Françoise de Mazarin

Françoise de Mazarin (1688–1742), was a French court official.[1] She served as the dame d'atours to queen Marie Leszczyńska in 1731–1742.

She was born Françoise de Mailly, the daughter of Louis de Mailly (1663–1699) and Anne-Marie-Francoise de Sainte-Hermine. She married Louis Phélypeaux, Marquis de La Vrillière on 1 September 1700, but was widowed in 1725. On 14 June 1731 she married Paul de La Porte de La Meilleraye, duc de Mazarin, but he died after three months.

She was appointed dame d'atour to queen Marie Leszczyńska 25 August 1731, succeeding her mother. She became the queen's personal friend and favorite among the ladies-in-waiting alongside Marie Brûlart. She introduced her son, Louis Phélypeaux, Count of Saint-Florentin, at court, where he became state secretary. She disliked her granddaughter Louise Julie de Mailly position as royal mistress, and died in the middle of an intrigue to replace her granddaughter as royal mistress with her younger granddaughter, Marie Anne de Mailly.

References

1. Clarissa Campbell Orr, Queenship in Europe 1660-1815: The Role of the Consort