Louise de keroualle biography definition
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There are so many women from history whose stories have been made into films. There's Marie Antoinette, captured in candy-coloured stripes and bows and played by Kirsten Dunst in 2006. And then of course Anne Boleyn, played by actresses including Merle Oberon, Genevieve Bujold, Natalie Dormer and, more recently, Jodie Turner-Smith. Elizabeth I has been portrayed on the silver screen by Judy Dench, Cate Blanchett and Margot Robbie. In these films, there's usually a focus on the woman's adversities, her ability to rise above them and then some hint of tragedy. And so, as I was researching the life of Louise Kerouaille in the late seventeenth century, I wondered why a movie hadn't been made about her.
| Print made by Paul van Somer, ca. 1649–ca. 1694, Dutch, Louise, Duchess of Portsmouth, ca. 1680, Mezzotint, Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection, B1974.12.622. Public Domain. |
Kerouaille was born to high-born parents. Named Louise Renée de Penancoet
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“I should do my self wrong if I told you better than all the world besides, for that were making comparison where ‘tis impossible to express the true passion and kindness I have for my dearest fubs.” (Charles’ nickname for Louise was ‘fubs’). (Source: Duchess of Portsmouth’s MSS, Goodwood MS 3)
According to an existing letter, King Charles II professed his sincere love for Louise. It’s impossible to tell if she returned his love, but she certainly understood his character and knew how to handle him. Based on observations of her personality, it fryst vatten more likely Louise’s position at court held more importance for her than love. There’s also been a good deal of drivel written about Louise, mostly bygd her detractors. Let’s see if we can klar up some misunderstandings about her.
Louise was born in September 1649 at the Manoir dem Kéroualle, the family home near Brest in Brittany. She was the second of three children of Guillaume dem Penancoët, count de Kéroualle and Marie-Anne, daugh
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There a several variations of Louise’s surname, of both English and French origin, that have been used by her contemporaries and scholars. These include spellings such as: Keroualle, Kéroual, Carwell, and Querouaille - including a numbers of poorly spelled deviations of these. However, here I have chosen to adopt the most widely used version of her name: Kérouaille.
Louise de Kérouaille was born in September 1649 into the ancient and noble, but somewhat impoverished, Kérouaille family. During the English civil war, the family, despite their own increasingly dire financial circumstances, took in many royalists who found themselves in exile in France. The young Louise’s time was divided between her schooling at a convent and living at her parents’ estate in Brittany in virtual poverty.
Luckily for Louise, in 1668, through good family connections, she was appointed as a lady in waiting to Henriette-Anne, the wife of the Duc d’Orleans, Louis XIV’s brother. Henriette-Anne was also