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Updated: June 17, 2025
Concini attended me to the door of the chamber; there he fell back, and Mademoiselle Galigai, who was in waiting, announced me. I entered, assuming a serene countenance, and found the King and queen together, no other person being present. The queen was lying at length on a couch, while Henry, seated on a stool at her feet, seemed to be engaged in soothing and reassuring her.
We have been somewhat prolix in our description of this extraordinary woman, but we shall be pardoned when we explain that we here give the portrait of Leonora Galigaï, Marquise d'Ancre, the friend, confidante, and foster-sister of Marie de Medicis. It is, however, time to return to the festivities to which allusion has already been made.
Leonora Galigai died leaving one child, a son, who was so maltreated that he persisted in refusing all food, and, at last, would take nothing but the sweetmeats that the young queen, Anne of Austria, married two years before to Louis XIII., had the kindness to send him.
Strong minds have undoubtedly an ascendant over weak ones, as Galigai Marachale d'Ancre very justly observed, when, to the disgrace and reproach of those times, she was executed for having governed Mary of Medicis by the arts of witchcraft and magic.
'Very fine, said the lady, laughing, 'but as old as the days of Leonora de Galigai, quoted a million times. Now tell me something new and to the purpose, and better suited to modern days.
Even La Galigaï herself was startled by so astounding a proposition; but she soon discovered, from the resolute attitude assumed by the Marquise, that her powerful intercession with the King was not otherwise to be secured; and it was consequently with even less of hope than apprehension that the agitated Mistress of the Robes kissed the hand of Madame de Verneuil, and assured her that she would leave no effort untried to obtain the consent of her royal mistress to her wishes.
Sully resolves to hasten the King's marriage Ambassadors are sent to Florence to demand the hand of Marie de Medicis The marriage articles are signed Indignation of Madame de Verneuil Revenge of her brother, the Comte d'Auvergne The Duke of Savoy visits Paris His reception His profusion His mission fails Court poets Marie de Medicis is married to the French King by procuration at Florence Hostile demonstrations of the Duke of Savoy Infatuation of the King for the favourite Her pretensions A well-timed tempest Diplomacy of Madame de Verneuil Her reception at Lyons War in Savoy Marie de Medicis lands at Marseilles Madame de Verneuil returns to Paris The Duc de Bellegarde is proxy for the King at Florence He escorts the new Queen to France Portrait of Marie de Medicis Her state-galley Her voyage Her reception Henry reaches Lyons The royal interview Public rejoicings The royal marriage Henry returns to Paris The Queen's jealousy is awakened Profligate habits of the King Marie's Italian attendants embitter her mind against her husband Marie reaches Paris She holds a court Presentation of Madame de Verneuil to the Queen Indignation of Marie Disgrace of the Duchesse de Nemours Self-possession of Madame de Verneuil Marie takes possession of the Louvre She adopts the French costume Splendour of the Court Festival given by Sully A practical joke Court festivities Excessive gambling Royal play debts The Queen's favourite A petticoat intrigue Leonora Galigaï appointed Mistress of the Robes Reconciliation between the Queen and Madame de Verneuil The King gives the Marquise a suite of apartments in the Louvre Her rivalry of the Queen Indignation of Marie Domestic dissensions The Queen and the favourite are again at war Madame de Verneuil effects the marriage of Concini and Leonora Gratitude of the Queen Birth of the Dauphin Joy of the King Public rejoicings Birth of Anne of Austria Superstitions of the period Belief in astrology A royal anecdote Horoscope of the Dauphin The sovereign and the surgeon Birth of Gaston Henri, son of Madame de Verneuil Public entry of the Dauphin into Paris Exultation of Marie de Medicis.
Mademoiselle Galigai, the Queen's waiting-woman, stood in the background; but more than this I had not time to observe, for, before I had reached the middle of the floor, the Queen turned on me, and began to abuse me with a vehemence which fairly shocked me. "And you!" she cried, "who speak so slow, and look so solemn, and all the time do his dirty work, like the meanest cook he has ennobled!
"Send Galigai here, and do you go to your lodging until you hear from me!" Overwhelmed and almost stupefied by the catastrophe, I found my way out I hardly knew how, and sending in the woman, made my escape from the ante-chamber.
It was this handsomeness which had inspired Leonora Galigaï with a passion that was destined to be her destruction, for no doubt can be entertained that had she never become his wife her career might have been one of happiness and honour; but while Concini, absorbed in his wild schemes of self-aggrandizement, trampled upon every consideration of honour and honesty in order to attain his object, Leonora, conscious of her own want of personal attractions, and loving her husband with a devotion made up of gratitude and admiration, suffered herself to be overruled by his vanity and arrogance, and sacrificed her reason and her judgment to her affection.
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