Antoinette de Maignelais

Antoinette de Maignelais (or of Magnelais ) born towards 1420 and died in 1474, is a noble main Frenchwoman, of the king de France Charles VII, then Duc of Brittany François II.

Cousin of Agnès Sorel, it is the nurse of the three girls that this one had with the king. In 1450, died of Agnes Sorel, it succeeds to him as favorite of the king. She marries André de Villequier. For it, the king makes rebuild the castle of Guerche. It maintains a squadron stealing in order to distract the king, made up squadron inter alia his sisters-in-law Marguerite de Monteil and Antoinette de Vauvert known as “Toinine”.

In 1460 it buys the Châtellenie Cholet.

With died of the king in 1461, it leaves the court and becomes the favorite one of the duke of Brittany, François II with whom it has three children: François d' Avaugour, Antoine and Antoinette.

At the time of the war of the Ligue of the Public property it sells to its crockery and its jewels to help François II financially. Following the Battle of Montlhéry in July 1465, which causes a temporary weakening of the new king, Louis XI, it makes illuminate the streets of Cholet and its castle to express its joy.

In Cholet it supports the craft industry, the trade and the culture of the flax. The castle becomes the place of festivals, banquet and tournaments at the time of the stays of François II.

Gradually forsaken by the duke, she probably dies in 1474, in spite of the mention of 1470 on her stone tombale.
She was buried according to her desire in the vault of the brothers of Cordeliers located in the general assembly of Freemasons, destroyed in 1563 during the wars of religion. The tomb stone then was hidden, and preserved thus until its discovery during work of restoration to the surroundings of 1880. This one is currently visible with the museum of Art and History of Cholet.

Sources

Philippe Tourault, Anne of Brittany , Perrin, Paris, 1990,

See too

List of the mistresses of the kings de France

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