Marie de Rabutin-Chantal was born in the historic Marais quartier of Paris in 1626. Her father, Célise Bénigne de Rabutin, from an aristocratic Burgundian family, was killed during the British siege on Saint-Martin-de-Ré in 1627. Her mother, Marie de Coulanges, the daughter of a wealthy Parisian tax-farmer, died in 1632. Orphaned at the age of seven, Marie was first placed under the guardianship of her maternal grandparents. Following the death of her grandfather, Philippe de Coulanges, in 1636, a council was held to select a guardian for the young heiress. Although her uncle, Philippe II de Coulanges, abbé de Livry, was only twenty-nine years old, he assumed the role of guardian. During these formative years, Marie formed an abiding affection for her uncle, whom she later referred to…
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Citation: Priestaf, Starra. "Madame de Sévigné". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 29 April 2015 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=13446, accessed 25 April 2024.]
