April 25th, 1783

Though Mme Elizabeth will not be permitted to spend her nights at Montreuil there is much activity surrounding the transfer of her household goods to the estate, where she will likely spend most of her days. It was due to these activities that I was unable to attend the court presentations, which I had been pressed to do by my friends. Little did I realize that a surprise had been planned for me.

Undeterred by my failure to attend, Msrs. Menars and Poisson received permission to approach and speak with my mistress in her salon, and their conversation, held with her in low voices and glances in my direction, soon gave me to know that something was amiss. My mistress, appearing very sly and merry, gave a nod of assent and the two gentlemen left the room.

They were reintroduced but a few moments later and with them was announced a Marquis de Mercoeur, the title of which gave me some confusion. Mercoeur is a title long associated with certain lands in Auvergne, but which was rendered quite extinct until several years ago. Revived for the King's brother, Artois, as a duchy it was then exchanged for the richer Duchy of Poiteau. As various sovereigns and persons of consequence have assumed new identities when visiting Versailles, to escape the confines of ettiquette, I thought it might be something of a similar nature. This did not explain the curious connection with myself, however.

Immediately when the Marquis appeared all was explained and I could not do aught but stare frozen, though what I very much wished to do was to fly to him, for it was my own, dear, Thierry! The formal introductions were made, and somehow my mistress seemed to understand much because not only did she say to him "I think you know our Comtesse d'Auvergne," but she then suggested a turn in the gardens and left Thierry to accompany me.

The story he told me then will have to wait until another day, as I am summoned to dress Mme Elizabeth and cannot delay.

Olympe, Comtesse

Court Presentation in France- Part 1

While preparing a more detailed post on the event known to us as Presentation at Court, I came across a publication called "Notice Historique sure les Honneurs de la Cour", and yes, it's in French. I'll try to post a translation online somewhere, when my brain feels up to the task of seven pages.

Here are some very basic things to know about court presentation in France in the 18th century:-
1) It was a much more formal event for a woman than it was for a man. He might make his introduction to the king by way of traveling along on a hunting expedition. The level of careful ettiquette required of a woman was a lot higher.
2) Regardless of gender the person to be presented had to prove first that their family had been of the aristocracy as far back as 1400, and they had to find someone who had already been presented at court who could then present them. (For our heroine, Olympe's mother could not present her because she had never been presented at court herself, but her cousin, Marie-Louise de la Tour d'Auvergne, could.)
3) Typically women presented women, and men presented men. It never hurt to have multiple people of high rank in your party during the presentation, regardless; especially if the person being presented was being launched onto the marriage market.
4) There were exceptions to the rule. People who were not of long-ennobled families could apply to be presented if they had other appropriate credentials, such as serving with distinction in the military or trade, being a foreign diplomat, or just having pleased the monarch in some way.