Estrées, Françoise Babou de la Bourdaisière, Dame d' (fl. 16th c.)

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Estrées, Françoise Babou de la Bourdaisière, Dame d' (fl. 16th c.)

Notorious French woman. Name variations: Françoise Babou de la Bourdaisière at the chateau La Bourdaisière near Tours; dau. of Jean Babou (prominent soldier, politician, and diplomat in reign of Henry II); m. Antoine d'Estrées, marquis of Coeuvres; eloped with Antoine, Marquis de Tourzel-Alègre, 1583; children: (with Antoine d'Estrées) 8, including François-Annibal d'Estrées; François-Louis d'Estrées; Françoise d'Estrées; Julienne d'Estrées; Diane d'Estrées (b. 1572); Gabrielle d'Estrées (1573–1599); Angélique d'Estrées; (with Antoine Tourzel-Alègre) one daughter.

After marriage, embarked on a number of casual affairs but then took herself out of circulation to give birth to eight children in as many years, including Gabrielle; at age 40, eloped with Antoine, Marquis de Tourzel-Alègre, a much younger man, and lived openly with him in Picardy, bearing an illegitimate daughter and becoming a symbol of sin for her country neighbors; was murdered with her lover (June 1592).

See also Women in World History.

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