Les funérailles princières de Mme de Modène entre France et Italie

The proposed research, inspired by a study conducted by the Centre de Recherche du Château de Versailles dedicated to princely funerals, focuses on the figure of Charlotte-Aglaé d’Orléans (1700–1761) and the role her death played in the ceremonial dynamics of the eighteenth century. To trace the history of her funeral, this study draws on published sources as well as unpublished documents preserved in the State Archives of Modena, notably the dispatches of the extraordinary envoy Giuseppe Paolucci. These dispatches not only recount the events surrounding her death and the organization of her funeral, but also provide valuable insight into the diplomatic life of Versailles and its ceremonial practices, which also involved the presence of representatives from foreign states, such as the Dukedom of Modena and Reggio. Charlotte-Aglaé was a princess of the blood destined to become the duchess of Modena and Reggio through her marriage to the future Francesco III d’Este.