Chronologie de la vie de Louis XIV, April 1661

1 April, Monsieur and Madame receive members of the court, who come to congratulate them on their marriage.

2 April, Fête de Saint François de Paule, the King and his brother travel to the couvent des Minimes de la place Royale for mass and to visit the convent. They are received by Père d’Ormesson (Nicolas Le Fèvre).

3 April, their Majesties attend the sermon of Père Texier at the Louvre.

4 April, the King receives Pierre de Bonzy, Bishop of Béziers and envoy of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, who negotiated the engagement of the King’s cousin Mademoiselle d’Orléans (Marguerite-Louise) and Cosimo de’ Medici, son of the Grand Duke.

5 April, the King continues to attend to his affairs with great acumen and showed, at the Conseil des Parties, that none of his ministers is his superior in knowledge.

8 April, Fête de Notre dame de Pitié, his Majesty visits the church of the Filles de la Misericòrdie at the Faubourg Saint-Germain to attend mass.

9 April, their Majesties attend the proxy engagement of Mademoiselle Mancini (Marie) and Monsieur le Connétable Colonna (Lorenzo Onofrio), celebrated in the King’s cabinet by the Archbishop d’Amasia.

10 April, the Conseil d’État decides to establish a Trade Commission, with the goal to stimulate the economy. It is led by Monsieur Fouquet, with the assistance of Monsieur Colbert as well as the Messieurs Clément, d’Aligre and Marin.

10 April, Dimanche des Rameaux, their Majesties attend mass at the chapel of the Louvre and are present for the procession, before they attend the sermon of Père Texier in the afternoon.

11 April, their Majesties attend the wedding by proxy of Mademoiselle Mancini (Marie) and Monsieur le Connétable Colonna (Lorenzo Onofrio), celebrated in the chapel of the Queen.

12 April, the King receives the Nuncio, the ambassador of Venice and the envoy of the Duc de Mantoue.

13 April, the Conseil d’État orders all ecclesiastics to sign the declaration against Jansenism, which was set up by the Assemblée du clergé in February.

13 April, His Majesty receives the ambassadeur extraordinaire de Savoie (Francesco Ghiron), the Marquis Durazzo, envoy of the Republic of Genoa, the Bishop of Münster and Monsieur Dencourt.

14 April, Jeudi Saint, the King and Queen visit the Feuillants for mass, then return to the Louvre for the sermon of Abbé Le Camus, and receive Absolution by the Bishop de Digne, before they attend the ceremony of the Last Supper at the salle des gardes.

15 April, Vendredi Saint, their Majesties attend the sermon of Père Texier at the Louvre, before they travel to the Feuillants for the Adoration of the Cross.

15 April, Vendredi Saint, their Majesties return to the Feuillants for the Office des Ténèbres (Tenebrae) in the afternoon, which they also attended on the two previous days.

16 April, their Majesties attend the Salut du Saint-Sacrement (Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament) at the Louvre, before they go to the Oratorians for the Orthros.

17 April, Pâques, their Majesties visit Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois for their devotions, before His Majesty, wearing the collier de l’Ordre, proceeds to the garden of the Tuileries to touch 1500 ailing people.

17 April, Pâques, their Majesties return to Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois in the afternoon to hear the sermon of Père Cueillens and evensong.

18 April, their Majesties sign the contract of marriage of Mademoiselle d’Orléans (Marguerite-Louise d’Orléans) and Monsieur le Prince de Toscane (Cosme de Médicis).

18 April, their Majesties attend the engagement ceremony of Mademoiselle d’Orléans and Monsieur le Prince de Toscane, celebrated by the bishop de Béziers. Monsieur le Duc de Guise acts as proxy for Monsieur le Prince.

19 April, the court prepares to leave Paris for Fontainebleau, where his Majesty intends to spend the summer.

19 April, the King and Queen are present at the chapelle du Louvre for the wedding of Mademoiselle d’Orléans and Monsieur le Prince de Toscane.

20 April, the King receives the bishop de Béziers, ambassador of the Grand-Duc de Toscane, in a private audience.

20 April, the King and Queen, who is carried on a chair because of her pregnancy, board their carriage to travel to Fontainebleau.

20 April, their Majesties spend the night at Fromont, where they are greeted by Monsieur de Nouveau.

21 April, their Majesties continue towards Fontainebleau and spend the night at Maison Rouge, close to the hameau de Tilly.

22 April, their Majesties leave Maison Rouge and arrive at Fontainebleau in the evening.

23 April, the King inspects the work done at the canal in the park of Fontainebleau, before he goes to hunt in company of Monsieur le Prince de Condé and his son Monsieur le Duc d’Enghien.

24 April, the King rides out to hunt, accompanied by Monsieur le Prince de Condé and Monsieur le Duc d’Enghien.

25 April, his Majesty meets with her Majesty the Queen-Mother in the forest of Fontainebleau.

26 April, the King amuses himself at the chase.

27 April, his Majesty rides out to hunt, after attending to matters of state.

28 April, his Majesty sets out to hunt deer.

30 April, his Majesty makes the Comte de Saint-Aignan, first gentleman of the King’s bedchamber, the new gouverneur de Touraine. The position was previously held by the Marquis d’Aumont, who passed away eight days ago.

30 April, the King and Queen welcome Monsieur and Madame at Fontainebleau, after having invited them there.