MONTPENSIER, ANNE MARIE LOUISE D'ORLiIANS, Duchess de, 1627-93; niece of Louis XIII. of France, known as gcande mademoiselle; one of the richest princesses of her time, ambitious, and beautiful. Though 11 years older than the dauphin, after ward Louis XIV., she sought to marry him, but failed. Charles II. of England when driven from his throne was a refused suitor for her in marriage. In 1649 she placed herself with Condo at the head of the rebellion of the Fronde, and some transient success endeavored to make it the basis of claims on the hand of XIV. Conde found in her wealth and resolution his most powerful auxiliary. Jointly they were at one time in possession of Paris, installed in the Hotel de ville, while Louis XI\ . was obliged to fight for possession of the capital. While the battle was going on, July 2, 1652, in the faubourg St. Antoine between the troops of Conde, and those of the king, the former was saved from defeat by Mlle. Montpensier, who ordered the guns of the Bastille to be turned against the king's troops, and with her own hand fired the first gun. In the excesses against the royalists which followed Cond'o's success in Paris, Mademoi sen-was conspicuous for her humane efforts to put a stop to cruelties. On the re-entry of Louis XIV. into Paris, she retired to her estates for five years and dictated 314moires.
In 16 )7, at the age of 30, she was permitted to return to court, where she soon became ridiculous by falling in love with a young cadet named Lauzun, who was put in the Bastille by Louis XIV. on account of his dangerous blandishments. At the age of 42 Mademoiselle offered tier hand and heart to the same youth, the king consenting to the marriage; but the consent was withdrawn before the ceremony could take place; Lau zun was sent away and afterward placed in the Basilic for ten years. It is supposed, however, that they had been secretly married, and that this was the pretext on which the king exercised his authority for their separation. When Mademoiselle was 52 years old the marriage was consummated, but Lauzun was then become a miserable wreck of former beauty, and the match was altogether unhappy. It is said that Lauzun's release from prison was bought by Montpensier by the settling of large estates on bastard song of Louis XIV. by Mme. de .Montespan. The brutality of Lauzun soon necessitated a separation, and she subsequently devoted herself to religious exercises. The Alemoires were published in AmsteNdum in 1786 in 8 volumes. A Paris edition of these and other works from her pen xas published by Cheruel in 1858.