1. Biography

2. References

Élisabeth de Mac Mahon née Elisabeth Charlotte Sophie de la Croix de Castries (13 February 1834 – 20 February 1900) was a first lady of France from 1873 until early 1879. She was married to President Patrice de Mac-Mahon, Duke of Magenta.

Biography

de la Croix de Castries was born in Paris in 1834, the daughter of Comte Armand de la Croix de Castries (1807–1862), of the House of Castries, a noble family from Languedoc, by his wife Maria Augusta d′Harcourt, of the House of Harcourt.^[1]

She married, on 14 March 1854, Patrice de Mac-Mahon, who was to become Marechal de France and Duke of Magenta in 1859. Her spouse became President of France in 1873. As first lady, Élisabeth de Mac Mahon established and participated in representation, decorated the Presidential Palace, hosted balls where she mixed the old and new aristocracy, dressed in the latest fashion and became the president in the French Red Cross, where she started a charity project in making baby clothes for the poor.

Élisabeth de Mac Mahon is known to have exerted influence upon the affairs of state during the presidency of Mac-Mahon. Her opinion about various political ministers and officials were respected, and she supported the claims of the count of Chambord on the throne of France. She played a part in the 16 May 1877 crisis, which ultimately led to her husband′s resignation in January 1879.

In 1898 she had a paralytic attack, from which she only partially recovered, and she died in Paris on 20 February 1900.^[1]

The Magentas left four children:

• Marie–Armand Patrice de MacMahon (1855–1927), who succeeded as Duke of Magenta, and who married Princess Marguerite d′Orleans (1869-1940), daughter of Prince Robert, Duke of Chartres
• Marie-Eugène de MacMahon, comte de MacMahon (1857–1907)
• Marie-Emmanuel de MacMahon, comte de MacMahon (1859–1930)
• Marie de MacMahon (1863–1964), who married Comte d′Halwin de Piennes

References

• The Sunday Times - Scotland
• The Sunday Times Scotland
• The Sunday Times (Singapore)
• The Sunday Times (South Africa)
• The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)
• The Sunday Times (UK)
• The Sunday Times, Western Australia
• The Sunday Times (Western Australia)
• The Sundering Flood
• The Sundering (series)
• The Sundial Bridge
• The Sun Doctor
• The Sun Dog
• The Sundowe
• The Sundowners Series
• The Sundown Playboys
• The Sun Eats Hours
• The Sun (film)
• The Sunflower
• The Sun (Fridge album)
• The Sun Goes Down
• The Sun Goes Down and the World Goes Dancing
• The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)
• The Sun Goes Down (Thin Lizzy)
• The Sun Goes Down (Thin Lizzy song)