French School circa 1660

Probably Collection of the Rochechouart de Mortemart Family since the 17^th Century;

Thence by descent. 

Son of Gaspard de Rochechouart de Mortemart and Louise de Maure, Gabriel de Rochechouart spent most of his childhood playing games with the Dauphin, Louis XIII. This friendship led to him receiving many favours from the King, once he was freed from his mother’s tutelage. In 1630, the sovereign appointed him First Gentleman of the King’s Chamber with a pension of 6,000 livres. He was made Knight of the King’s Orders in 1633 and accompanied the King on his many military expeditions. Gaspard de Rochechouart skilfully managed his career at court without ever getting involved in the various conspiracies that were hatched against Cardinal Richelieu at that time. He deployed the same prudence and diplomacy under the regency of Anne of Austria and at the time of the Fronde rebellion. In 1650, he was promoted to the title of Duc et Pair de France, retaining his position as First Gentleman of the King’s Chamber under the new sovereign Louis XIV.

Louis XIV appointed him Governor of Paris and the Île-de-France in 1669, enabling him to offer his children prestigious positions at court. In 1632, he married Diane de Grandseigne, lady in waiting to the queen, Anne of Austria. They had five children, four of whom became famous. Their son, Louis-Victor de Rochechouart, Duc de Mortemart then de Vivonne, a childhood friend of Louis XIV, became Maréchal de France. Françoise-Athénaïs de Rochechouart de Mortemart, the future Marquise de Montespan, the best known of Louis XIV’s mistresses, gave the sovereign seven illegitimate children. Marie-Madeleine de Rochechouart, known as ‘the pearl of abbesses’, was appointed Abbess of Fontevraud, a role previously reserved for princesses.