Anne Nompar de Caumont

Anne, Countess de Balbi (19 August 1753 – 3 April 1842) was a French aristocrat and lady-in-waiting. She is foremost known as a mistress of the Count of Provence from 1780 to 1791, who later became Louis XVIII. Life Family Anne was born in the Chateau La Force, as the daughter of the Duke Bertrand Nompar de Caumont de la Force (1724-1773), an official at the court of King Louis XV and First Gentleman of the Bedchamber for the Count of Provence, and his wife Adelaide-Luce-Madeleine de Galard de Brassac de Béarn (1739-1829), governess of the children of the Count of Artois. She was married to Count Francesco Marie Armand de Balbi (1752-1835), with whom she had four daughters. Mistress of the Count of Provence Anne was described as a witty and humorous beauty, but also attracted enemies with her relentlessness. In 1779, she became the lady-in-waiting (dame d’atours) of the Countess of Provence, allegedly because she wanted to become the count's lover. It is alleged that the count made Anne his mistress because of his anger over his wife's love for Marguerite de Gourbillon. Anne's husband, who protested against their relationship, was declared insane and imprisoned in a mental asylum by the count. Provence created a garden at Versailles in 1785, named Balbi after her.