Princess Louise of Stolberg-Gedern facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Louise of Stolberg-Gedern |
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| Countess of Albany | |
Princess Louise of Stolberg-Gedern, oil on canvas by François-Xavier Fabre
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| Consort of the Jacobite pretender | |
| Pretendence | 28 March 1772 – 30 January 1788 |
| Born | 20 September 1752 Mons, Austrian Netherlands (modern-day Belgium) |
| Died | 29 January 1824 (aged 71) Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany |
| Spouse | |
| House | Stolberg-Gedern |
| Father | Prince Gustav Adolf of Stolberg-Gedern |
| Mother | Princess Élisabeth Philippine of Hornes |
Princess Louise Maximiliane Caroline Emanuel of Stolberg-Gedern (born September 20, 1752 – died January 29, 1824) was a princess who became known as the Countess of Albany. She was married to Charles Edward Stuart. He was the Jacobite claimant to the thrones of England and Scotland. Their marriage was difficult, and she later received permission to live separately. Louise became famous for hosting special gatherings called "salons" in Paris and Florence. Important artists and thinkers would meet there.
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Early Life of Princess Louise
Louise was born in Mons, which is now part of Belgium. She was the oldest daughter of Prince Gustav Adolf of Stolberg-Gedern. Her mother was Princess Elisabeth of Hornes. Louise had three younger sisters. When she was only four years old, her father died in a battle. This meant her family had much less money.
When Louise was seven, she went to a school at the convent of St. Waudru in Mons. This convent helped young noble ladies who did not have much money. Louise learned to play guitar, sing, and dance well. She also enjoyed reading French novels. She wanted to leave the convent because it was not a happy place.
In 1766, Empress Maria Theresa of Austria helped Louise get a special allowance from the convent. This meant Louise was a "canoness," which is a type of nun. However, she did not have to stay inside the convent. She was also allowed to travel and could still get married.
Her Marriage Story
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In 1771, Louise's younger sister got married. Louise was known for being very attractive. Charles Edward Stuart needed a wife. He was the Jacobite claimant to the English and Scottish thrones. The Duke of Fitz-James, an uncle of Louise's sister's husband, started talking about Louise marrying Charles.
King Louis XV of France also wanted Charles to marry. He hoped that the Stuart family line would continue. This would keep the House of Hanover rulers in England worried.
The marriage talks were tricky because Louise's family did not have much money. They depended on Empress Maria Theresa for support. On March 28, 1772, Louise married Charles Edward in Paris. This was a "proxy" marriage, meaning someone stood in for Charles.
The couple met for the first time on April 14, 1772, in Macerata, Italy. They repeated their wedding vows there. From then on, Jacobites saw Louise as the Queen of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland. The marriage was completed.
Soon after, they traveled to Rome in fancy coaches. They arrived at the Palazzo Muti on April 22, 1772. This palace would be her home for a few years. On April 25, Charles gave Louise wedding gifts. These included a lot of money and a gold box with diamonds.
Charles and Louise lived in Rome for their first two years of marriage. The Vatican did not officially call them "King and Queen." But they were popular in Roman society. They often went to operas, concerts, and parties. People called Louise the "Queen of Hearts" because she was so beautiful.
Charles was 52 and Louise was 20. At first, they were happy together. But there were problems. Charles had hoped that if he married, the pope would recognize him as king. He also hoped France would give money for another Jacobite rising. Louise had been promised she would be treated like a queen. Instead, Charles was disappointed about not having a son or being recognized. Louise found herself married to an older prince with no real future.
Charles and Louise left Rome in August 1774. They lived briefly in a villa. Then they moved to Florence a few months later. Here, they used the titles "Count and Countess of Albany." This helped avoid problems with Italian nobles. They stayed with Prince Corsini until Charles bought the Palazzo di San Clemente in 1777. Louise did not enjoy her time in Florence very much.
Life in Florence
Count Vittorio Alfieri was a writer from a wealthy family. In 1776, he met Louise in Florence and was very impressed by her. He left Florence to focus on his writing. He returned in 1777 and met Louise properly. He visited her often at the Palazzo di San Clemente.
In December 1780, Louise left Charles and went to live in a convent. She said that Charles had become difficult to live with.
Louise later moved to her brother-in-law's home in Rome. Alfieri followed her to Rome. In April 1783, their close friendship became known. Alfieri left Rome in May to avoid being forced out. In November 1780, Louise officially left Charles.
In April 1784, King Gustav III of Sweden helped Charles agree to a separation for Louise. They did not get a divorce, as that was not allowed in the Papal States. But Louise was legally allowed to live apart from her husband. The pope also agreed that Louise should receive half of Charles's money.
In June 1784, Louise left Rome. She went to Baden. In August, she met Alfieri again. They spent two months together. To keep their meeting a secret, they separated again. Louise spent the winter in Bologna. She then spent a summer in Paris. She returned to meet Alfieri again in September. After two months, Louise went back to Paris.
In 1786, Louise's brother-in-law learned that Louise and Alfieri were still close. This caused a complete break between them. From then on, Louise did not try to hide her friendship with Alfieri. They lived together from December 1786.
Later Years
On January 31, 1788, Louise's husband Charles died. This greatly improved her financial situation. She received money from the King of France. Louise was now free to marry Alfieri, but they chose not to. Alfieri did not believe in marriage.
They lived together in Paris. Louise started a famous salon at her home. Important writers, artists, and thinkers were invited. They stayed in France during the early parts of the French Revolution in 1789. But then they went to England for safety. In England, the Royal Family met her as "Princess Louise of Stolberg-Gedern."
Louise and Alfieri explored London and toured England. Then they returned to France. However, the political situation in France became worse. In 1792, they had to flee Paris quickly. They escaped to Germany and then made their way to Florence.
Louise and Alfieri decided to live in Florence. In 1793, Alfieri bought a large house overlooking the River Arno. Here, Louise started her famous salon again. Louise lived with Alfieri until he died in 1803.
After Alfieri's death, Louise's friend was the artist François Xavier Fabre. Louise continued to live in Florence. In 1809, Napoleon called her to Paris. He was fighting Britain and wanted to know if she had any children with Charles Edward. He hoped to find an heir to cause trouble in Britain. When she said no, the meeting ended quickly. A year later, she was allowed to go back to Florence.
Louise died on January 29, 1824. She is buried in the Basilica di Santa Croce in Florence. Alfieri is also buried there.
Images for kids
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Princess Louise of Stolberg-Gedern, oil on canvas by François-Xavier Fabre
