Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth
Louise Renée de Penancoët de Kérouaille (* 1649, † November 14, 1734 ), Baroness Petersfield, Countess of Fareham and Duchess of Portsmouth, was one of the mistresses of Charles II of England and maid of honor Henrietta Anne Stuart, Duchess of Orléans.
Life
Louise was the only daughter of William ( Guillaume ) de Penancourt and his wife Marie de Plaeuc de Timeur. The name de Kérouaille was a modification of the Breton nobility title de Penhoet. The family wrote himself de Kérouaille, but also the spellings Queroul, Keroual or Kereol were widespread in France. In England the name was also Querouailles, or written as a nickname also Carwell or Carewell.
Louise's exact birth date is unknown. Very early on it was as maid in the household of the Duchess of Orléans, Henrietta Anne Stuart, the favorite sister of Charles II, if and introduced at court. It is believed that her family Louise in the hope they would notice the French King Louis XIV and ascend to the mistress, introduced as early at court.
Louise accompanied Henrietta Anne Stuart, as this 1670 her brother Charles II visited in England. Shortly after her return to France Henrietta died completely by surprise. Her sudden death gave rise to rumors that she had been poisoned by her husband, the Duke Philip I of Orléans, since the ratio of the two for various reasons best was not a rumor that was not confirmed until today.
For a long time held the presumption Louise was sent by Louis XIV as a spy at the English court. In particular, the anti- French Protestants in England threw Charles II because of the inclusion of Louise sympathy for Catholicism before.
Deprived by the sudden death of her job and employer, George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham turned to Louise. With a new favorite for the King, he was planning his cousin Barbara Villiers - another famous mistress of the king - to disempower. He traveled to Paris and persuaded Louise to a trip to London, but then let them back one months penniless and without further notice in Dieppe. Only after a month he sent Louise a ship and money so that they could continue their journey. This insult she never forgave Villiers, and their relationship cooled after their arrival in London noticeably. Charles II, allegedly bewitched very first visit of Louise, made her the maid of honor his wife Catherine of Braganza.
Louise is described by biographers as a person with a strong will and intelligence. Either they should have hidden under naivety and helplessness to enforce as seemingly weak woman but her will eventually. It was also ( as John Evelyn ) described as " child-like beauty." Famous are its many supposedly serious illness and even death threats, they always let out and had announced, if she had the feeling of losing the King's interest or incurred the wrath of the king on by high gambling debts. Nell Gwyn, another mistress of Charles II called them because of their infamous scenes also Squintabella. As Nell Gwyn's carriage was attacked because they were confused with the coach, not particularly popular among the people Louise, Nell is said to have called out of the coach: " You mistake me, I am the Protestant whore! ".
On May 29, 1672 Louise gave birth to her only son with Charles II, Charles Lennox, to the world, who was appointed three years to the Duke of Richmond and later Duke of Lennox. On August 19, 1673 she was awarded the King for life the title Baroness Petersfield, Countess of Fareham and Duchess of Portsmouth. Your income rose in enormous heights. 1677 their annual income amounted to 27,300 pounds, not counting the regular gifts of the French court, which one very criticized in England and was suspicious.
The interest of the English king to her as she could, despite her outbursts and scenes that hold until his death. In 1677 she fell ill and longer seriously and traveled for a visit to France in 1685. She made sure that Charles II, who secretly converted to Catholicism shortly before his death, not without confession and the last rites died.
Shortly after the death of Charles II, Louise moved to France. Your income from their English possessions dried up, either by the government of Charles' brother James II. / VII. , Or by the Revolution of 1688. Further details is no longer detectable.
In her last years she lived deeply in debt in Aubigny. The French king Louis XIV, and later Philip II of Orléans supported them with money, to protect them from their creditors. She died on November 14, 1734 in Paris.
Children
With Charles II
- Charles Lennox (1672-1723), was appointed only three years to the Duke of Richmond and later Duke of Lennox.