Anne Henriette of Bavaria - Marriage

Marriage

At the age of fifteen, she was engaged to Henri Jules, Duke of Enghien, the only surviving child of the famous military commander the Grand Condé. The Grand Condé was the most senior prince of the blood at the French court and held the highly prestigious rank of First Prince. Henri Jules was his heir and prior his succession to the purely honuary title of prince, was styled the Duke of Enghien and was addressed Monsieur le Duc. The marriage ceremony took place at the Palais du Louvre on 11 December 1663 in front of the court with Louis XIV and the rest of the royal family in attendance. As this time, she became known as Madame la Duchesse, referring to the title Duchess of Enghien. She held that title till the death of her father-in-law in 1684, when Anne took on the style of Madame la Princesse.

Her husband, who suffered from Clinical lycanthropy, was greatly supported by his wife, known in French as Anne, princesse Palatine. Anne and her husband had 10 children in all. Anne described as very pious generous and charitable, was well praised by many at court due to her very supportive nature towards her husband. Despite that her husband, who was prone to great rages, would often beat his quiet wife, even in the presence of other courtiers. Of her many children, five survived infancy. Four of those went on to marry.

Her mother was instrumental in helping bring about a marriage between her niece by marriage, Elisabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate and the brother of Louis XIV of France, Philippe of France, Duke of Orléans in 1671. Elisabeth Charlotte was Anne's first cousin, their fathers being brothers. A niece of Anne. In 1708, when her cousin Charles IV, Duke of Mantua died, being his heiress, Anne Henriette became the Princess of Arches in her own right. Charles IV was the last Duke of Mantua. The next year, Anne's husband died in Paris on 1 April 1709, aged 65 making her son, Louis, the next Prince of Condé.

Louis died the next year and his son Louis Henri, Duke of Bourbon became the next holder of the title. Anne was the princess for whom the Rue Palatine was named - the road in the 6the arrondissement of Paris where she had lived in the Petit Luxembourg, next to the Luxembourg Palace in Paris. Anne also owned the Château du Raincy which was sold to the House of Orléans in 1769. The Princess Palatine died in Paris at the age of 74, having outlived her husband and all but 2 of her children, namely the Princess of Conti and the Duchess of Maine. On her death, the principality of Arches became extinct; the title was claimed by her son, the Prince of Condé and her nephew, the son of her sister, Louise Marie of Bavaria. She was buried at the Carmel du Faubourg Saint-Jacques in Paris.