Maintenon, Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de (1635–1719)

Second wife of Louis XIV of France from 1684, and widow of the writer Paul Scarron (1610–1660). She was governess to the children of Mme de Montespan by Louis, and his mistress from 1667. She secretly married the king after the death of Queen Marie Thérèse in 1683. Her political influence was considerable and, as a Catholic convert from Protestantism, her religious opinions were zealous.