France Ecclestiastical

Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
French Eccleastical Territory

Also see France Substates, Princess-Abbesses  and Women Clergy

Royal Abbey of Andlau - (l'abbaye d'Andlau in Franche-Comté)
The Abbess was Lady of numerous fiefs, including Wagenbourg and Marlenheim  in Alsace, and The Abbey of l'Etival in France. Founded as Benedictine Abbay in 880 by Empress Richarde, wife of Karl III the Great in Alsace. The Abbess held semi episcopal powers, was named by the Emperor or the King and had the title of Princess-Abbess from 1288. (Princesse d'Empire) and held a vote in the Diet of Holy Roman Empire  (avec droit de vote au Diètes du Saint Empire germanique) until it became part of France. In 1686 the the Abbess made a treaty with Louis XIV who agreed to respect the freedom of the canonesses to chose their own abbess and confirmed her title as princesse d’empire The chapter was abolished during the revolution in 1789

855-circa 912 Rotrude of France

1000s Mathilde von Speyer
Sister of Emperor Konrad II of the Holy Roman Empire, and received Papal protection.

1130 Hadewitz
Built the famous gate with a massive frise.

1178 Herrade
Founded the dependent Abbies of Hohenbourg and Etival (Vosges).

1348 Jeanne-Madeleine de Flachslanden

After 1386 Elisabeth de Geroldseck
The Princess-Abbess awarded Jean de Wangen with the fief of the Castle of Wangenburg.

13.... - Blanche de Lorraine
Daughter of Raoul I duc de Lorraine

1425 Phya

Around 1440-46 Sophie
Transformed the lower parts of the chancel and the north transept


Around 1463 Suzanne d'Eptingen
Confirmed the fief, castle and village of Wangenbourg at Georges de Wangen and his brothers.

Around 1578-circa 1606 Marie-Madeleine de Rebstock
Aquired the Abbey of Honcourt/Hugshofen in 1599 and with that the seigneurity of the surrounding area. She conferred the fief of Wangenbourg at at her brother, Jean-Gabriel Rebstock, in 1606.

Circa 1611-22 Marie-Ursule de Reichenstein
Mentioned around 1590, 1611 and 1622. The Administrator of the Abbey of Honcourt/Hugshofen was Nicolas Deutsch. She had to seek refuge in Soleure in Switzerland during the Thirty Years War.

Circa 1638-56 Jeanne-Sabine d'Offenbourg
She returned to Andlau from the refuge in Switzerland. (d. 1656).

After 1656 Marie Beatrix d'Eytingen

Circa 1666-1700
Marie Cunégonde von Beroldingen

1700-04 Marie-Cléopha de Flachsland

Circa 1708-51 Marie-Sophie d'Andlau

She (d. 1751)

1750-74 abbesse coadjutrice Marie Béatrice Breiten de Landenberg
Also known as Maria Beatrix von Breitenlandenberg

1774-after 82 Maie Truchsess de Rheinfelden
The Rotonde de Honcourt was destroyed 1782. The ancient chateau was rebuild as a residence for the canonisses.

......Madeleine Barbe de Landenberg

Sold the chapter to her niece during the revolution, who married the Intendennt of the Chapter, Keppeler, who became Prefect and Baron of the Empire

.........

 

Abbey of Andenne
The Abbess held the position of Abbey Nullius and territorial authority of the surrounding fiefs.

........

 

Abbey of Bourbourg
The Abbey was placed under the direct authority of the Pope and was in possession of the seigneuries of Oxelaere, Noordpeene, Faumont and Coutiches, and the Abbesse de Bourbourg held semi-bishopal authority and secular jurisdiction of her territory. The Abbey was founded by Robert II of Flanders and his wife Clémence of Burgundy in 1103 and was open for young women of noble birth. It came under the sovereignty of France as part of "French Flanders".

Around 1000. Godilde
Sister of Lambert, Abbeot of Saint -Bertin

1122-31 Christine

1131/33-40 Ogiva
Also known as Ogina

1140-74/78 Clarice de Someringhem

1174/78-1228 Mathilde I
Also known as Mahaut, she was daughter of Henri, Catelain de Bourbourg

1228-61 Adelïde de Sotteghem

1261-82 Sara de Mernis

1282-1305 Marguerite de Wormhoudt

1305-17 Mathilde II d'Auchy
Also known as Mahaut

1317-32 Johanne de Rassenghem

1332-50 Hersende de Guisenes
Granted the right to name her own confessor and chaplains. Daughter of Baudoin III, count de Guînes

1350-65 Isabelle I de Herzelles
The Abbey was in constant dispute with the local bishop over supremacy over the internal affairs.

1365-87 Isabelle II de Ghistelle

1387-95 Jeanne de Fiennes

1395-1418 Agnès de Nieppe

1418-38 Marie I de la Chapelle

1438-65 Bonne de a Viefville
Daughter of the Seigneur of Thiennes and Blaringhem.

1465-75 Ursule de la Viefvilla
Sister of Bonne

1475-95 Barbe I d'Ollenhain d'Estaimbourg
Daughter of the Lord of Estaimbourg.

1495-1533 Adrienne de Noyelle
Also known by the surname de la Chapelle, she was daughter of Lord de Noyelle and Calonne.

1533-45 Antoniette I de Noyelle

1545-68 Marie II de Saint-Omer, dite de Morbecque
Daughter of the Lord of Ebblinghem

1568-78 Marie III de Bernemicourt
Daughter of Lord  of Thieuloye and Lievin.

1578-1600 Antoniette II de Wissocoq
Daughter of the Lord of Bomy

1600-03 Barbe II de Bailleul
Daughter of the Lord d'Eecke and Steenvoorde

1603-20 Jacqueline de Lannoy
Daughter of the Lord of Hautmont

1620-40 Marie IV de Bonnières
Daughter of the Lord de Biez and Marie de Tournai.

1641-44 Isabelle III de Héricourt
Appointed as Abbess by King Felipe IV of Spain, who as Count of Flanders and Artois, was head of the Southern Low Countries, after the canoness had been unable to elect as successor to Marie IV for 6 months.

1645-63 Catherine de Beauffremez
At her election, the Prior, the Chaplaine, the Treasurer, the lady of the refectory, the Matron of the novices, 2 ladies of the sacritsty, 2 canonesses and 6 other ladies, whose occupation is not mentioned, took part. She was daughter of Lord d'Esnes and Haily. The Abbey became part of France 1659.

1663-72 Anne Séverine de Warlzel
The privilege was confirmed in 16666 that the Abbey was under direct authority of the Pope and not the local Bishop, and therefore the Pope was the only one who could conduct visitations to the chapter (control visits). She was daughter of Lord of Warluzel and Rombrin.

1672-88 Catherine II de Bernemiscourt

1688-95 Marie-Anne d'Assigny
Daughter of Lord Haghedoorne de Wasnes

1695-98 Marie-Françoise Adornes de Ronsele
Daughter of the Lord of Ronsele

1698-42 Madeleine-Eugenie de Béthune des Placques
A large number of her relatives had been bishops and abbesses of various dioceses and institutions since around 1200. She lived (1696-1742).

1742... Marie-Charlotte de Béthune
Elected as successor to her aunt

Until 1768 Françoise de Dion de Wandonne
Daughter of the Lord of Wanndonne, Couplelle, Louvigny and La Viélville.

1768-90 Marie Hosephe Camille de Coupigny d'Hénu
The French Council of State confirmed the original provision, that the canonesses had to be of noble families from the Low Countries or Artois, who could trace back noble origin from both sides of their family for at least 4 quarters (generations). She wasaughter of the Lord of Hénu, Warlincourt and Marie Héricourt.

 

Royal Abbey of Chelles (Notre-Dame-des-Chelles)
One of the most important Abbeys of France.

Circa 630-705 Berthild
Also known as Bertilla or Sainte Bertille.

702-08 Sigisla

708-24 Vilcome

724-.. Ermengarde

7... Clémence

7... Asceline I

7... Sybille

Until 800 Marsillie

00-10 Gisèle
Daughter of Pippin and sister of Charlemagne, she lived (757-810)

810-55 Helvide I von Sachsen.
Also known as Helwig, she was daughter of Widukind and widow of Count Welf I, and mother of Empress Judith

855-69 Ermentrude d'Orléans (855-869)
Married to King Charles II le Chauve

922-925 Rothilde de Neustrie
Also known as Rothild, she was widow of first Hugues, Count of Bourges and then Roger, Count of Maine. Her half sister Rotrud (852–912), was Abbess of Saint-Radegunde and another sister Ermentrud (854–877), Abbess of Hasnon. They daughters of Charles the Bald, Holy Roman Emperor 875–877 and King of West Francia 840–877.

922-25 Rothilde de Neustrie
Daughter of Charles le Chauve, she lived 871-928.

925-1097 Vacancy

1097-1112 Mahilde I

1112-27 Vacancy

1127-37 Ameline I

1137-56 Mathilde II

1156-77 Helvide II

1177-78 Asceline II

1177-90 Marie I de Duny

1190-92 Vacancy

1192-1206 Ameline II

1206-08 Marie II de Néry

1208-20 Mathilde III de Berchère

1220-22 Mathilde IV de Corbeil

1222-28 Florence

1228-31 Marguerite I de Néry

1231-50 Pétronille I de Mareuil

1274-80 Vacancy

1280-1311 Adeline I de Nanteuil

1311-17 Alice I de Clignet d'Otis

1317-1348 Marguerite II de Pacy

1348-1354 Pétronille II de Paroy

1354-1363 Adeline II de Pacy

1363-1364 Jeanne I de Soissy

1364-1368 Agnès I de La Queue

1368-1379 Jeanne II de La Forest

1379-1399 Jeanne III de Roye
Sister of Guy de Roye, Archbishop of Reims

1399-1414 Agnès II de Neufville

1414-1420 Alice II de Thorote

1420-1429 Marie II de Cléry

1429-1475 Elisabeth de Pollye

1475-1504 Catherine I de Lignières

1504-1507 Jeanne IV de La Rivière
The first abbess to be elected for a three year period.

1507-1510 Marie III de Reilhac
She ( d. 1547)

1510-1514 Marie IV Cornu
She (d. 1519)

1514-1518 Catherine II Marguerite de Champrond
Died in office.

1518-1528 Barbe de Tallensac
She (d. 1537)

1528-1542 Madeleine I des Chelles
Died in office.

1542-1579 Jacqueline d'Amignon
The last abbess to be elected for three year as the King abolished the election in 1559 and resumed the appointment of the abbesses himself. She died in office.

1579-83 Renée de Bourbon de Vendôme
The first abbess to be nominated by the king. She was daughter of Charles de Bourbon, duc de Vendôme et de Françoise d'Alençon de Beaumont, she lived (1527-83)

1583-1627 Marie V de Lorraine-Aumale
She was daughter of Claude de Guise, duc d'Aumale and Louise de Brézé, and lived (1565-1627)

1627-1629 Marie Henriette de Bourbon
She was daughter of Henri V of France and Charlotte des Essarts de la Haye, and lived (1609-29).

1629-1671 Madeleine II de la Porte de La Meilleraye

1671-1680 and 1688-1707 Marguerite III Guidone de Cossé-Brissac
She was daughter of François de Cossé, duc de Brissac and Guyonne Ruellan

1680-1688 Catherine III de Scorailles de Roussille
Known as Révérende Mère Jeanne de Scorailles, she was daughter of Jean-Rigal de Scorailles and Éléonor de Plas and sister of Marie-Angélique, Duchesse de Fontanges, Maitraisse of King Louis IV. Another sister, Anne de Scorailles,  was abbesse de Notre-Dame-des-Prés and a brother, Louis-Léger de Scorailles, was Abbot of Valloire 1663-1695. She lived (circa 1655-90)

1707-1719 Agnès III Charlotte de Villars
Pierre de Villars (1623-1698) and Marie Giault de Bellefonds (1626-1706). She lived (1654-1723)


1719-34 Louise Adélaïde d'Orléans
Also the abbesse of the Val-de-Grâce, a church built under the auspices of her maternal great-grandmother, Anne of Austria, the wife of King Louis XIII. Originally titled Mademoiselle de Chartres, she became Mademoiselle d'Orléans in 1710 after her older sister married Charles, duc de Berry and was known as Madame d'Orléans 1719-34. Died from smallpox at the Convent de la Madeleine de Traisnel in Paris. Daughter of The Regent of France, Philippe II d'Orléans, duc de Chartres, heir to the House of Orléans, and Françoise-Marie de Bourbon, a legitimised natural daughter of Louis XIV and his mistress, Madame de Montespan. She lived (1698-1743).

1734-89 Anne de Clermont-Chaste de Gessans
Former Canoness at Saint-Cyr, Abbess of Saint Paul de Beurepaire en Vienne in 1725 and later of Chelles. A large number of her family were bishops, abbesses and abbots. (b. 1697-1789)

Until 1783 Grand Prioress Françoise-Claudine de Clermont-Chaste
Abbess of Saint Paul de Beaurepaire 1735. Later Grand Prioress (Grande-Prieure). She lived (1704-83).


1789-98 Delphine Madeleine Elisabeth de Sabran-Baudinard
She was daughter of Joseph-Jules-Honoré de Sabran-Baudinard and Marie-Thérèse d'Arlatan de Lauris, and lived (1734-1820).

Faremoutiers Abbey (French: Notre-Dame de Faremoutiers)
It formed an important link between the Merovingian Frankish Empire and the southern Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Kent and East Anglia. The abbey was a dual monastery, that is it had separate accommodations for monks and nuns. It was established following the strict Rule of Saint Columbanus. Originally named Evoriacum, it was renamed in Burgundofara's honour. Within its territory the Abbess held clerical and seigneurial rights. The abbey enjoyed the attention of several French kings and was an important economic factor within its vast territory in Brie.

620-655 Sainte Fare de Meaux
Also known as Burgundofara

655-660 Sainte Sedride d’Estanglie
Also known as Sithred, she was daughter of the Queen of East Anglia, Héreswide. (d. circa 655)

660-695 Sainte Aubierge d’Estanglie
Also known as Edelburge, she was member of the Royal Family of Kent

695-7.. Sainte Earcongothe de Kent

Until 852 Sainte Rothilde de France
852-877 Bertrade de Germanie

9... Judith

9... Aveline

9... Hildegarde

1137-1146 Risende

1146-1154 Emma

1154-1212 Lucienne de La Chapelle

1212-1215 Marguerite I

1215-1219 Hersende de Touquin

1219-1240 Eustachie

1240-1252 Julienne de Grez de Nesle-en-Brie

1252-1272 Sibylle

1272-1289 Avoie

1289-1290 Marguerite II de Mons

1290-1312 Marguerite III de Chevry

1312-1341 Marguerite IV de Mons

1341-1346 Mathilde de Joinville de La Malmaison

1346-1363 Jeanne I de Noyers

1363-1383 Marguerite V de Lully d’Ancre

1383-1409 Marguerite VI de Noyers

1409-1417 Jeanne II de Châteauvillain

1417-1434 Denise du Sollier

1434-1439 Jeanne III Rapillard

1439-1454 Isabelle I de Mory

1454-1490 Jeanne IV de Bautot

1490-1511 Jeanne V Chrestienne d’Harcourt-Beuvron
The chapter was in decay and 3 nuns had children.

1511-1515 Madeleine de Valois-Orléans-Angoulême

1515-1518 Marie I Cornu
Following the concordat de Bolgone, signed in 1516 between François I and Pope Léon X, the abbesses were named by the king.

1518-1531 Jeanne VI Joly

1531-1555 Marie II Baudry

1555-1563 Antoinette de Lorraine-Guise
Her sister, Renée, was Abbess of St.Pierre until her death in 1602. She was daughter of Duke Claude de Guise and Antoinette de Bourbon-La Marche, and lived (1531-61).

1563-1567 Françoise Guillard

1567-1573 Marie III Violle

1573-1586 Louise I de Bourbon-Montpensier
Sister of Charlotte, who was first Abbess of Jouarre and later married Willem I van Oranje-Nassau, and succeeded by another sister, Jeanne de Jouarre. She lived (1548-86)

1586-1593 Isabelle II de Chauvigny

1593-1605 Anne de La Châtre de Maisonfort
Sister of Françoise de la Châtre

1605-1643 Françoise I de La Châtre de Maisonfort
A member of the family of the barons de Montfort. (d. 1605)

1643-1677 Jeanne VII Anne de Plas

1677-1685 Marie IV Thérèse-Constance du Blé d’Uxelles

1685-1721 Marie V Anne-Généreuse-Constance de Beringhen d’Armainvilliers

1721-1726 Louise II Charlotte-Eugènie-Victoire de Beringhen d’Armainvilliers
One of 9 children of Jacques Louis de Beringhen, Marquis de Beringhen (1651-1723) and Marie-Madeleine Elisabeth Fare d'Aumont. One of her sisters, Anne Marie Madeleine de Beringhen, was abbess du Pré au Mans aorund 1730.

1726-1743 Olympe-Félicité-Sophie-Fare de Beringhen d’Armainvilliers
Succeeded her sister, Louise Charlotte.

1743-1745 Françoise II Catherine Molé de Champlâtreux
Her family were councillors of the King

1745-1759 Marie VI Renée de Maupéou d’Ableiges

1759-1775 Charlotte-Julie Lenormant des Forts d’Etiolles
Mme de Maupéou. Her family were councillors of Louis XV and Louis XVI.

1775-1791 Claude de Durfort de Léobard
Member of the family of the Dukes de Duras.

 

Royal Abbey of Fontevraud (L'Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud/Fontevraud-L'Abbaye) (Fontevrault in English)
The chapter was founded in 1101, and was placed directly under the Pope and the King of France. The monks in the dubble-convent was commanded by a Prior under the control of the Abbess.

1101-13 Hersende

1115-49 Pétronille de Chemillé
A cousin of Abbot Geoffrey of Vendôme she had married into the family of the lords of Chemillé. At the time of her death there were more than 50 mixed monasteries in the order, headed by a female superior, distributed across the region bounded by northern Champagne, Lyonnais, and Aragon. It was the largest and wealthiest federation of monasteries for women in Western Europe.

1149-55 Mathilde I d'Anjou
She was the daughter of Fulk, King of Jerusalem, and widow of William, the eldest son of Henry I, of England

1155-80 Audeburge de Haute-Bruyère

1180-89 Gilles/Gillette

1189-94 Mathilde II de Flandre 
(
Adelaide de Blois, Abbess of Fontevrault 1190)

1194-1207 Mathilde III de Bohême
Princess of Bohemia.

1207-08 Marie I de Champagne (de Bourgogne)

The prosperity of the abbey continued under her reign, but by the end of the twelfth century, owing to the state of the country and the English wars, the nuns were reduced to gaining their livelihood by manual work. The situation was aggravated by internal dissensions which lasted a hundred years.

1208-09 Ala/Alix de Bourbon

1209-18 Alix de Champagne

Granddaughter of  Louis VII.

1218-28 Berthe

1228-44 Adèle (Alix) de Bretagne

1244-65 Mabile de la Ferté (or de Blois)

1265-76 Jeanne de Dreux (de Brenne)

1276-84 Isabeau I Davoir

1284-1304 Marguerite I de Pocey

1304-29 Eleonore I de Bretagne
Daughter of Jean II de Dreux, Duke of Bretagne and Earl of Richmond and Beatrice of England.

1342-49 Isabeau II de Valois

Great ganddaughter of Saint-Louis. After her death there followed another period of trouble and decadence largely due to the disaffection of the monks who where discontented with their subordinate position

1349-53 Théophanie de Chambon

1353-73 Jeanne de Mangey

1373 Adélaïde de Ventadour

1373-93 Eléonore (Aliénor) II de Parthenay
Had first been Abbess of St-Jean de Bonneval-lès-Thouars. She was daughter of Jean I, sire de Parthenay, de St-Christophe et de Semblançay, gouverneur de Saintonge and Marie de Beaujeu (Forez).

1393-1431 Blanche d'Harcourt
Cousin of Charles VI.

1431-51 Marie II d'Harcourt
Marguerite de Beaufort de Montmorency was elected "anti-abbess", but she was recognized as the official head of the congregation by the Pope.

1431-34 Marguerite de Beaufort de Montmorency
Elected in opposition to Marie II and was not recognized by the Pope.  

1451-57 Marie III de Montmorency

1457-75 Marie IV de Bretagne
The order had suffered severely from the decay of religion, which was general about this time, as well as from the Hundred Years War. In the three priories of St-Aignan, Breuil, and Ste-Croix there were in all but five nuns and one monk, where there had been 187 nuns and 17 monks at the beginning of the thirteenth century, and other houses were no better off. In 1459, a papal commission decided upon a mitigation of rules which could no longer be enforced, and nuns were even allowed to leave the order on the simple permission of their priories. Dissatisfied with the mitigated life of Fontevrault, she moved to the priory of La Madeleine-les-Orléans in 1471. Here she deputed a commission consisting of religious of various orders to draw up a definite Rule based on the Rules of Blessed Robert, St. Benedict, and St. Augustine, together with the Acts of Visitations. The resulting code was finally approved by Sixtus IV in 1475, and four years later it was made obligatory upon the whole order. She was daughter of King Henry III of England and Eleanor Berenger of Province, and lived (1442-77).

1477-91 Anne d'Orléans
Sister of Louis XII, she continued the reforms of the order initiated by Marie de Bretagne.

1491-1534 Renée de Bourbon
Possibly the greatest of the abbesses, both on account of the numbers of priories in which she re-established discipline, and the victory which she gained over the rebellious religious at Fontevrault by the reform, enforced with royal assistance in 1502. The result was a great influx of novices of the highest rank, including several princesses of Valois and Bourbon. At her death there were 160 nuns and 150 monks at Fontevrault.

1534-75 Louise I de Bourbon
She was a woman of sincere but gloomy piety, and during her tenure the order suffered many losses at the hands of the Protestants, who even besieged the great abbey itself, though without success; many nuns apostatized, but twelve more houses were reformed.

1575-1611 Eléonore III de Bourbon
She had great influence with her nephew, Henri IV, and her affection for him was so great that, towards the end of her life, when he was assassinated, her nuns dared not tell her lest the shock should be too great.

1611-37 Louise II de Bourbon-Lavedan
Aided by the famous Capuchins, Ange de Joyeuse and Joseph du Tremblay, she sought to improve the status of the monks of St-Jean de l'Habit and made various attempts to establish theological seminaries for them. Daughter of Charles de Bourbon, Vicomte de Lavedan - son of Jean II, Duke of Bourbon and Auvergne - and Jeanne Louise d'Albret.

1637-70 Jeanne-Baptiste de Bourbon
At the age of 10 she enterede the Abbey of Chelles and Louise de Bourbon-Lavedan appointed her as coadjutrice at the age of 16, but she did not take over the position until she was 25. She reigned with absolute "souverainty" and her direct dependence on the Pope in Rome allowed her to act automously from the church in France.  In 1641 she obtained royal letters confirming the reform and finally quashing the claims of the monks, who sought to organize themselves independently of the authority of the abbess. The following year the Rule approved by Sixtus IV was printed at Paris.
But in 1658 the Sacred Congregation of Rites categorically condemned the acts where she of her own authority, obliged the monks and nuns of her obedience to recite offices, say Masses, and observe rites and ceremonies which had never been sanctioned or approved of by the Pope. She was the legitimized daughter of king Henri IV and Charlotte des Essarts, and her  full sister, Marie Henriette de Bourbon (1609-29) was Abess of Chelles. She lived (1608-70)

1670-1704 Gabrielle de Rochechouart de Mortemart
Marie-Madeleine-Gabrielle was sister of the Marquise de Montespan, she is said to have translated all the works of Plato from the Latin version of Ficino. The abbey school was frequented by the children of the highest nobility, and her successors were entrusted with the education of the daughters of Louis XV.

1704-42 Louise-Françoise de Rochechouart
Succeeded her aunt Gabrielle de Rochechouart de Mortemart.

1742-53 Louise-Claire de Montmorin de Saint-Hérem

1753-65 Marie-Louise de Timbrone de Valence (de Thimbrune de Valence)


1765-92 Julie Sophie Charlotte de Pardaillan d'Antin
Julie-Sophie-Gillette de Gondrin de Pardaillan d'Antin was driven from her monastery by the Revolution; her fate is unknown. Towards the end of the eighteenth century there were 230 nuns and 60 monks at Fontevrault, and at the Revolution there were still 200 nuns, but the monks were few in number and only formed a community at the mother-house. In the course of his preaching journeys through France, Robert d'Arbrissel had founded a great number of houses, and during the succeeding centuries others were given to the order. In the seventeenth century the Fontevrist priories numbered about sixty in all and were divided into the four provinces of France, Bretagne, Gascone, and Auvergne. The order never attained to any great importance outside France though there were a few houses in Spain and England. (d. 1797).

 

Royal Abbey of Jouarre
The abbesses had great authority in the region, organising fairs and markets, dispensing justice, appointing priests, having the right to arbitrate in distribution of the lands. Their reputation and influence extended beyond the monastery. 1225 the Abbey was granted episcopal exemption for 450 years and thus came under the immediate jurisdiction of the Pope. It was distroyed during the 100 Years war and rebuilt 1451.


Around 667 St Telchildeirs
Succeeded by St Aguilberte, her cousin, and then St Balde, their aunt, who died centenarian in 684.

...St Aguilberte

Until 684 St Balde
Died at the age of 100. Jouarre made two foundations: An abbey at Chelles of which St Bertille, prioress of Jouarre, became the first abbess in 657 at the request of the Queen, St Bathilde, and another abbey, Notre Dame de Soissons, where the Blessed Etheria, a professed nun of Jouarre, was sent in 655 at the request of St Drausin, bishop of Soissons.

....

Around 837 Ermentrude
The Abbey was not spared the troubles besetting Kingdom and Church in seventh century Gaul. But there is no document left to shed light on this period. But Ermentrude not only extended the enclosure of the monastery and enlarged the buildings of the community but is also at the origin of the first elements of the village of Jouarre. She organised the cultivation of the lands on the plateau, promoted the creation of the first hospice for the sick and of places of refuge such as the "Pitancerie" for giving food to the poor, for pilgrims and vagrants, and a leper house. And in order to save everybody. At that time too, there was a mint for striking money, by privilege granted by King Charles the Bald. There still today exist a few rare silver coins witnessing to the fact. This was a time of material and spiritual prosperity. However the invading Normans came up the Seine from Paris to the valley of the Marne. Around 887-888, the Vikings devastated the region and, very probably, the abbey. The silence of the archives in the tenth century suggest a long period of extreme poverty and dereliction.

Around 1103 Mathilde de Coucy

1102 Agnès

1203 Agnès II

1212-43 Hersende
Also known as Hermensende or Hermengade. She engaged in an offensive against the Bishop of Meaux.

1243 Double election of Agnès de Juilly and Marguerite de Sergines who engaged in a lenghtly dispute and court cases.

1298-1303 Agnès de Cérilly

1303-10 Agnès de Gloise

1310-45 Hélissent I de Noyers
But the Hundred Years War devastated the whole of Brie and the nuns were obliged to flee. The monastery and the Tower were burnt down and the church fell partly into ruins.

1345-57 Hélissent II de Noyers
Succeeded aunt.

1361-65 Jeanne de Frolois
Cousin of the de Noyers' Abbesses. Perhaps her sister Alix was also Abbess.

1365-75 Jeanne de Noyers
Former Treasurer of the chapter.

1375-83 Marguerite de Noyers
Succeeded by sister, Marie.

1383-86/09 Marie de Noyers
Took over as Abbess of Montivilliers in 1386/90 and (d. 1396).

1386-90-1400/18 Marguerite de la Rivière
Abbess of Montivilliers until 1386/90 and (d. between 1400 and 1418)

1423-25 Henriette de Mello

Circa 1425-circa 1430 Marguerite de Bréban
Daughter of Admiral Pierre de Bréban.

Circa 1430-33 Marie de Bréban
Succeeded sister, but was deposed by king Charles VII.

1433-62 Jeanne de Melun
Sister of Philippe de Melun, councillor of King Charles VII

1462 Election of 2 abbesses, Isabelle de Neuville and Marguerite de Levilly.

1462-91 Jeanne d'Ailly
The lands that was abandoned as a result of the war, weighed heavily on her and she constantly leased them out to the very poor. This was the origin of the association known as the "Usages" which still exists today.

1492-1515 Antoinette de Moustier
She had already put in the lower room of the Tower the beautiful entombment the work of Michel Colombe, a famous sculptor of the time : the principal figures that have survived are presently in the Parish Church. 


1515-43 Madeleine d'Orleans, batard d'Angoulême, Abbess of Jouarre
Continued the renovation and rebuilding of the chapter amidst the wars raging in France. She was daughter of Comte Charles d'Angoulême et de Perigord, and she received her half-brother, King Francis I, twice at the Abbey. The year after her death, the nuns had again to leave the Abbey during the war against Charles the V. She lived (circa 1496-1543).

1543-59 Louise de Longwy-Givny
Succeeded her aunt, Madeleine d'Orléans. Daughter of Jean de Longwy-Givny, Seigneur de Givny etc. and Jeanne d'Orléans, the daughter of Charles d'Angoulême and Jeanne de Polignac.

1565-71 Charlotte de Bourbon-Montpensier
Daughter of Louis III de Montpensier et de Jacqueline de Longwy. With the help of Queen Jeanne III de Navarre, she found refuge innHeidelberg and married Willem van Oranje-Nassau, Stadtholder of the Netherlands and had 6 daughters of whom Louise-Juliana, Catharina Belgica and xxx became regents after their husband's deaths, and
Charlotte Flandrina (1579-1640) became Abbess de Poitiers. She lived (...

1572-1624 Jehanne de Bourbon
Her sister Charlotte been Abbess before her but became a protestant and later married Willem van Oranje-Nassau, Stadtholder of the Netherlands. Another sister was Louise, Abbess of Faremoutier, (1548-86). They were Duc Louis II de Bourbon "le Bon" de Montpensier, etc, and his first wife Jacqueline de Longwy, Countess de Bar sur Seine. She lived (1541-1624).

1624-38 Jehanne de Lorraine
Also known as Jeanne, she initiated sweeping monastic reforms in the Abbey and raised from the Crypt the remains of St Ebregisile and the founders of the Abbey in presence of Queen Marie de Medicis and transferred them to the reliquaries which are now in the Parish Church. They were brought out for processions, on Whit Tuesday and sometimes during public calamities. Jehanne de Lorraine demolished the old abbey church and rebuilt it splendidly. She was daughter Henri I de Guise, Duc de Guise, Prince de Joinville, (1550-88), who was murdered for becoming a protestant, and Catherine de Nevers (1548-1633). She lived (1586-1638).

1638-55 Marguerite de la Trémoille
Former Coadjutrice and Abbess of another chapter. She continued the work of reform striving to revive a real "spirit of community" re-establishing, enclosure, poverty, silence, as well as morning and evening meditation in the monastery now numbering 120 religious.


1655-92 Henriette de Guise
Also known as Henriette de Lorraine, she was niece of Jehanne and during her reign, the Abbey became powerful, because of privilege of exemption, acquired in the 13th century. However this Abbess, too sure of her prerogatives, had disputes and a lawsuit with Bossuet, the bishop of Meaux. The "Eagle of Meaux", as he was known, interfered violently. Henriette lost the case and resigned. However, Bossuet could be gentle too as his letters to the nuns testify. He wrote to them in 1695: "God loves Jouarre". Daughter of Claude de Lorraine, Duc de Chevreuse, Prince de Joinville and Marie Aimée de Rohan, Mademoiselle de Montbazon. Her oldest sister was, Anne Marie, Abbess of Pont-aux-Dames, and she lived (1631-93)

1692-1721 Anne Marguerite de Rohan
Daughter of Francois de Rohan, Comte de Rochefort, Prince de Soubise, Governor of Champagne, Berry and Brie and his scond wife Anne-Julie de Rohan-Chabot, Dame de Soubise, and lived (1664-1721)

1721-33 Charlotte Armande de Rohan
Succeeded aunt. Daughter of Hercule Meriadec, Duc de Rohan-Rohan, Prince de Soubise et de Maubuisson, etc, Governor of Champagne and Brie and his first wife, Anne Genevieve de Levis-Ventadour, and lived (1696-1733)

1733-38 Anne Therese de Rohan
Daughter of Charles III de Rohan, 5th Duc de Montbazon, Pr de Guéméné, etc, and his second wife Charlotte Elizabeth de Cochefilet. One sister was a nun at the chapter and two of her sisters were also abbesses, Marie Anne Benigne, at Panthemont and Angelique Eleonore at Preaux and Marquette. She lived (1684-1738)

1738-92 Catherine-Henriette de Montmorin
Doubled the Monastery buildings. One of the wings, the porch of the actual rue Montmorin and the chaplain's residence is still the major part of the Abbey. From 1790, the lands of the Abbey were confiscated by the revolutionary Committee, the buildings were put up for sale and the expulsion order was promulgated in 1792. This event was to be the death of the Abbess. She passed away on September 27th.

From 1792 Acting Head of the Abbey, Coadjutress Gabrielle de Tane
Left with the nuns. Empty of its inhabitants, the abbey was divided into 34 lots and sold in 1793.
The Church, the chapter and the cloister were destroyed, the claustral buildings were transformed into houses along roads cut across the Abbey. But out of the 58 nuns expelled a few stayed on in the village, succoured by the population. The locals carried the reliquaries, bells and statues of the Abbey to the Parish Church in order to save them from destruction. They even tried to make a request to the Committee for the Protection of the General Public in favour of the sisters. Those who came back discretely to live under the shadow the cloister were they had made profession were welcomed kindly repaying by their services and their example those who helped them. Twenty-six nuns survived in this way, waiting and watching in prayer. They bought back plots of the Abbey and kept a look-out for the eventuality of the revival of conventual life.

1837-40 Madame Sainte Symphorose Bagot
The first abbess after the chapter was founded again

1840–1881 Madame Athanase Gilquin
During her term in office, almost all the former monastic buildings were bought back. The church was rebuilt in 1863, the Abbey was canonically erected, the Constitutions drafted and approved. The monastery was in full development when the law of separation between Church and State was promulgated in 1901.

1881–1908 Madame Benoît Bernier
The laws of expulsion obliged the her to decide to go into exile. The community sought refuge in Belgium then in Holland at New Herlaar.

Around 1935 Madame Angèle Bontemps
Abbey became in a military hospital. in 1915 and 4 nuns remained in Jouarre to look after the wounded. At the time she governed the community, and she came back to the monastery in 1919 with a group of nuns from Holland. In reply to the request of Pope Pius XI in regard to the dealings of monasteries with the exterior, she set up the class of Regular Oblates for outside services and the apostolate. In 1940, during the Second World War, a brief exodus forced the nuns to leave the monastery again but for a few months only.

1956-65 Madame Pierre Vidard

1965-95 Aguilberte de Suremain

1995-2007 Marie-David Giraud

2007- Geneviève Barrière



 

Abbey of Mons
The Abbess held the position of Abbey Nullius and territorial authority of the surrounding fiefs.

........

 
Abbey of Montvilliers
The Madame Abbesse exercised ecclesiastical juridiction in 28 parishes in Normandy, including Saint-Paul and Eauplet by Rouen. It was abandoned during the revolution in 1792.

1065-1116 Elisabeth
Started rebuilding the chapter after it had been ravaged by the Vikings 200 years before. 

11... Matilda FitzRoy
She was daughter of King Henry I of England and Isabelle de Beaumont-le-Roger. Her father had one surviving ligitmate daughter - Empress Mathilde, who was heir to the throne and reigned shortly before she was deposed. He had at least 20 illigitimate children

Around 1241 Marguerite de Sargines

Around 1398 Marie de Noyers

Mid 1400s Germaine de Chambray
Daughter of Jean III de Chambray, seigneur de Chambray and Gilette Cholet

Mid 1400s Jeanne  de Chambray

...Claire Motier de La Fayette
Daughter of VI Gilbert IV  Motier de La Fayette, Seigneur de Saint-Romain, de Hautefeuille and de Pontgibault and Isabeau. (b. 1482-?).

1593-1643 Louise de L'Hôpital
Appoined by a bulle by Pope Clement VIII. One of 3 Abbesses from the Dynasty. Daughter of François, Seigneur de Vitry and de Coubert and Anne de La Maisonfor and aunt of Abbess Anne. Her religious, social and administrative reforms contributed to the prosperity of the Abbey and the inhabitants of the town of Montivilliers. She lived (1567-1643).

......Louise de Montivilliers
Daugther of Nicolas, Marquis de Vitry et d'Arc, Count de Châteauvillain and Seigneur de Coubert and Lucrèce Bouhier

Until 1662 Anne de L'Hôpital
Daughter of François, Count de L'Hôpital and Rosnay and Charlotte des Essarts, the Maitresse of King Henri

....... Madeleine Kadot de Sebbeville


......
Marguerite de Gonzague

Around 1770 Germaine de Conty d'Hargicourt
Unpopular and accused the sisters of misusing the revenues of the abbey.

 

 

The Monastery of Remiremont (including Saint Pierre, Metz and 72 other lordships) (Chapitres de dames nobles de Remiremont (Saint-Pierre de Remiremont)
Remiremont was the most illustrious monastery in whole of Europe. It was founded ca 620 and transferred to its present location in 818. In 1070 the Abbey was granted "Reichsunmittelbarkeit" - it became an immediate realm of the impire and in 1088 the Abbey was placed directly under the authority of the Pope. From the end of the 11th century the transformation into a secular chapter for noble ladies began. Through the centuries the chapter was in dispute with the Dukes of Lorraine even though a high number of the canonnesses and the Abbess was from that family, and when the Emperor removed the privellege of an Immediate Territory in 1566, the chapter ignored this and kept using the title as Princess-Abbess. The Abbess, who was elected among the highest nobility, was granted the title of Princesse d'Empire - Princess of the Holy Roman Empire in 1290 or 1307. She reigned over 74 lordships, and as sovereign of the territory she had the right to choose the mayor of Remiremont from a list proposed by the nobles of the city. The mayor's deputy, the Grand Eschevin, was chosen by the mayor from a list of 3 candidates presented by the bourgeois of the city with her advice.

Until circa 622 Abbesse Actefleda

Until circa 652 Abbesse Clara

Until circa 673 Abbesse Gebetrude
Also known as Gertrud, she was probably sister of Abbot Adelphius and a niece of Abbess Klara

Util 819/20 Abbesse Waldrada I.
She was the 17th Abbess

819/20-862/65 Abbesse Teuthildis de Metz
A relative of the Senescal Adalhard, Count of Metz, of the family of the Matfriede

Around 960s Abbesse Ermengardis

Around 970/75 Abbesse Uulfrada III

Around 970s/980s Abbesse Gisela I.

Around 980's-begining of 1000s Abbesse Haduidis I

Around 1000 Abbesse Richenza de Lorraine
She was daughter of  Count Hermann I Pusillus, Count in Auelgau and Count Palatine of Lorraine (945-996), and Heylwig von Dillingen.

Abbesse
Around 1000-1020 Abbesse Uuilleburga

Circa 1020-35 Abbesse Berscinda
Daughter of Gerard/Gerhard II von Metz, Count of Elsass  and Eva von Luxemburg. She lived (After 1013-40)

1035-68/70 Abbesse Oda d'Alsace 
Also known as Ode de Luxembourg, she was daughter of Gérard d'Alsace, Comte de Metz and Duke of Lorraine, and Gisèle


Around 1065 Dame Doyenne Bilarde

1070-circa 1115 Dame Abbesse Gisèle II von Lothringen of Remiremont and Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains in Metz
She falshified a document that stated that she optained independent political position of the abbey from Emperor Heinrich IV on 28. September 1070 and the document showing that Pope Urban II placed the abbey directly under his protection in 1088 was also falce. She lived (1070-1114).

Circa 1114-61/4 Dame Abbesse Judith I de Lorraine 
1139-61/4
Dame Abbesse of Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains in Metz
Also known as Judith de Vaudemont, she succeeded her aunt Gisèle II and was in dispute over the authority over the chapter with her counsins, Simon I and Mathieu I and Lorraine, and did not hesitate to appeal to Emperor Konrad III to maintain her rights. She was daughter of Thierry II of Lorraine and Hedwig von Formbach.

Circa 1114-23 Dame Doyenne Emma

Around 1151 Dame Doyenne Berthe

Circa 1155-60 Dame Doyenne Eve

Circa 1160-65 Dame Doyenne Ide

1161/64-89 Dame Abbesse Euphronia de Lorraine
Also known as Fronica she was daughter of Duke Dietrich II. de Châtenois of Lothringen

1189-1211 Dame Abbesse Clémence de Lunéville

Circa 1176-80 Dame Doyenne Adélaide

Around 1194
Dame Doyenne Clémemce de Vois

Circa 1211-1232 Dame Abbesse ... de Lorraine
The daughter of Duke Friederich von Bitsch and Lorraine and Ludmilla of Poland (d. 1242), her name has been lost.

1232-42 Dame Abbesse Agathe de Lorraine
Also known as Agatha von Bitsch, she succeeded her sister. She was also Abbess of  L'Entanche and Bouxières, from before 1236.

1242-80 Dame Abbesse Agnès II de Salm
After her death, there was 2 candidates for her succession: Marguerite de Bayon and Agnès de Glère. She was d
aughter of Count Heinrich III. of Lothringen and Judith of Lothringen

Around 1287 Dame Abbesse Anne I de Glère
Abbess of Säckingen and charged with the administration of Masevaux when she was imposed as Abbess by Emperor Rudolf von Habsburg. Later excommunicated for ursurping the abbasiate.


1288-92 Dame Doyenne Clémence d'Oiselay
1292 Secrète
1306-24/26 Princess-Abbess
Also known as d'Oyselet, d'Oiselet or Oizelay, she was granted the title and rank of a Princess of the Realm (Princesse d'Empire / Reichsfürstin in 1607. She was d
aughter of Jean d'Oyselet, Seigneur de Flagey, the issue of an illegitemate branch of the Counts of
Bourgogne

Around 1290 Princess-Abbess Laure-Félicité de Dombasle
Raised to the rang of Princesse of the Empire (princesse d'Empire) in 1295, the same year
a peace-treaty was concluded with the Duke of Lorraine, Ferry III, after years of dispute over control of the territory. In 1284 Emperor Rudolph had married Elisabeth de Bourgogne in the abbey. She was member of a line of the countly family of Salm.

Circa 1293-circa 1303  Princess-Abbess Catherine I de Vaudemont

1294-98 Dame Doyenne Gertrude

1300 Dame Doyenne Simonette/Pétronille de Dommartin

Before 1322 Dame Doyenne Clémence de Scey

1324/26-47 Princesse-Abbesse Jeanne I de Vaudemont
Daughter of Henri II de Vaudemont, Count de Vaudémont et d'Ariano and Helissende de Vergy, Dame du Fay, and lived (circa 1267-1347)

1329-46 Dame Doyenne Jeanne de Lanques
The list is not totally consistant - several women are named as Dame Doyennes at the same time.

Before 1330 Dame Doyenne Judith

Before 1333 Dame Doyenne Marie de Bergues

Before 1334 Dame Doyenne Jeanne de Mont

Before 1336 Dame Doyenne Béatrix d'Arcey

Before 1340 Dame Doyenne Alix de Marey (Known as Adèle)

1350
 Princess-Abbess Simonetta de Vara
Also known as Symonate de Varre

1350-74 Eleonore de Chalon d'Auxerre

Also known as Aliénor, she was the 10th child of John II de Chalon and Alix de Bourgogne.

1351 Dame Doyenne Marguerite de Charmes
Also sometime Abbesse

1358 Dame Doyenne Isabelle de Scey

1359 Dame Doyenne Cathrine de Saint-Remy

1366-70 Dame Doyenne Guye de Granges dite d'Arbois
Secrète circa 1370-76.

1369-1404 Princess-Abbess Jeanne II d'Aigremont
In 1371, an act stated that there were 21 ladies in residence. Her long reign contributed to the development and stability of the chapter.

1395 Dame Doyenne Cunégonde d'Oricourt
1404-06 Administratrice

1406 Dame Doyenne Cathreine de Saint-Aubin
1406-07 Administratrice

1407-1412 Catherine de Blâmont
The successor of Jeanne d’Aigremonts, she was removed from office by Pope Gregory XII.

1412-18 Princess-Abbess Henriette II d'Amoncourt
She had been Secrète 1381, 1384 and afterwards. Her election in 1307 was contested by the supporteres of Catherine de Blamont, Abbess of Epinal (d. 1408), and Henri de Blamont deployed his troops in the territory, making it impossible for her to take up her position until 1412. Appointed
Princess of the Realm from 1415

1414-21 Dame Doyenne Isabelle de Demangevelle
1421-44 Princess-Abbess
Also known as Yasabel. In 1441 Duchess Isabelle de Lorraine stated in a document that the chapter had 40 noble ladies residing.

1418  Princess-Abbess Marguetite II de Salvaine
Also known as Grilde de Salverne

1432 Dame Doyenne Alix de Ville-sur-Illon

1427-52 Dame Doyenne Jeanne III d'Anglure de Germainvilliers
1473-1505 Princesse-Abbesse
In the beginning of the sixteenth century discipline was lax and the nuns, without the pope's consent, declared themselves canonesses. They did not take the vows and admitted only novices who could give proof of noble descent. Also Dame de Germainvilliers. (d. 1505).

1444-52 Princess-Abbess Henrica III de Vienne
Also known as Henriette de Vienne

1452-53 Princess-Abbess Jenne III de Chauviré

1452-55 Dame Doyenne Alix de Paroye
1455-73 Princess-Abbess
In 1468 the territory was hit by
plague.

1473 Princess-Abbess Catherine II de Neufchatel
Her election was not confirmed. A sister, Agnes, was canoness at Remiremont until her death in 1474 and another, Marguerite, was Abbess of Baume-les-Dame. They were children of  Thibaut IX, Lord de Neufchatel, de Blamont, etc, Vicomte de Baume, Marshall and Captain-General of Burgundy and Bonne de Chateauvillain, Dame de Grancey. Catherine lived (1455-1501)

1474 Jeanne d'Anglure

1487 Dame Doyenne Clémemce d'Uzès

1505-07
Princess-Abbess Agnes II de Dommartin
As sovereign of the territory she had the right to choose the mayor of Remiremont from a list proposed by the nobles of the city. The mayor's deputy, the Grand Eschevin, was chosen by the mayor from a list of 3 candidates presented by the bourgeois of the city with her advice.

1507-20 Princesse-Abbesse Alix de Choiseul
Also known as
Aleidis, she resigned in favour of Madeleine de Choiseul shortly before her own death.

1520 Princess-Abbess Madeleine de Choiseul
1528-44 Coadjutrice
1544 Princess-Abbess
She was selected by her predecessor, but not elected by the ladies of the chapter as the rules stipulated, which caused some protests, and she resigned in favour of Nicole de Dommartin, who resigned shortly after in favour of Marguerite d'Haraucourt. This on the other hand was contested  by Marguerite de Neufchâel, who appointed Madeleine as Coadjutrice when she prevailed in 1528 after years of incertanties. After Madame de Neuchâtel's death Madeleine was Princess-Abbess for a few months' before being succeeded by Madame d'Haraucourt.

1520- Princess-Abbess Nicole de Dommartin
Her election as successor of Madeleine de Choiseul, was contested by Marguerite de Neufchâtel, Abbess of Baume, and she soon resigned in favour of  Margureite d'Haraucourt, but Madame de Neufchâtel prevailed in 1528, and appointed Madeleine de Choiseul as coadjutrice.

1528-44 Princess-Abbess Marguerite III de Neufchatel
Since 1520 she had contested the appointment of Madeleine de Choiseul, the election of Nicole de Dommartin and her resignation in favour of Marguerite d'Haraucurt and in 1528 she finally gained the upper hand, and then appointed Madeleine de Choiseul as coadjutice. Marguerite's  sister, Bonne, succeeded their brother, Thibaut XI, as Dame de Neufchatel in 1500/04 and lived until 1515. Her younger sister, Elizabeth de Neufchatel was Dame de Chatel-sur-Moselle, etc, They were children of Claude, Lord de Neufchatel, etc, Vicomte de Baume, Governor of Luxembourg and Burgundy, Marshall of Burgundy, etc. and Bonne van Bolchen. Marguerite lived (circa 1480-1544)

1544-68 Princesse-Abbesse Marguerite IV d'Haraucourt
Adound 1520 Madeleine de Choiseul had resigned as Princess-Abbess in her favour, but Marguerite de Neufchâtel prevailed in the powerstruggle in 1528. After her death in 1544 she was succeeded by Madame de Choiseul, who was in office for a few months before she died. Marguerite d'Haraucourt was a
lso known by the surname of d'Ubex because her family owned the castle Ubexy, which had been inherited by Elisabeth d'Haraucourt in 1543, the wife of Nicolas du Châtelet, who had no children. She was the 42nd Abbess of the Chapter. In 1565 the war of "panonceaux" broke out between Duke Charles III of Lorraine and the ladies of the chapter, who used the Imperial Eagles in the city shield to show their independence. Charles profited by the fact that Emperor Maximillan II was tied up in Hungary and used force to have his sovereignty recognised. 

1565-68 Coadjutrice  Renée de Dinteville
1568-80
Princesse-Abbesse
Elected because duke Charles III of Lorraine preferred an Abbess from the local nobility of the Duchy. 1579 was forced to accept Barbe de Salm as Coadjutrice of the Chapter.

1579-80 Coadjutrice Barbe de Salm
1580-1602
Princesse-Abbesse
The other canonisses refused to accept the automatic succession of Barbara von Salm and instead they elected Huberte de Chastenay and appealed to the pope, but he ruled in favour of Barbe, who appointed her rival as Coadjutrice and managed to build up a good relationship with the ladies of the chapter.
1588 the territory was again hit by the plague.

1580 Coadjutrice Huberte de Chastenay
Elected as Princess-Abbess by the ladies of the chapter, but the pope accepted the automatic succession of Barbe de Salm, who appointed her as Coadjutrice.

1602-11 Princesse-Abbesse Elisabeth I de Salm
Resigned in favour of Catherine de Lorraine ad received a large pension. She was daughter of Friedrich I de Salm, Wild- und Rheingraf in Dhaun et Neuviller-sur-Moselle and Franziska zu Salm. Around 1605 the copper production in the mines at Thillot reached its maximum.

1609-12 Coadjotrice Catherine de Lorraine-Vaudemont
1612-48 Princesse-Abbesse Catherine IV
In 1638 the troups of Turenne occupied Remiremont for a month. The following year she obtained the neutrality of Vosges (for Epinal, Remiremont, Bruyère, St Dié, Arches) for the rest of the Thirty Years War war. She 
tried to reform the convent, but failed and also founded the Monatery of the Ladies du Saint Sacrement in Nancy, and was daughter of François II de Vaudemont, duke  of Lorraine, and lived (1576-1648)

Around 1609 Dame Doyenne Claude de Fresnel
Leading in the opposition against the Coadjutrice Catherine de Lorraine and appealed to the pople, who again took the part of the Ducal family of Lorraine.

1648-57 Princess-Abbess Elisabeth II d'Alençon of Remiremont
Elisabeth-Marguerite d'Orléans, Mademoiselle d'Alençon was 2 years old when she was elected as sovereign of the chapter, and therefore her parents, Gaston Jean Baptiste de France, Duke d'Anjou, d'Orléans, Chartres, Valois, d'Alençon, comte de Blois, Monthéry et de Limours, baron d'Amboise, seigneur de Montargi and Marguerite de Lorraine, reigned for her. She never visited the chapter and in 1657 she married Duke Louis Joseph de Guise (1650-71) with whom she had one child, François Joseph de Guise (1670-75). The former Princess-Abbess lived (1646-96).


1657-60
Princesse-Abbesse Marie-Anne of Lorraine
Elected Abbess at the age of 11, she was
daughter of Nicolas François, who resigned as Cardinal in 1634 to become  Duke of Lorraine (1634-61), and Claude de Lorraine (1612-1648). She lived (1648-61).

1657-60 Administrator the Dame Doyenne N.N.

1661-1702 Princesse-Abbesse Dorothée-Marie de Salm
She was elected Coadjutrice with the right of succession as a child, and when Marie-Anne died, she was elected Abbess. 1677 she moved to the chateau of some relatives, Neuviller-sur-Moselle, 3 days of travelling from Remiremont, where she took up the fight for her position against the Administratrice, Bernarde de Cléron de Saffre, The territory was hit by an
earthquake in 1688. 1691 she travelled to Paris to plead her case before the king and the ladies of the chapter send Madame de Bourdonné as their envoy. 1693 the king confirmed the seigneurial rights over the town of Remiremont and continued to share the rights of high, middle and low court with the town. Orignally named Dorothea Maria zu Salm, she was was daughter of Prince Leopold Philipp Karl zu Salm and Countess Maria Anna von Bronckhorst-Batenburg, Heiress of Anholt, who died in Remiremont in 1661, and lived (1651-1702)

1660-66 Joint Administratrice Hélène d'Anglure
As Dame Doyenne she was Second-in-Command. She protested against the election of Dorothée de Salm as Abbess, since she was below the required age of 25 at the age of her election, but the Pope dispended for the rule, but she remained in dispute with Dorothée until her death.

1660-77 Joint Administratrice Bernarde de Cléron de Saffre
1666-84-1704-? Dame Doyenne
Held the office of Dame Sonière and held as adminsitrator together with the Dame Doyenne, Hélène d'Anglure, for the under-age Princess-Abbess Dorothée de Salm. After she was elected as Madame d'Anglure's successor she continued the powerstruggle with the Abbess, who named her sister, Christine, as  "Second-in-Command" in 1700 and it was her who acted as Regent for the minor Elisabeth Charlotte Gabrielle Lorraine from 1700 and 11 years onwards, not Bernarde.

1702-10 Administratrice Christine de Salm
In 1684 her sister Princess-Abbess Dorothée de Salm, had her named as Second-in-Command against the ancient tradition where the Dame Doyenne was the Deputy to the Abbess. She was then named Secréte, the third-in-command, after the death of Anne de Malain de Lux by the Pope, but never-the-less the ladies of the chapter elected Elisabeth-Gabrielle-Françoise Rouxel de Médavy to the post, but Christina von Salm contnued as her sister's de-facto deputy, and she was Acting Head of the chapter during the minority of Élisabeth-Charlotte. She lived (1653-?).

1703-11 Princess-Abbess Elisabeth Charlotte Gabrielle de Lorraine
Her father, Duke Léopold of Lorraine, tried to impose her as Coadjutrice with the right of succession. The Princess-Abbess Dorothée asked the Professors at Sorbonne for advice, but they did'nt answer before her death 2 years later, so King Louis XIV imposed Élisabeth as sovereign of the territory. She never visited Remiremont, and lived (1700-11)

1705-11 Coadjotrice Béatrix Hiéronyme de Lorraine-Lillebonne 
17011-38
Princesse-Abbesse
Known as the "Mademoiselle de Lillebonne", she had lived in the entourage of the Grand Dauphin at Versailles, but after his death, she became Abbess. Also known as Mademoiselle de Lillebonne, she was daughter of Charles IV de Lorraine and Béatrix de Cusance. She built a Hospital for the sick, poor and orphans, and  lived (1662-1738).

1711-circa 17 Dame Doyenne Barbe des Armoises

1738-73 Princesse-Abbesse Anne Charlotte I de Lorraine  
1754-73 Secular Abbess of the Chapter of Sainte-Waudru in Mons
1756-73 Coadjutrice of Thorn
1757-73 Coadjutrice of Essen
The sister of Princess-Abbess Elisabeth Charlotte Gabrielle, she lived with her mother, Elisabeth d'Orléan in Commercy 1738-45 and was represented by Edmée de Ténarre-Montmain by her election and she also took posession of the chapter in her name. As a marriage with Prince Charles de Lorraine was contemplated in 1743 a delegation of the ladies of the chapter visited her and her mother and paid their compliments to "Her Royal Highness Madame the Duchess and Her Serene Highness the Princess Abbess". After her mother's death she paid a brief visit on the way to Vienna where her brother, Franz, had been elected Emperor. She lived at his and Empress Maria-Thersia's court until she was elected Abbess of Mons and moved there. 1764 she named Christine de Saxe as Coadjotrice. She lived (1714-73)

Circa 1717-60 Dame Doyenne Hélène de Cleron
1744-59 Administratrice
The 2 Ducal Commissioners to the Chapter participated in her election even thought it was against the rules. She was the Head of the CHapter in the absence of the Princess Abbess, Anne Charlotte de Lorraine. (d. 1759).

1759-89 Dame Doyenne Hyacinthe Céleste de Briey de Landres
1760-89 Administratrice
Succeeded Hélène as Head of the Chapter for the absent Princess Abbess Anne Charlotte de Lorraine, who lived in Austria and Mons. Hyachinthe Céleste lived (1713-89).

Until 1764 Coadjutrice Marguerite Louise de Lorraine-Marsan 
Daughter of Charles Louis de Lorraine-Marsan (1696-1755) and Elisabeth de Roquelaure (1697-1752), and lived (1723-64).

1764-73 Coadjutrice Christine de Saxe
1773-75 Princesse-Abbesse
Mari
e Christine von Sachsen, Royal Princess of Poland was the sister of the Dauphinie and named Coadjutrice after the personal intervention of king Louis XV. She held her festive entry to the chapter 18 moths after her election. From 1779 she lived in Strasbourg and only returned to Remiremont for very brief visits. She was daughter of King Friedrich August III of Poland and aunt of King Louis XVI. Her sister,
Maria Kunigunde, was Princess-Abbess of Essen and Thorn from 1776. Marie Christine lived (1735-82).

1775-82 Coadjutrice  Anne Charlotte de Lorraine-Brionne 
1782-86 Princesse-Abbesse Anne Charlotte
II
She arrived at Remiremont in 1784 and only visited the chapter a few times. She was daughter of Louis III Lorraine-Harcourt-Armagnac,  duc de Lorraine-Harcourt, comte Armagnac and his third wife Louise de Rohan. She lived (1756-86).

1786-90 Princesse-Abbesse Louise Adélaïde de Bourbon-Condé      
Did not visit the chapter more than three times a year during her short term in office. She was also known as Mademoiselle de Condé, she was daughter of  Louis Joseph de Bourbon-Conde, Prince de Conde et Duc de Bourbon and Charlotte de Rohan-Soubise (1737-1760). She spend much of her life in exile, and lived (1758-1824).

1789-90 Dame Doyenne and Adminsitratrice N.N.
Perhaps the position was held by Madame de Ténarre-Villers, who had been elected Secrète in 1783.

 

Abbey of Woffenheim in Lorraine (im Lotharingischen Reichsgebit)
The Abbess held the position of Abbey Nullius and territorial authority of the surrounding fiefs.

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Last update 23.05.13