Louise De Stolberg Paintings

Louise Maximiliane Caroline Emmanuele, Princess of Stolberg-Gedern, known as Louise de Stolberg, was born on September 20, 1752, in Mons, in the Hainaut province of the Austrian Netherlands (now Belgium). She was part of the German comital family of Stolberg, which was well connected in the European aristocracy. Her life became notably celebrated due to her tumultuous marriage to Charles Edward Stuart, also known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, the Jacobite claimant to the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland.

Louise married Charles in 1772, when she was 20 and he was 52. The marriage was an unhappy one, largely due to Charles's drinking and abusive behavior. Despite hopes that she would bear a child to continue the Stuart claim, the marriage remained childless. Her husband's lifestyle and the barrenness of their union led Louise to seek consolation and companionship outside their marriage, which eventually led to her separation from Charles in 1784. She sought refuge in Florence, Italy, under the protection of her brother-in-law, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, and was known by the title 'Countess of Albany', a title that Charles had created for her.

Louise's life in Italy marked a significant transformation. She became a prominent figure in the Italian Enlightenment, forming close ties with artists, writers, and intellectuals of the time, including the poet Vittorio Alfieri, with whom she developed a deep and lasting relationship. After Charles Edward Stuart's death in 1788, Louise continued to live in Italy, dedicating herself to her intellectual pursuits and the arts. Her salon in Florence was a center of Enlightenment thought and activity, attracting many notable figures of the day.

Louise de Stolberg's later years were marked by her continued engagement with the cultural and intellectual movements of her time. She remained in Italy for the rest of her life, passing away on January 29, 1824, in Florence. Her life story, marked by her unhappy royal marriage, her intellectual pursuits, and her significant role in the cultural life of the Italian Enlightenment, makes her a fascinating figure in 18th-century European history.