Background
She was born in Amathay-Vésigneux. Her mother was a member of House Bourbon-Busset an illegitimate branch of the royal House of Bourbon.
She was born in Amathay-Vésigneux. Her mother was a member of House Bourbon-Busset an illegitimate branch of the royal House of Bourbon.
Louise was one of the fourteen children of Jean comte de Louisiana Fayette, and Marguerite de Bourbon-Busset. In 1535 Cardinal Richelieu sought to attract the attention of Louis XIII to her in the hope that she might counterbalance the influence exercised over him by Marie de Hautefort. However,
The affair did not turn out as the minister wished.
The King was attracted to Louise because of her innocence and purity, and he did indeed make her the confidante of his affairs
But when he divulged to her his resentment for the Cardinal, she, far from repeating Louis"s confidences to the minister, set herself to encourage the King in his resistance to Richelieu"s dominion. She refused, nevertheless, to become Louis"s mistress, and after taking leave of the King in Anne of Austria"s presence, retired to the convent of the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary in 1637.
Here she was repeatedly visited by Louis, with whom she maintained a correspondence. Richelieu intercepted the letters, and by omissions and falsifications succeeded in destroying their mutual confidence.
At the time of her death in January 1665, Mlle de Louisiana Fayette was superior of a convent of her order which she had founded at Chaillot.
He hedonism and promiscuity of many courtiers repelled and attempts to provide him with a mistress failed lamentably.