A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Lamballe, Marie Therese, Louise, of Savoy, Carignan, Princess de
LAMBALLE, MARIE THERESE, LOUISE, OF SAVOY, CARIGNAN, PRINCESS DE,
Was born at Turin, September 8th., 1749, and married the Duke of Bourbon Penthifevre, by whom she was left a wealthy, young, beautiful, and amiable widow. When appointed intendant of the royal household of Marie Antoinette, she gained and deserved the confidence and warm affection of her mistress. On the unfortunate flight of the royal family to Varennes, Madame Lamballe escaped by another road from France to England, where she might have lived in safety; but she no sooner beard of the imprisonment of her royal friend, than she hastened back to Paris to soothe her miseries. This fidelity and devotion proved fatal to her. Dragged to the prison of La Force, she was tried before the bloody tribunal, September 3rd., 1792, and, when questioned about the queen, she answered with firmness and dignity. Some of the judges, moved by her heroism, youth, and beauty, wished to spare her; but as soon as she had left the place of her trial, she was seized by the mob and literally torn and cut to pieces. Her head was placed on a pike, and paraded by the diabolical monsters in view of the unfortunate queen and her family.
The character of the Princess de Lamballe was so perfect, that not even her enemies and assassins dared to asperse it.