Two other well-known women also contrived to attract the Grand Condé,
and with them he contracted a lifelong friendship. These were Louise
Marie de Gonzague of Cleves, afterwards Queen of Poland, and her sister
Anne, known as the Princess Palatine on account of her marriage with the
son of the Elector Frederic V. Their portraits, by Dumoustier, can be
seen at Chantilly. These Princesses de Gonzague, before their marriages,
lived at Paris. Princesse Louise Marie held her Court at the Hôtel
Nevers, a majestic building between the Tours de Nesle and the Pont
Neuf, which afterwards became the Hôtel Conti, and is now the Palais de
Monnaie. The two sisters were in their time leaders of Parisian society
and played an important part amongst the women of the Fronde.
A letter, one of the last that Prince Henri II de Condé wrote to his
son, refers to the neglect with which he treated his wife, and blames
him severely for not writing to her upon the occasion of the sudden
death of her only brother. It runs thus: "_Mon fils, Dieu vous bénisse.
Guérissez vous, ou il vaut mieux vous poignarder vous même, que de faire
la vie que vous faites; je rien sais ni cause ni raison, et je prie Dieu
de me consoler; je vous écris au désespoir, et suis Monsieur votre bon
père et ami._" Soon afterwards the old Prince de Condé died and his last
words and wishes were for the Duc and Duchesse d'Enghien. He, who had
always held so high the honour of his own wife, had been a great support
to Claire-Clemence in her trials. The title of Prince de Condé devolved
at his father's death upon the Grand Condé, whilst the little Duc
d'Albret bore henceforth the title of Duc d'Enghien, rendered so
celebrated by the victor of Rocroy.
But the Grand Condé did not stop here. In that same year (1648) he again
won the great battle of Lens against the Austrians. In that battle it
was said that he charged twelve times in one hour, took eight flags and
thirty-eight cannon, and made 5,000 prisoners. The Emperor Ferdinand
III, after this, felt his powers of resistance at an end and decided at
last to agree to the Peace of Westphalia, which was signed at Münster,
and brought to an end the famous Thirty Years' War. By it France
acquired the whole of Alsace except Strasbourg and Philipsbourg. Liberty
of conscience, inaugurated by Henri IV, was also recognised throughout
the rest of the world, and perfect equality of rights was enjoined
between Roman Catholic and Protestant.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account