Marie Isabelle de Rohan, Duchess of Tallard (Marie Isabelle Gabrielle Angélique; 17 January 1699 – 5 January 1754) was a French noblewoman and granddaughter of Madame de Ventadour. Marie Isabelle was the governess of the children of Louis XV and his consort Marie Leszczyńska.
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Biography
Born in Paris the fourth child of five. Her father was Hercule Mériadec de Rohan, Duke of Rohan-Rohan and his first wife Anne Geneviève de Lévis. As a member of the House of Rohan she enjoyed the prestigious rank of a Foreign Princess given to her family in the early 17th century due to them claiming ancestry back to the Dukes of Brittany. As such, this allowed the style of Highness. Her siblings included Louise Françoise, Duchess of La Meilleraye (married a grandson of Hortense Mancini and present ancestress of the Prince of Monaco) Jules, Prince of Soubise, Louise, Princess of Guéméné (wife of Hercule Mériadec, Prince of Guéméné). Her uncle was the Bishop of Strasbourg.
She married Joseph d'Hostun de La Baume, son of Camille d'Hostun de La Baume, Duke of Tallard on 13 March 1713; the bride was fourteen. Her husband was some seventeen years older than she. The young duchess was attached to the household of Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate, Madame, wife of the late Philippe de France, Monsieur and mother of the future Philippe d'Orléans, Regent of France; Marie Isabelle's grandmother Madame de Ventadour was also part of Madame's household.
Court office
In 1735, her grand mother Charlotte de La Mothe-Houdancourt retired from her post as Governess of the Children of France. The position was thus given to Marie Isabelle. She would hold the post till her resignation on 10 January 1754 when her niece Madame de Marsan took up the role. Her sister in law Anne Julie de Melun also acted as an under governess to the royal children.