Princess Anne Charlotte of Lorraine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Anne Charlotte de Lorraine |
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| Abbess of Remiremont, Mons and Essen | |
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| Born | 17 May 1714 Château de Lunéville, Duchy of Lorraine |
| Died | 7 November 1773 (aged 59) Mons, Austrian Netherlands |
| Burial | Church of Saint-François-des-Cordeliers, Nancy, France |
| House | House of Lorraine |
| Father | Leopold, Duke of Lorraine |
| Mother | Élisabeth Charlotte d'Orléans |
| Religion | French Catholic |
Anne Charlotte of Lorraine was a princess born on May 17, 1714. She became an important religious leader, serving as the Abbess of Remiremont and Mons. She was one of fifteen children born to Leopold, Duke of Lorraine, and his wife, Élisabeth Charlotte d'Orléans. Her mother was a niece of the famous French king, Louis XIV of France. She was also the sister of Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, who ruled France for a time when Louis XV was a young boy. Anne Charlotte passed away on November 7, 1773.
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Early Life and Family
Anne Charlotte was born at the Château de Lunéville. At that time, the capital city of Lorraine, Nancy, was occupied by French soldiers. This was due to a big war called the War of the Spanish Succession. She was given the name Charlotte, just like her mother.
Her Brothers and Sisters
When Anne Charlotte was born, she had four older siblings who were still alive. These included her brothers, Léopold Clément and Francis Stephen. Francis Stephen later became a very important emperor. She also had a sister named Élisabeth Thérèse and another brother, Charles-Alexandre.
In 1719, the beautiful Château de Lunéville, where Anne Charlotte was born, was badly damaged by a fire.
Visiting the French Court
When Anne Charlotte was about seven years old, she visited the French royal court. This was her mother's family, the House of Bourbon. She met her grandmother, the Dowager Duchess of Orléans, for the first and only time. This special visit was for the coronation of King Louis XV at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Rheims. Her grandmother thought Anne Charlotte was a "little beauty." She also said that Anne Charlotte and her siblings were very well-behaved. Their mother was known for being a very caring parent. Unlike many royal mothers at the time, Anne Charlotte's mother chose to raise her children herself. They had a close and loving relationship.
Marriage Plans for Anne Charlotte
In 1723, Anne Charlotte's father, Duke Léopold, decided to send his oldest son, Léopold Clément, to Vienna for his education. He hoped his son might marry the Emperor's daughter, Maria Theresa of Austria. Sadly, Léopold Clément died that same year. His younger brother, Francis Stephen, then became the heir to Lorraine. He also moved to Vienna. Francis Stephen later married Maria Theresa and became the Holy Roman Emperor. They had sixteen children together. Anne Charlotte's younger sister, Marie Louise, also died on the same day as Léopold Clément.
Hopes for a Royal Marriage
Two years later, Anne Charlotte's parents tried very hard to arrange a marriage for her with the young King of France, Louis XV. He was only 15 years old at the time. However, the Prime Minister, the Duke of Bourbon, worked against this marriage. He was a rival of Anne Charlotte's family. He wanted the king to marry his own sister instead.
Despite these plans, a different princess was chosen for Louis XV. She was Marie Leszczyńska, the daughter of Stanislaw I of Poland. Anne Charlotte's parents were quite upset that the daughter of an exiled Polish king was chosen over their own daughter, who had been raised in a French style.
Another Marriage Proposal Fails
In 1726, the Duke of Orléans, who was Anne Charlotte's cousin, became a widower. His wife had died during childbirth. Anne Charlotte's mother tried again to arrange a marriage for her daughter. However, the Duke of Orléans refused all offers to remarry. The last offer for Anne Charlotte was made in 1729, when she was 15.
That same year, Anne Charlotte's father, Léopold, passed away. Her brother, Francis Stephen, returned to Lorraine from Vienna. Their mother, Élisabeth Charlotte, ruled Lorraine until Francis Stephen, who was 17, could take over. In 1737, the Duchy of Lorraine became part of France. In exchange, Francis Stephen received the Duchy of Tuscany.
After this, Anne Charlotte and her mother moved to Vienna. Her brother Francis's marriage to Maria Theresa helped them arrange another marriage. Anne Charlotte's sister, Princess Élisabeth Thérèse, married Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia. Sadly, the Queen of Sardinia died four years later during childbirth.
Life as an Abbess
By the time her sister married the King of Sardinia, Anne Charlotte was 23 years old. Since all her marriage proposals had failed, she decided to join a religious order. On May 10, 1738, Anne Charlotte became the Abbess of the important Remiremont Abbey. This abbey had strong ties to her family, the House of Lorraine. Her older sister, who had died before Anne Charlotte was born, had also been the titular abbess there.
Her new role caused some disagreements among other rulers. This was because Remiremont Abbey was made up only of noble ladies. It also controlled many towns and answered only to the Pope, not to any local rulers. Later, Anne Charlotte decided to build a very grand palace for the abbey.
Life in Vienna
In 1744, Anne Charlotte's mother, the Dowager Duchess of Lorraine, passed away at age 68. After her mother's death, Anne Charlotte moved to Vienna. She joined the Imperial family in Frankfurt and witnessed her brother Francis being crowned Emperor on October 4, 1745. As an abbess, she was given special apartments at the large Schönbrunn Palace.
Moving to Brussels
In 1754, when she was 30, Anne Charlotte became the Secular Abbess of the chapter of Noble Ladies of Saint Waltrude of Mons. This meant she could manage this monastery while still living in the world. She moved to Belgium to be with her youngest brother, Charles Alexander. He had been the Governor of the Austrian Netherlands since 1744.
Two years later, her sister-in-law named her as a coadjutor (a helper who would later become the head) for another monastery in Thorn. In 1757, she was also named coadjutor for the monastery in Essen.
In Brussels, Anne Charlotte had a lot of influence over her brother, Charles Alexander. She often acted as the "first lady." In 1763, she chose Princess Kunigunde of Saxony to be her successor at Remiremont. Princess Kunigunde was the sister of the Queen of Naples and Sicily and the Dauphine of France.
In 1765, Anne Charlotte attended the wedding of her nephew, the future Léopold II, to Infanta Maria Luisa of Spain in Innsbrück. In the same year, her brother, Emperor Francis, died. From April to September 1770, Anne Charlotte made one last trip to Vienna.
On her journey, Anne Charlotte met her niece, the 14-year-old Archduchess Maria Antonia. Maria Antonia was on her way to France for her own royal marriage.
Anne Charlotte died in Mons, which is now in Belgium, at the age of 59. She was buried in the Ducal Crypt in Lorraine, at the Église Saint-François-des-Cordelier. Her brother Charles Alexander was buried there in 1780.
