AIGUILLON, MARIE MADELEINE DE WIG NEROD DU PONT DE COURLAY, DUCHESSE D' (1604- 75), daughter of Cardinal Richelieu's sister. In 162o she mar ried a nephew of the Constable de Luynes, Antoine de Beauvoir du Roure, Sieur de Combalet, who died in 1622. In 1625, through her uncle's influence, she was made a lady-in-waiting (dame d'atour) to the queen-mother, and in 1638 was created duchess of Aiguillon. After the death of the cardinal (1642) she withdrew from the court, and devoted herself entirely to works of charity. She helped St. Vincent de Raul to establish the hos pital for foundlings, and also took part in organizing the General Hospital and several others in the provinces. She died on April 17, 1675. Corneille dedicated to her his tragedy of Le Cid.
See E. Flechier, Oraison funebre de Mme. Marie de Wignerod, duchesse d'Aiguillon; Bonneau-Avenant, La duchesse d'Aiguillon (1879) ; Memoires de Saint-Simon, ed. by A. de Boislisle 0879 et seq.).