Anne D'Arpajon, Countess of Noailles

Anne d'Arpajon
Spouse(s)	Philippe de Noailles, Duke of Mouchy
Issue
Philippe Louis, Duke of Mouchy Louis Marc Antoine, Viscount Noailles
Father	Louis de Sévérac
Mother	Anne Charlotte le bas de Montargis
Born	4 March 1729(1729-03-04) Arpajon, France
Died	27 June 1794(1794-06-27) (aged 65) [discuss] Barrière du Trône, Paris

Anne Claude Louise d'Arpajon, Comtesse de Noailles (4 March 1729 in Arpajon, France - 27 June 1794 at Barrière du Trône, Paris ^[1]) was a French aristocrat and first lady of honor to Queens of France, Marie Leszczyńska and Marie Antoinette. She was called "Madame Etiquette" by Marie Antoinette for her insistence that no minutia of court etiquette ever be altered or disregarded.^[2]

Family and background

A highly realistic depiction of Countess of Noailles.^[discuss]

Her father, Louis de Sévérac, Marquis d'Arpajon-sur-Cère (1667–1736), bought the Marquisat of Saint-Germain-lès-Châtres in 1720, and was granted permission by Philippe d'Orléans (régent for Louis XV), to rename it Saint-Germain-lès-Arpajon, and its seat Arpajon.^[3] Her mother, Anne Charlotte Le Bas de Montargis, was lady in waiting to the duchesse de Berry. Anne Claude married Philippe, duc de Mouchy, Captain of the Hunts at Versailles, on 27 November 1741.

Relations with Marie Antoinette

In 1770, she was made lady in waiting to the new crown princess, Marie Antoinette, upon her arrival in France. She met Marie Antoinette at the border, where she was a part of the French entourage, and was made responsible for her court and behaviour at Versailles. Marie Antoinette greatly disliked her,^[4] as she prevented her from doing things she liked with reference to court etiquette, and she gave her the name Madame Etiquette. When in 1774 Marie Antoinette became a queen, she fired Countesse of Noilles, prompting her to become a part of the noble opposition to the queen with the Kings' aunts, Mesdames, at Bellevue ^[4]

The French Revolution

Countess Anne and her husband Philippe were guillotined during the French Revolution on 27 June 1794. Many of her relatives met the same fate. On July 22, 1794, the widow, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter of Philippe's brother Louis, 4th duc de Noailles, were guillotined. Louis's other granddaughter, Adrienne, wife of the Marquis de Lafayette, was saved by the intervention of America's Minister to France, James Monroe.^[5] They and the other nobles who died at the guillotine are buried at Picpus Cemetery, which is also the final resting place of the Marquis and Marquise de Lafayette.^[6]

Issue

1. Louise Henriette Charlotte Philippine de Noailles (1745–1832)
2. Charles Adrien de Noailles (1747), prince de Poix;
3. Louis Philippe de Noailles (1748–1750), prince de Poix;
4. Daniel François Marie de Noailles (1750–1752), marquis de Noailles later prince de Poix;
5. Philippe-Louis-Marc-Antoine de Noailles, 1st duc de Mouchy (1752–1819)
6. Louis-Marie, vicomte de Noailles (1756–1804)

In popular culture

Anne d'Arpajon was played by Judy Davis in Marie Antoinette in 2006, and by Cora Witherspoon in Marie Antoinette in 1938.

References

1. ^ Généalogie de Carné Accessed 8 October 2008
2. ^ Madame Campan, François Barrière. "Memoirs of the private life of Marie Antoinette, Queen of France and Navarre." p.50. Harvard College Library, 1823
3. ^ Arpajon Site Officiel Accessed 8 October 2008
4. ^ ^{a b} Stefan Zweig: Marie Antoinette, Förlag Forum, Juva, Finland 1992, Erland Rådberg (Swedish edition). ISBN 91-37-10298-2.
5. ^ ExecutedToday.com, Accessed 10 October 2008
6. ^ Ryan's Paris, Accessed 10 October 2008

Persondata
Name	Darpajon, Anne Calaude Louise
Alternative names	Countess of Noailles
Short description
Date of birth	4 March 1729
Place of birth
Date of death	27 June 1794
Place of death