Anne Marie de la Tremoille, was daughter of M. de Noirmoutiers, who figured sufficiently in the troubles of the minority to be made a ’Duc a brevet’.  She first married M. Talleyrand, who called himself Prince de Chalais, and who was obliged to quit the kingdom for engaging in the famous duel against Messieurs de la Frette.  She followed her husband to Spain, where he died.  Having gone to Rome, she got into favour with the Cardinals de Bouillon and d’Estrees, first on account of her name and nation, and afterwards for more tender reasons.  In order to detain her at Rome, these dignitaries thought of obtaining her an establishment.  She had no children, and almost no fortune, they wrote to Court that so important a man as the Duc de Bracciano, Prince des Ursins, was worth gaining; and that the way to arrive at this result was to have him married to Madame de Chalais.  The Duke was persuaded by the two Cardinals that he was in love with Madame de Chalais:  and so the affair was arranged.  Madame des Ursins displayed all her wit and charms at Rome; and soon her palace became a sort of court, where all the best company assembled.  It grew to be the fashion to go there.

The husband amidst all this counts for not much.  There was sometimes a little disagreement between the two, without open rupture; yet they were now and then glad to separate.  This is why the Duchesse de Bracciano made two journeys to France:  the second time she spent four or five years there.  It was then I knew her, or rather formed a particular friendship with her.  My mother had made her acquaintance during her previous visit.  She lodged near us.  Her wit, her grace, her manners enchanted me:  she received me with tenderness and I was always at her house.  It was she who proposed to me a marriage with Mlle. de Royan, which I rejected for the reason already given.

When Madame des Ursins was appointed ‘Camerera Mayor’, she was a widow, without children.  No one could have been better suited for the post.  A lady of our court would not have done:  a Spanish lady was not to be depended on, and might have easily disgusted the Queen.  The Princesse des Ursins appeared to be a middle term.  She was French, had been in Spain, and she passed a great part of her life at Rome, and in Italy.  She was of the house of La Tremoille:  her husband was chief of the house of Ursins, a grandee of Spain, and Prince of the Soglio.  She was also on very good terms with the Duchess of Savoy, and with the Queen of Portugal.  The Cardinal d’Estrees, also, was known to have remained her friend, after having been something more in their youth; and he gave information that the Cardinal Portocarrero had been much in love with her at Rome, and that they were then on very good terms.  As it was through the latter Cardinal that it was necessary to govern everything, this circumstance was considered very important.