Aubigny castle and Louise de Keroualle's intrigues
And also
The tops
An English king in France
In 1684, the French branch of the Stuart died out. King Charles VII said to Derneley that the land of Aubigny had to be transmitted by blood relations only.
Unless… there was one solution: English king Charles II, descendant of a Stuart. But this one, by owning Aubigny, would become a simple vassal of king of France! And he didn’t want to. My gosh, no… no way!!
Breton and English
So the pretty Louise de Keroualle turned up, Charles II’s mistress and France’s spy in the English court. The solution?
Louis XIV raised Aubigny to a duchy and gave the castle (including the one of La Verrerie) to Louise, becoming duchess of Portsmouth!
The duchess modernized the castle and created gardens based on plans by Le Nôtre’ disciple. Royal!
She spent here her last years: she became ″the good old lady″ for people from Aubigny, because she founded here a hospital.
Her descendants, dukes of Richmond, kept Aubigny until 1812.
Freemasons in Berry
Did you know duke of Richmond Charles Lennox, Louise’s grandson?
He founded the Freemason lodge of Aubigny, in 1735! He was the former great master of London’s Grand Lodge…
Gatherings took place in castle of Aubigny or in La Verrerie: even French writer Montesquieu was initiated here! Today, the city hall occupies the castle.