Clotilde of France

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Venerable
Clotilde of France
Queen consort of Sardinia
Tenure16 October 1796 – 7 March 1802
Born(1759-09-23)23 September 1759
Palace of Versailles, France
Died7 March 1802(1802-03-07) (aged 42)
Naples
Burial11 March 1802
SpouseCharles Emmanuel IV of Sardinia
IssueMargaret of Kells
Full name
Marie Adélaïde Clotilde Xavière de France[1][2]
HouseBourbon
FatherLouis, Dauphin of France
MotherMaria Josepha of Saxony
ReligionRoman Catholicism
SignatureVenerable Clotilde of France's signature

Clotilde of France
Queen Clotilde at prayer painted by Bernardino Nocchi, circa 1809
Queen of Sardinia and Laywoman
HometownVersailles, France
Resting placeNaples, Italy
Venerated inCatholic Church
Major shrineChurch of Santa Caterina a Chiaia, Naples, Italy
Feast7 March
AttributesCrown
Rosary
Imperial attire
PatronageFrance

Marie Clotilde of France (23 September 1759 – 7 March 1802) was Queen of Sardinia as wife of Charles Emmanuel IV. She was the sister of Louis XVI. On 10 April 1808, Pope Pius VII, declared Queen Clodile a Venerable the causes of her beatification and canonization continue.

Life[change | change source]

Baptied as Marie Adélaïde Clotilde Xavière, she was born at Versailles and known as Madame Clotilde. She was a daughter of Louis, Dauphin of France, only son of Louis XV with the popular Queen Marie Leczinska, and Maria Josepha of Saxony. Because she was overweight, Marie Clotilde was nicknamed Gros-Madame. She was raised with her sister Élisabeth.

Marriage[change | change source]

On 27 August 1775, Louis XVI had his sister Marie Clotilde married in Versailles to Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Piedmont, eldest son of Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia and of his wife Maria Antonia of Spain. Marie Clotilde had been taught Italian while at Versailles. In Savoy, jokes were made about her weight. Although the union was political, Marie Clotilde and Charles Emmanuel were devoted to each other. However they had no children.

In 1796, her husband became king. Marie Clotilde and her husband fled to Naples and lived as guests of the wealthy Colonna. Marie Clotilde died on 7 March 1802. Charles Emmanuel later abdicated on 4 June 1802 in favour of his younger brother, Victor Emmanuel. Marie Clotilde was buried in the Church of Santa Caterina a Chiaia in Naples.

Titles, styles, honours and arms[change | change source]

Titles and styles[change | change source]

  • 23 September 1759 – 27 August 1775 Her Royal Highness Madame Clotilde, Grand daughter of France.
  • 27 August 1775 – 16 October 1796 Her Royal Highness The Princess of Piedmont.
  • 16 October 1796 – 7 March 1802 Her Majesty The Queen.

References[change | change source]

  1. On the surname of the children of the King of France and of members of the French royal family: Diderot & d'Alembert Encyclopédie méthodique: Jurisprudence, Paris, 1786 [1], pp. 159-160 (French)
  2. Achaintre, Nicolas Louis, Histoire généalogique et chronologique de la maison royale de Bourbon, Vol. 2, (Publisher Mansut Fils, 4 Rue de l'École de Médecine, Paris, 1825), p. 168 [2]

Other websites[change | change source]

Media related to Marie Clotilde of France at Wikimedia Commons