#armand charles de la porte de la meilleraye

[luminouslumity]

So I've technically covered her already, but Hortense Mancini, Duchesse de Mazarin (1646-1699) was a niece of Cardinal Mazarin and became a mistress for the English King Charles II after fleeing her abusive husband Armand Charles de La Porte de La Meilleraye.

[valkyries-things]

HORTENSE MANCINI // DUCHESS OF MARAZIN

“She was the Duchess of Marazin, and a mistress of Charles II. He proposed to her before he was king while in exile, she was instead married to one of the richest men in Europe, Armand Charles de La Porte de La Meilleraye, when she was only 15 years old. He was horribly abusive, so she escaped in men’s clothing at 22. She ended up in Charles’ court and quickly rose to power as his chief mistress. While acting as his mistress, she had a romantic relationship with his daughter from another mistress. We know of at least 3 women she was probably romantically involved with at different points in her life.”

[widvile-blog]

Hortense Mancini, Duchesse Mazarin (6 June 1646 - 2 July 1699)

[books0977]

Portrait of Ortensia Mancini, as Aphrodite, half-length, in a white chemise and blue shawl (c.1675). Jacob Ferdinand Voet (Flemish, 1639-1689). Oil on canvas.

On 1 March 1661, fifteen-year-old Hortense was married to one of the richest men in Europe, Armand Charles de La Porte de La Meilleraye. The marriage was not a success. Hortense was young, bright, and popular; Armand-Charles was miserly and extremely jealous, not to mention mentally unstable.

[luminouslumity]

Philippe Jules Mancini, 8th Duke of Nevers (1641–1707) was also a nephew of Cardinal Mazarin. He had five sisters (remembered as the Mancini sisters) in total as well as two brothers.

Armand-Charles de La Porte, Duc de La Meilleraye (1632–1713) abused his wife Hortense to the point where she escaped to London and became a mistress of Charles II, Henrietta's brother.