel, who appointed Madeleine as Coadjutrice when she
prevailed in 1528 after years of incertanties. After Madame de Neuchâtel's death
Madeleine was Princess-Abbess for a few months' before being succeeded by Madame
d'Haraucourt.
1520-? Princess-Abbess Nicole de Dommartin
Her election as successor of Madeleine de Choiseul, was contested by Marguerite
de Neufchâtel, Abbess of Baume, and she soon resigned in favour of Margureite d'Haraucourt,
but Madame de Neufchâtel prevailed in 1528, and appointed Madeleine de Choiseul as
coadjutrice.
1528-44 Princess-Abbess Marguerite III de Neufchatel
Since 1520 she had contested the appointment of Madeleine de Choiseul, the
election of Nicole de Dommartin and her resignation in favour of Marguerite
d'Haraucurt and in 1528 she finally gained the upper hand, and then appointed
Madeleine de Choiseul as coadjutice. Marguerite's sister, Bonne, succeeded their brother, Thibaut XI, as Dame de Neufchatel in
1500/04 and lived until 1515. Her younger sister, Elizabeth de Neufchatel was
Dame de Chatel-sur-Moselle, etc, They were children of Claude, Lord de
Neufchatel, etc, Vicomte de Baume, Governor of Luxembourg and Burgundy, Marshall
of Burgundy, etc. and Bonne van Bolchen. Marguerite lived (Ca. 1480-1544)
1544-68
Princesse-Abbesse
Marguerite IV d'Haraucourt
Adound 1520 Madeleine de Choiseul had resigned as Princess-Abbess in her favour,
but Marguerite de Neufchâtel prevailed in the powerstruggle in 1528. After her
death in 1544 she was succeeded by Madame de Choiseul, who was in office for a
few months before she died. Marguerite d'Haraucourt was also
known by the surname of d'Ubex
because her family owned the castle Ubexy, which had been inherited by Elisabeth
d'Haraucourt in 1543, the wife of Nicolas du Châtelet, who had no children. She
was
the 42nd Abbess of the Chapter. In 1565 the war of "panonceaux" broke out
between Duke Charles III of Lorraine and the ladies of the chapter, who used the
Imperial Eagles in the city shield to show their independence. Charles profited
by the fact that Emperor Maximillan II was tied up in Hungary and used force to
have his sovereignty recognised.
1565-68 Coadjutrice
Renée de Dinteville
1568-80
Princesse-Abbesse
Elected because duke Charles III of Lorraine preferred an Abbess from the local
nobility of the Duchy. 1579 was forced to accept Barbe de Salm as Coadjutrice of the
Chapter.
1579-80 Coadjutrice Barbe de Salm
1580-1602
Princesse-Abbesse
The other canonisses refused to accept the automatic succession of
Barbara von Salm and instead they elected Huberte de Chastenay and appealed to
the pope, but he ruled in favour of Barbe, who appointed her rival as
Coadjutrice and managed to build up a good relationship with the ladies of the
chapter. 1588 the territory was again hit
by the plague.
1580 Coadjutrice Huberte de Chastenay
Elected as Princess-Abbess by the ladies of the chapter, but the pope accepted
the automatic succession of Barbe de Salm, who appointed her as Coadjutrice.
1602-11
Princesse-Abbesse
Elisabeth I de Salm
Resigned in favour of Catherine de Lorraine ad recieved a large pension.
She was daughter of Friedrich I de Salm, Wild- und Rheingraf in Dhaun et
Neuviller-sur-Moselle and Franziska zu Salm. Around 1605 the copper production
in the mines at Thillot reached its
maximum.
1609-12 Coadjotrice Catherine de Lorraine-Vaudemont
1612-48 Princesse-Abbesse Catherine IV
In 1638 the troups of Turenne occupied Remiremont for a month. The following
year she obtained the neutrality of Vosges (for Epinal, Remiremont, Bruyère, St
Dié, Arches) for the rest of the Thirty Years War war. She tried to reform the
convent, but failed and also founded the Monatery of the Ladies
du Saint Sacrement in Nancy, and was daughter of François II de
Vaudemont, duke of Lorraine, and lived (1576-1648)
Around 1609 Dame Doyenne
Claude de Fresnel
Leading in the opposition against the Coadjutrice Catherine de Lorraine and
appealed to the pople, who again took the part of the Ducal family of Lorraine.
1648-57 Princess-Abbess Elisabeth II d'Alençon
of Remiremont
Elisabeth-Marguerite d'Orléans, Mademoiselle d'Alençon was 2 years old when
she was elected as sovereign of the chapter, and therefore her parents, Gaston
Jean Baptiste de France, Duke d'Anjou, d'Orléans, Chartres, Valois, d'Alençon,
comte de Blois, Monthéry et de Limours, baron d'Amboise, seigneur de Montargi
and Marguerite de Lorraine, reigned for her. She never visited the chapter
and in 1657 she married Duke Louis Joseph de Guise (1650-71) with whom she had one
child, François Joseph de Guise (1670-75). The former Princess-Abbess lived
(1646-96).
1657-60
Princesse-Abbesse Marie-Anne of Lorraine
Elected Abbess at the age of 11, she was
daughter of Nicolas
François, who resigned as Cardinal in 1634 to become Duke of Lorraine
(1634-61), and Claude de Lorraine (1612-1648). She lived (1648-61).
1657-60 Administrator the Dame Doyenne N.N.
1661-1702
Princesse-Abbesse
Dorothée-Marie de
Salm
She was elected Coadjutrice with the right of succession as a child, and when
Marie-Anne died, she was elected Abbess. 1677 she moved to the chateau of some
relatives, Neuviller-sur-Moselle, 3 days of travelling from Remiremont, where
she took up the fight for her position against the Administratrice, Bernarde de
Cléron de Saffre,
The territory was hit by an
earthquake
in 1688. 1691 she travelled to Paris to
plead her case before the king and the ladies of the chapter send Madame de
Bourdonné as their envoy. 1693 the king confirmed the seigneurial rights over
the town of Remiremont and continued to share the rights of high, middle and low
court with the town. Orignally named Dorothea Maria zu Salm, she was was daughter of
Prince Leopold Philipp Karl zu Salm and Countess Maria Anna von
Bronckhorst-Batenburg, Heiress of Anholt, who died in Remiremont in 1661, and lived (1651-1702)
1660-66 Joint Administratrice Hélène
d'Anglure
As Dame Doyenne she was Second-in-Command. She protested against the election of Dorothée de Salm as Abbess, since she was below the required age of 25 at the
age of her election, but the Pope dispended for the rule, but she remained in
dispute with Dorothée until her death.
1660-77 Joint Administratrice
Bernarde de Cléron de Saffre
1666-84-1704-? Dame Doyenne
Held the office of Dame Sonière and held as adminsitrator together with the Dame
Doyenne, Hélène d'Anglure, for the under-age Princess-Abbess Dorothée de Salm.
After she was elected as Madame d'Anglure's successor she continued
the powerstruggle with the Abbess, who named her sister, Christine, as
"Second-in-Command" in 1700 and it was her who acted as Regent for the minor
Elisabeth Charlotte Gabrielle Lorraine from 1700 and 11 years onwards, not Bernarde.
1702-10 Administratrice
Christine de Salm
In 1684 her sister Princess-Abbess Dorothée de Salm, had her named as
Second-in-Command against the ancient tradition where the Dame Doyenne was the Deputy
to the Abbess. She was then named Secréte, the third-in-command, after the death of Anne
de Malain de Lux by the Pope, but never-the-less the ladies of the chapter
elected Elisabeth-Gabrielle-Françoise Rouxel de Médavy to the post, but
Christina von Salm contnued as her sister's de-facto deputy, and she was Acting
Head of the chapter during the minority of Élisabeth-Charlotte. She lived (1653-?).
1703-11 Princess-Abbess Elisabeth Charlotte
Gabrielle de Lorraine
Her father, Duke Léopold of Lorraine, tried to impose her as Coadjutrice with
the right of succession. The Princess-Abbess Dorothée asked the Professors at
Sorbonne for advice, but they did'nt answer before her death 2 years later, so
King Louis XIV imposed Élisabeth as sovereign of the territory. She never
visited Remiremont, and lived
(1700-11)
1705-11 Coadjotrice
Béatrix Hiéronyme de Lorraine-Lillebonne
17011-38 Princesse-Abbesse
Known as the "Mademoiselle de Lillebonne", she had lived in the entourage of the Grand Dauphin at Versailles, but after his
death, she became Abbess. Also known as Mademoiselle de Lillebonne, she was daughter of Charles IV de Lorraine
and Béatrix de Cusance. She built a Hospital for the sick, poor and orphans, and lived (1662-1738).
1711-ca. 17 Dame Doyenne Barbe des Armoises
1738-73 Princesse-Abbesse Anne Charlotte I de
Lorraine
1754-73 Secular Abbess of the Chapter of Sainte-Waudru in Mons
1756-73 Coadjutrice of Thorn
1757-73 Coadjutrice of Essen
The sister of Princess-Abbess Elisabeth Charlotte Gabrielle, she
lived with her mother, Elisabeth d'Orléan in Commercy 1738-45 and was
represented by Edmée de Ténarre-Montmain by her election and she also took
posession of the chapter in her name. As a marriage with Prince Charles de
Lorraine was contemplated in 1743 a delegation of the ladies of the chapter
visited her and her mother and payed their compliments to "Her Royal Highness
Madame the Duchess and Her Serene Highness the Princess Abbess". After her
mother's death she payed a brief visit on the way to Vienna where her brother,
Franz, had been elected Emperor. She lived at his and Empress Maria-Thersia's
court until she was elected Abbess of Mons and moved there. 1764 she named
Christine de Saxe as Coadjotrice. She lived (1714 -73)
Ca. 1717-60 Dame Doyenne Hélène de Cleron
1744-59 Administratrice
The 2 Ducal Commissioners to the Chapter participated in her election even
thought it was against the rules. She was the Head of the CHapter in the absence
of the Princess Abbess, Anne Charlotte de Lorraine. (d. 1759).
1759-89 Dame Doyenne Hyacinthe
Céleste de Briey de Landres
1760-89 Administratrice
Succeeded Hélène as Head of the Chapter for the absent Princess Abbess Anne
Charlotte de Lorraine, who lived in Austria and Mons. Hyachinthe Céleste lived
(1713-89).
Until
1764 Coadjutrice Marguerite Louise de Lorraine-Marsan
Daughter of Charles Louis de Lorraine-Marsan (1696-1755) and Elisabeth de
Roquelaure (1697-1752), and lived (1723-64).
1764-73
Coadjutrice Christine de Saxe
1773-75 Princesse-Abbesse
Marie Christine von Sachsen, Royal Princess of Poland was
the sister of the Dauphinie and named Coadjutrice after the personal
intervention of king Louis XV. She held her festive entry to the chapter 18
moths after her election. From 1779 she lived in Strasbourg and only returned to
Remiremont for very brief visits. She was daughter of King Friedrich August III of Poland and aunt of King Louis XVI.
Her sister, Maria Kunigunde,
was Princess-Abbess of Essen and Thorn from 1776. Marie Christine lived (1735-82).
1775-82 Coadjutrice Anne Charlotte de Lorraine-Brionne
1782-86 Princesse-Abbesse Anne Charlotte II
She arrived at Remiremont in 1784 and only visited the chapter a few times. She
was daughter of Louis III Lorraine-Harcourt-Armagnac, duc de Lorraine-Harcourt,
comte Armagnac and his third wife Louise de Rohan. She lived (1756-86).
1786-90 Princesse-Abbesse Louise Adélaïde de Bourbon-Condé
Did not visit the chapter more than three times a year during her short term
in office. She was also known as Mademoiselle de Condé, she was daughter of Louis Joseph de Bourbon-Conde, Prince de Conde et Duc de
Bourbon and Charlotte de Rohan-Soubise (1737-1760). She spend much of her life
in exile, and lived (1758-1824).
1789-90 Dame Doyenne and
Adminsitratrice N.N.
Perhaps the position was held by Madame de Ténarre-Villers, who had been elected
Secrète in 1783.
Abbey of Andelau (l'abbaye d'Andlau in Franche-Comté)
It was founded by Empress Richarde, the wife of Karl III the Great, which along
the years came to own many lordships in Alsace and France. In 1288 the Abbess was
given the title of princesse d’Empire with the right of wote in the Diet of the
Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation (avec droit de
vote au Diètes du Saint Empire germanique). In 1686 the the Abbess made a treaty
with Louis XIV who agreed to respect the freedom of the canonesses to chose
their own abbess and that she would become princesse d’empire, a position that
did not exist in France. The chapter was abolished during the revolution in 1789
Around 1348 Princess-Abbess Jeanne-Madeleine de Flachslanden
........
Royal Abbey of Fontevraud (L'Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud/Fontevraud-L'Abbaye)
The chapter was founded in 1101, and was unique in the way that the community
was placed directly under the Pope and the King of France. The monks in the
dubble-convent was commanded by a Prior under the control of the Abbess.
1101-13 Hersende
1115-49 Pétronille de Chemillé
A cousin of
Abbot Geoffrey of Vendôme she had married into the family of the lords of Chemillé.
At the time of her death there were more than 50 mixed monasteries in the order, headed by a female superior,
distributed across the region bounded by northern Champagne, Lyonnais, and
Aragon. It was the largest and
wealthiest federation of monasteries for women in Western Europe.
1149-55 Mathilde I d'Anjou
She was the daughter of Fulk,
King of Jerusalem, and widow of William, the eldest son of Henry I, of England
1155-80 Audeburge de Haute-Bruyère
1180-89 Gilles/Gillette
1189-94 Mathilde II de Flandre (Adelaide
de Blois, Abbess of Fontevrault 1190)
1194-1207 Mathilde III de Bohême
Princess of Bohemia.
1207-08 Marie I de Champagne (de Bourgogne)
The prosperity of the abbey continued under
her reign, but by the end of the twelfth century, owing to the state of the
country and the English wars, the nuns were reduced to gaining their livelihood
by manual work. The situation was aggravated by internal dissensions which
lasted a hundred years.
1208-09 Ala/Alix de
Bourbon
1209-18 Alix de Champagne
Granddaughter of Louis VII.
1218-28 Berthe
1228-44 Adèle (Alix) de
Bretagne
1244-65 Mabile de la Ferté (or de Blois)
1265-76 Jeanne de Dreux (de Brenne)
1276-84 Isabeau I Davoir
1284-1304 Marguerite I de Pocey
1304-42 Aliénor I de Bretagne
1342-49 Isabeau II de Valois
Great ganddaughter of Saint-Louis. After her death there followed another period
of trouble and decadence largely due to the disaffection of the monks who where
discontented with their subordinate position
1349-53 Théophanie de
Chambon
1353-73 Jeanne de Mangey
1373 Adélaïde de Ventadour
1373-93 Eléonore (Aliénor) II de Parthenay
She had first been Abbess of St-Jean de Bonneval-lès-Thouars. She was daughter
of Jean I, sire de Parthenay, de St-Christophe et de Semblançay, gouverneur de
Saintonge and Marie de Beaujeu (Forez).
1393-1431 Blanche d'Harcourt
Cousin of Charles VI.
1431-51 Marie II d'Harcourt
Marguerite de Beaufort de Montmorency was elected "anti-abbess", but she was
recognized as the official head of the congregation by the Pope.
1431-34 Marguerite de Beaufort de Montmorency
Elected in opposition to Marie II and was not recognized by the Pope.
1451-57 Marie III de Montmorency
1457-75
Marie IV de Bretagne
Daughter of King Henry III of England and Eleanor Berenger of Province
The order had suffered severely from the decay of
religion, which was general about this time, as well as from the Hundred Years
War. In the three priories of St-Aignan, Breuil, and Ste-Croix there were in all
but five nuns and one monk, where there had been 187 nuns and 17 monks at the
beginning of the thirteenth century, and other houses were no better off. In
1459, a papal commission decided upon a mitigation of rules which could no
longer be enforced, and nuns were even allowed to leave the order on the simple
permission of their priories. Dissatisfied with the mitigated life of
Fontevrault, she moved to the priory of La Madeleine-les-Orléans
in 1471. Here she deputed a commission consisting of religious of various orders
to draw up a definite Rule based on the Rules of Blessed Robert, St. Benedict,
and St. Augustine, together with the Acts of Visitations. The resulting code was
finally approved by Sixtus IV in 1475, and four years later it was made
obligatory upon the whole order. She lived (1442-77).
1477-91 Anne d'Orléans
Sister of Louis XII, she continued the reforms of the order initiated by Marie
de Bretagne.
1491-1534
Renée de Bourbon
Possibly the greatest of
the abbesses, both on account of the numbers of priories in which she
re-established discipline, and the victory which she gained over the rebellious
religious at Fontevrault by the reform, enforced with royal assistance in 1502.
The result was a great influx of novices of the highest rank, including several
princesses of Valois and Bourbon. At her death there were 160 nuns and 150
monks at Fontevrault.
1534-75
Louise I de Bourbon
She was a woman of sincere but gloomy piety, and during her tenure the
order suffered many losses at the hands of the Protestants, who even besieged
the great abbey itself, though without success; many nuns apostatized, but
twelve more houses were reformed.
1575-1611
Eléonore III de Bourbon
She had great influence with her nephew,
Henri IV, and her affection for him was so great that, towards the end of her
life, when he was assassinated, her nuns dared not tell her lest the shock
should be too great.
1611-37
Louise II de Bourbon-Lavedan
Aided by the famous Capuchins, Ange de Joyeuse and Joseph du Tremblay, she
sought to improve the status of the monks of St-Jean de l'Habit and made various
attempts to establish theological seminaries for them. Daughter of Charles de
Bourbon, Vicomte de
Lavedan - son of Jean II, Duke of Bourbon and Auvergne - and Jeanne Louise
d'Albret.
1637-70
Jeanne-Baptiste de Bourbon
At the age of 10 she enterede the Abbey of Chelles and Louise de Bourbon-Lavedan
appointed her as coadjutrice at the age of 16, but she did not take over the
position until she was 25. She reigned with absolute "souverainty" and her
direct dependence on the Pope in Rome allowed her to act automously from the
church in France. In 1641 she obtained royal letters
confirming the reform and finally quashing the claims of the monks, who sought
to organize themselves independently of the authority of the abbess. The
following year the Rule approved by Sixtus IV was printed at Paris. But
in 1658 the Sacred Congregation of Rites categorically condemned
the acts where she of her own authority, obliged the monks and nuns of her
obedience to recite offices, say Masses, and observe rites and ceremonies which
had never been sanctioned or approved of by the Pope.
She was the
legitimized daughter of king Henri IV and Charlotte des Essarts, and her
full sister, Marie Henriette de Bourbon (1609-29) was Abess of Chelles. She
lived (1608-70)
1670-1704
Gabrielle de Rochechouart de Mortemart
Marie-Madeleine-Gabrielle was sister of the Marquise de Montespan, she is said to have translated
all the works of Plato from the Latin version of Ficino. The abbey school was
frequented by the children of the highest nobility, and her successors were
entrusted with the education of the daughters of Louis XV.
1704-42 Louise-Françoise de Rochechouart
Succeeded her aunt Gabrielle de Rochechouart de Mortemart.
1742-53 Louise-Claire de Montmorin de Saint-Hérem
1753-65 Marie-Louise de Timbrone de Valence (de Thimbrune de Valence)
1765-92
Julie Sophie Charlotte de Pardaillan d'Antin
Julie-Sophie-Gillette
de Gondrin de Pardaillan d'Antin was driven
from her monastery by the Revolution; her fate is unknown. Towards the end of
the eighteenth century there were 230 nuns and 60 monks at Fontevrault, and at
the Revolution there were still 200 nuns, but the monks were few in number and
only formed a community at the mother-house. In the course of his preaching
journeys through France, Robert d'Arbrissel had founded a great number of
houses, and during the succeeding centuries others were given to the order. In
the seventeenth century the Fontevrist priories numbered about sixty in all and
were divided into the four provinces of France, Bretagne, Gascone, and Auvergne.
The order never attained to any great importance outside France though there
were a few houses in Spain and England. (d. 1797).
Royal Abbey of Chelles
.....Sainte Bertille
Friend of sainte Bathilde
Until 810 Gisèle
Sister of Charlemagne, she lived (757-810)
Until 928 Rothilde de Neustrie
Daughter of Charles le Chauve, she lived 871-928.
1543-83 Renée de Bourbon de Vendôme
The daughter of Charles de Bourbon, duc de Vendôme et de Françoise d'Alençon de
Beaumont, she lived (1527-83)
Until 1627 Marie de Guise
She was daughter of Claude de Guise, duc d'Aumale and Louise de Brézé, and lived
(1565-1627)
Until 1628/29 Marie Henriette de Bourbon
She was daughter of Henri V of France and Charlotte des Essarts de la Haye, and
lived (1609-28/29).
Until 1798 Delphine Madeleine Elisabeth de Sabran
She lived (1734-1820).
Until 1743 Louise Adélaïde d'Orléans
Daughter of the Regent, and lived (1698-1743)
Last update 03.03.07