Comtesse de Treves, Jeanne Sophie Lowell-Valois.
Jeanne Sophie d'Orleans (1731 - 1756) was the youngest daughter of Élisabeth Josephine de Chardonceau, and Jean-Claude the Duc d'Orleans.
Early life at Court[]
Dame de Champoneau avec son chien, 1736
Jeanne Sophie was born on the 13th of December, 1731 in Dijon to Elisabeth Josephine and Jean-Claude the future Duc d'Orleans. As a child, she was rebellious, mischievous and very tough. She was tutored with her siblings by Albertus the future Comte du Sancerre. When young she found a passion in painting and drawing along with other art methods. This hobby was not looked to kindly upon by her mother.
Being a year younger than her sister Henrietta Maria the two become most close. Their common features did not play to any advantage in the matter of court, as many confused the two. The only way the two could be told apart was from the way they talked. Where Henriette was gentile, timid and delicate Jeanne was brash, high spirited and vivacious. "Men may flirt with girls like that but they don't marry them" lectured her own mother. To take away this new found passion she and Henrietta were sent away to the convent of Sainte-Genevieve in Dijon. But these early years spent at the convent did not help to change her attitude towards life.
Later Life[]
Jeanne became very important as she grew older. She spent most of her youth playing against court etiquette In the grounds of the lavish palaces that surrounded her. It was most common for her to get into small scrapes with her brother, Louis Charles. Like a "Peace loving dove upon rough waves" her sister Henrietta always came between the two, ever the pacifist.
After the move from Dijon to the newly refurbished Chateau de Saint-Etienne the courtiers found that the young Dame had grown into their mothers inherited beauty. Jeanne quietly mourned in 1742 for the death of her father, who had organized her life so that she may be without worry in perpetuity. However, in accordance to her father's plan, it was a most sickening blow when her elder sister Henrietta was engaged to the Duc de Anonde. Jeanne would know that her favourite sibling would not have enough time to spend with her anymore, this sadly turned out to be true after the wedding between the two in 1744. Afterwards Jeanne would be kept in the company of her 2nd cousin and her mother. After Henrietta's own wedding plans began to be made for her to be married off. Her sister, Henrietta, was married to the Duc de Anonde, a brash, pompous 15 year old who treated her terribly. Later on, Jeanne was married to the Comte de Treves, a gentle and generous 14 year old. Their marriage was a happy one as they both had the same interests yet were total opposites. Later on it was officially announced later on that Jeanne was expecting a child, and soon afterwards a son was born. The birth was said to be very difficult as she stopped breathing at one point, then came back. Jeanne was quoted saying "That was the most difficult thing I have ever done.". Soon after she named her son Jean Auguste after her grandfather and dead father. Soon after the birth Jeanne's elder sister Marie-Antoinette Louise came to court to see the child and told Jeanne of her intentions to stay at the convent. This was another sickening blow to her as she, again, lost another sister.
Jeanne suffered a very depressive episode after receiving word of the 1747 death of her dear sister Henrietta, who suffered a heart attack and died in her sleep. She went into a mildly reclusive state, refusing to even allow her son to be near her on some instances. This depression only worsened upon learning of her other sister's fate. Mary-Louise was murdered in 1749, possibly by an Abbot or even in a robbery.
Jeanne would only survive 7 more years, having several health issues. In her husband's chateau, the servants broke out against the Comte in July of 1756. After days of searching for the Comte and Comtesse, the servants finally found them in an outbuilding of their chateau on July 17th. They held Jeanne and her son hostage for hours until they grew so tired they killed the Comte and burned his body in the chateau. An ensuing brawl began, and Jeanne died trying to protect her son in the early morning hours of July 18th, 1756. Her son was killed shortly following.
Jeanne is buried in the Necropoils Wing of Vincennes with her son and husband, alongside her father.
Issue[]
- Jean Auguste, Monsieur de Treves (3rd August 1745-18th July 1756)
Titles, Styles and Honours[]
-December 13th 1731-November 4th 1743: Her Ladyship, Dame de Champoneau
-November 4th 1743-July 18th, 1756: Ladyship, Comtesse de Treves