Stanislas Leszczynski (1677-1766), dethroned king of Pologne and father-in-law of Louis the XVth, is the last one of the Dukes of Lorraine.
Laurie Holzer |
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european institute of cultural routes |
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| Laurie HOLZER |
| 10 March 2010 |
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From Poland to France
Stanislas Leszczynski was born 1766 in Lwów (Poland - today Lviv in Ukraine), on October 20th. He's the only son of Rafal Leszczynski, Duke and Count of Lesno, Palatin of Lenezin, and Anna Katarzyna Jablonowska. He started his political career in 1696, after the death of the King Jean Sobieski.
In 1702, Poland was invaded by King Charles II of Sweden, who forced the Polish nobility to depose King Augustus II of Saxony. In 1704 he placed Stanislas Leszczynski on the throne. But in 1709, he was defeated by the Russians in Poltava. Augustus II of Saxony returned on his throne and Stanislas was forced to go into exile.
After ten years of wandering, which led him from Bender - where he was imprisoned by the Turks - to the Duchy of Zweibrücken (Germany) - of which he got the enjoyment from his friend Charles XII in 1714. He finally settled in Wissembourg, in the Intendancy of Alsace, where the Regent offered him a residence and allowed him a small rent.
In 1725, the unexpected wedding of his daughter Marie Leszczynska with the young Louis XV let him the door open for a new life. Stanislas got now a rent from France, he settled in Chambord, then in Ménars.
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Back to Poland
In 1733, the death of Augustus II of Saxony led to a succession problem in Poland. Stanislas returned secretely to his native land with the support of France for his application for the throne. He was elected, but his rival, Augustus III, son of the dead king, didn't accept this victory. This brought about the beginning of the war of succession in Poland. Augustus III of Saxony, supported by the Russians and the Austrians, succeeded in knocking Stanislas over. Stanislas had to take refuge in Dantzig, from where he ran away with a disguise to finally go back to France.
Stanislas, Duke of Lorraine
By a subtle diplomatique manipulation, Stanislas - father-in-law of Louis XV and King of Pologne who had lost his throne - received in 1736 the Duchys of Lorraine and Bar. In fact, Stanislas didn't have a lot of power : he was governing under the watchful eye of France, That's why he spent much more of his time for the artistic and cultural development of his Duchy.
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Stanislas' castles
Stanislas set up his court in Lunéville, but went also a lot in his castle of Commercy. Thanks to him, these two castles belong to the most beautiful French castles of the 18th century.
The castle of Lunéville is the so-called "Little Versailles of Lorraine". It was built between 1702 and 1704 by the architect Boffrand, who worked for the Duke Leopold. Under Stanislas, in 1740, the castle was enlarged and embelished. Its famous garden of Groves was added at that time. Voltaire and Montesquieu moved in the castle's salons, where writers, philosophs and scientists were holding regularly.
The castle of Commercy was the traditionnal haunting residence of the Dukes of Lorraine. Stanislas let it transformed by the architect Emmanuel Héré, especially known for making the famous Stanislas square in Nancy.
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Lunéville's castle (http://www.chateaudeslumieres.com)
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Commercy's castle (http://www.cr-lorraine.fr)
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| THE STANISLAS SQUARE IN NANCY |
Stanislas Square (Picture by B.Barbier)
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The Stanislas Square belongs to a 18th century architectural whole, created by the architect Emmanuel Héré on the request of Stanislas, in order to join the Old-Town and the New-Town of Nancy. This architectural display is composed by three squares, linked from north to south : the Carrière Square, the famous Royal Square (today Stanislas Square) and the Alliance Square.
Since December 1983, this architectural whole appears on the UNESCO World Heritage List, thanks to its "exceptional interest and universal value".
More details about the Stanislas Square
Until the middle of the 17th century, a huge esplanade was separating the Old-Town and the New-Town of Nancy. Stanislas wants to create a square on it, in order to honour and glorify his son-in-law Louis XV, King of France, who allowed him to get the Duchys of Lorraine and Bar.
In March 1752, the foundation stone of the first pavilion was layed and the Royal Square is officially inaugurated in 1755. It originally had a bronze statue of Louis XV in its centre, which disappeared during the French Revolution. In 1831, it was replaced by the famous statue of Stanislas.
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| TWO FAMOUS GASTRONOMIC CREATIONS OF STANISLAS |
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Stanislas was a bon viveur and enjoyed entertaining. He had about 30 servants for the cooking and the meal service : so much servants were in fact essential, because each evening, Stanislas entertained around 300 guests in his castle of Lunéville !
Fond of food and real gourmet, Stanislas created or inspired two famous sweet specialities of Lorraine ? Do you know them ?
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Rum Baba
One day, Stanislas found his kugelhopf (traditionnal Alsacian bun) too dry and asked some Malaga wine to drizzle it with. He tasted his cake again. Then, he sent the wine back to the kitchen: he wanted some saffron to be added to the wine. Satisfied with the result, he made from this kugelhopf drizzled with alcohol a brand new cake and he wanted it to be often proposed on his table. As his favourite book of the moment was the "Thousand and One Nights Tales", he decided to name his cake Ali-Baba.
The receipt was then adapted to the French taste : babas are made with the kugelhopf mixture and now drizzled with rum or kirsch. Stanislas' Rum Baba was introduced in Paris at the beginning of the 19th century, by Stohrer, Stanislas' former pastrycook, who was coming from Poland like him.
The Madeleine de Commercy
The creation of this delicious recipe dates back from 1755. Stanislas was giving a party in his castle of Commercy and the feast missed to be compromised because of an argument, which exploded between the pastrycook and the Intendant of Stanislasin the kitchen. Furious, the pastrycook quitted the kitchen after having destroyed the whole cakes he had just made. That's why a young servant called Madeleine proposed to realise small fast-cooking cakes following a receipt from her grandmother. Overjoyed by this delicious cake and in order to thank his servant, who bailed him out in front of his guests, Stanislas decided to give her name to the cake. That's how the "Madeleine de Commercy" appeared. Stanislas sent some "Madeleines de Commercy" to his daughter Marie in Versailles, where they got a great success : Marie Leszczynska contributed to their fame and after her, Marcel Proust too.
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On February 5th 1766, Stanislas set fire to his dressing gown by approaching a clock which was standing on the fireplace of his room. He called his domestics, but none heard him. He tried then to put out the fire alone, but he couldn't and he fell in the furnace. When finally somebody heard him, it was unfortunately too late: one side of his body was burnt and one of his hands was calcined. To his old housekeeper who helped him to get up from the furnace and who burnt herself by helping him, Stanislas said jokingly: "Madam, who would have thought that in our old ages, we would burn once from the same fire ?". 17 days later, on February 23rd, Stanislas died from his wounds, aged by 88.
His death marked the incorporation of Lorraine into France.
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The pictures of Stanislas we reproduced are free of use.
The engraving of Lunéville castle was taken on the Castle's website (http://www.chateaudeslumieres.com), the one of the Commercy castle from the website of the Regional Council of Lorraine (http://www.cr-lorraine.fr).
The picture of the Stanislas Square by B.Barbier was sent by the Regional Tourist Board of Lorraine, which we would like to thank for its help.
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 other web sites
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