Friday 3 May 2013

Anne d'Arpajon, Comtesse de Noailles

Anne Claude Louise d'Arpajon was born on March 7, 1729 as a French aristocrat. Not much is known of her childhood which she spent at her father's marquisat Saint-Germain-lès-Arpajon. Anne married Philippe de Noailles, Duc de Noailles which made her the Duchesse de Noailles on November 17, 1741. It was a very advantageousness match since the Noailles family was one of the leading noble families in France.

Anne de Noailles (as she was now titled) was among those who went to the French border in 1770 to greet Marie Antoinette. Anne was not merely a lady-in-waiting to Marie Antoinette, she was in charge of the Dauphine's household and was responsible for making the Dauphine familiar with the strict court etiquette. Personally, Anne was convinced that etiquette was important and was always making sure that Marie Antoinette followed the unwritten rules to a fault. Of course, to a fourteen year old girl this was not received very well and Marie Antoinette nicknamed Anne "Madame Etiquette".

Four years later in 1774 Anne was fired by Marie Antoinette from her post which meant that Anne lost a valuable position at court. Anne consequently joined the company of the Mesdames Tantes at Bellevue were the young Queen was not thought highly of. Anne would have six children with her husband but three of them would die in their childhoods. When the revolution swept through France it did not spare the Comte and Comtesse de Noailles. Anne and Philippe were both executed on June 24, 1794.

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