PRINCESSE DES URSINS, LOYAL SUBJECT OF THE KING OF FRANCE AND FOREIGN PRINCESS IN ROME (1675-1701)
Résumé
Music stands as one of the major topics in the Late Sevententh century letters of Anne-Marie de La Trémoille, known as Princesse des Ursins and married to the Roman Prince Flavio Orsini, who was the head figure of the Francophile party in Rome. Two neglected series of Letters preserved in the Orsini Archive of the Archivio Storico Capitolino and in the Lante Archive of the Archivio di Stato di Roma give new insights into the place held by music, musicians and concerts within the social life of this Roman family, linked to the Royal Court of France. The private letters of the princess des Ursins give evidence about all kinds of musical activities, either for private entertainment (personal pratice, musical lessons, dance lessons), or for social gatherings (musical concerts and lyrical performances). Within the circle of a huge diplomatic, political and artistic network, the princess accommodated in Rome the conversation à la française as it had been performed in the Parisian salons such as the Hôtel de Rambouillet at the height of its fame. This paper has a triple scope: first to draw a portrait of the Princess des Ursins, sheding light on the cultural program that she filled out along the years ; secondly to describe and discuss the musical and theatrical entertainments that she organized in order to strengthen the prestige of France in Rome. The princess, who became Roman by her wedding, always asserted herself as a devoted subject of the king of France. Finally I will delineate her political choices, emphasizing her role of go-between and trying to evaluate the efficiency of the strategies she carried out, especially in the field of the politicized consumption of music.