Jeanne de Dampierre


Jeanne de Dampierre, née de Vivonne was a French court official. She served as Première dame d'honneur to the queen of France, Louise of Lorraine, from 1575 until 1583.

Life

Jeanne de Dampierre was the daughter of André de Vivonne, baron de la Chaftaigneraye, and Louise de Daillon du Lude. She married constable Claude de Clermont, baron de Dampierre.
Her mother Louise de Daillon du Lude and sister mother Anne de Vivonne were both attached to the court of queen Marguerite of Navarre, and she herself attended court from the age of eight. She was well liked by Marguerite of Navarre, so much so that king Francis I of France on one occasion asked her to act as mediator between him and his sister.
In 1575, he was appointed to the office of Première dame d'honneur to the new queen of France, Louise of Lorraine, and as such responsible for the female courtiers of the queen ; of controlling the budget, organizing the annual account and staff list, as well as supervising the daily routine and presentations to the queen. Having attended the French royal court since her childhood, she was given the task to guide queen Louise in court protocol and help her to play her role as queen, a task she is said to have done successfully.
By her sister Anne de Vivonne she was the aunt of Pierre de Bourdeille, seigneur de Brantôme, who often referred to her regarding information about the court in his famous works about the personages in the court of France, and he described her as: