ABSTRACT
This article aims to shine a light on Louis XIV’s natural offspring, particularly three of his daughters who have rarely been studied: Marie-Anne, Mlle de Blois then princess of Conti (1666–1739), the daughter of Louise of La Vallière; Louise-Françoise, Mlle de Nantes then duchess of Bourbon and princess of Condé (1673–1743); and Marie-Françoise, the second Mlle de Blois then duchess of Chartres and Orléans (1677–1749), the daughters of the Marquise de Montespan. Marriage for these women was an important moment but already well-known. This essay re-examines this transitional point in order to understand its political, social, and financial importance but goes further to explore how being transformed from an illegitimate daughter to a royal princess involved other crucial steps: legitimation, education, and changes in lifestyle, personal fortune, and agency.
