Marie Thérèse de Bourbon (7 February 1666 – 3 May 1732) was a French princess of the blood, a member of the House of Bourbon-Condé, and the last Duchess of Conti by marriage. She was the daughter of Henri Jules, Prince of Condé, and his wife, Anne Henriette of Bavaria, placing her among the highest ranks of French aristocracy in the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
Family background
- Father: Henri Jules, Prince of Condé (1643–1709)
- Mother: Anne Henriette of Bavaria (1648–1723)
- Siblings: Included Louis III, Prince of Condé (1668–1710) and several other children who held prominent positions within the French nobility.
Marriage and titles
On 23 February 1680, Marie Thérèse married François Louis, Prince of Conti (1664–1709), a cousin of King Louis XIV. The union produced two surviving children:
- Louise Élisabeth de Conti (1693–1761), who remained unmarried.
- Louis François de Bourbon, Prince of Conti (1708–1727), who died unmarried at the age of 19.
Following her husband's death in 1709, Marie Thérèse retained the title of Dowager Duchess of Conti. She was commonly referred to as "Mademoiselle de Bourbon" before her marriage and continued to be known as the Duchess of Conti thereafter.
Court life and patronage
Marie Thérèse was a prominent figure at the French royal court. She maintained a salon that attracted leading literary and artistic personalities of the era, contributing to the cultural life of Paris. Her position as a princess of the blood gave her considerable influence in courtly circles, although she did not hold official political office.
Later years and death
After the death of her son in 1727, Marie Thérèse withdrew increasingly from public life. She died on 3 May 1732 at the Palais Royal in Paris. She was interred in the Église Saint-Louis des Invalides, the traditional burial site for members of the Condé branch of the Bourbon family.
Legacy
While not a political actor, Marie Thérèse de Bourbon is remembered for her role in sustaining the social and cultural networks of the French aristocracy during the reign of Louis XIV and the early years of the Régence. Her descendants, though limited, continued the lineage of the Conti branch until its extinction in the 19th century.