While much is known about the French clergyman and statesman Cardinal Richelieu, very little is known about his favored niece, Marie de Vignerot, the daughter of Richelieu’s sister Françoise. Always interested in advancing his family’s standing in the French court, Richelieu arranged an advantageous marriage for his niece; however, Marie was widowed and childless after only two years. Retreating to a nunnery, she planned to take religious vows, but was brought back to the French court by Richelieu, who convinced her to leave the religious order behind. Appointed a lady-in-waiting to French King Louis XIII’s mother, Marie de Medici, Marie de Vignerot began to make her mark in French society, eventually becoming highly influential both at court and as a patron of the arts and literature. La Duchesse is a meticulously researched work that reads like a novel. It is exceptionally well-written, bringing all the rich detail of 17th century France to life. VERDICT This is a fine work that sheds light on the nearly forgotten story of a consequential figure in French history.
This has been published previously in Library Journal here.
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