Marie Louise (1662-1689) wurde am 31. August 1679 von ihrem Onkel, dem französischen König Ludwig XIV., mit dem spanischen König Karl II. (1661-1700) verheiratet. Sie sollte ihren Gatten erst am 19. November 1679, also fast drei Monate nach ihrer Hochzeit, zum ersten Mal sehen.
Marie Louise war das älteste Kind des Herzogs Philippe d'Orléans, des jüngeren Bruders des französischen Königs Ludwig XIV., und seiner ersten Gattin, Henriette Anna von England. Sie erblickte am 26. März 1662 das Licht der Welt. Ihre Mutter hatte viele Fehlgeburten und eine Totgeburt im Jahr 1665, so dass Marie Louise nur zwei Vollgeschwister besaß: ihren Bruder Philippe Charles d'Orléans (1664-1666) und ihre Schwester Anne Marie d'Orléans (1669-1728), die Herzogin von Savoyen und Königin von Sizilien und Sardinien.
Der spanische König Karl II. war mit Marie Louise sehr glücklich verheiratet. "Karl II. fand in Marie Louise d'Orléans einen Menschen, der auf ihn einging, der nichts von ihm forderte, was über seine Kräfte und Wünsche hinausging. Sicherlich war seine erste Ehe die glücklichste Zeit seines Lebens." (in: Die Habsburger: Ein biographisches Lexikon, ebenda, S. 213).
Marie Louises erster offizieller Auftritt in Madrid als die neue Königin von Spanien: "The Queen [Marie Louise von Orléans] mounted her horse, which was a fiery Andalusian, about eleven o'clock of the forenoon. Her long hair fell loose over her shoulders and forehead. She wore a richly embroidered riding habit and a small fardingal. Her hat was adorned with white and carnation coloured plumes, and was tucked up on one side by a diamond clasp, whence hung the celebrated pearl called Peregrina, which was of inestimable value, and as large as a small pear. She bore on one of her fingers the King's chief diamond, which surpassed in size and lustre every gem in the world. But the grace displayed by the Queen in all her movements, particularly in the management of her steed, and the charms of her person, attracted far more admiration than the jewels, dazzling as they were, by which she was adorned. She was now in the first bloom and radiance of youth, - her eyes were black, large, and lively, - her eyebrows arched, - her lips rosy but somewhat thick, and her hair, which she wore in great profusion, of dark chestnut colour." (in: John Dunlop: Memoirs of Spain – During the reign of Philip IV. and Charles II. From 1621 to 1700, Vol 2, id., pp. 168-169).
"Her Majesty [Marie Louise von Orléans] had enjoyed uninterrupted good health till the close of 1688, when she was afflicted with the small-pox; and she had afterwards some severe attacks of disorder in the stomach, accompanied with Calenture. From these, however, though much weakened, she partially recovered, till, in the beginning of February of this year [1689], after too violent exercise on horseback, she was seized with cholera morbus. During her short and severe illness, she conducted herself with much fortitude and resignation, and shewed, in all her expressions and actions, an exemplary piety. ... Such was the ascendency she had at last acquired over the mind of her husband, that he was about to send for her half-brother the Duke of Chartres ... and was then fourteen years of age, to constitute him heir to the monarchy, and bring him up in the manners and institutions of Spain [was ihm nicht gelang]." (in: John Dunlop: Memoirs of Spain – During the reign of Philip IV. and Charles II. From 1621 to 1700, Vol 2, id., pp. 244-246).
Karl II., ihr Gatte, ..."loved her with unabated affection. Amid the restraints of Spanish formality, he was occasionally much delighted by that simplicity and freedom of manner which she had brought with her from France, and which she still, in some decree, retained ... The amusement in which she was most frequently indulged, was the privilege of accompanying the King to the chase. His Majesty had presented her with a spirited steed from Andalusia; and a circumstance which occurred one day when she had mounted it in the court of the palace, displays, in a striking point of view, the ridiculous forms established at the palace of Madrid. The animal having begun to rear, the Queen fell from her seat, and her foot having been entangled in the stirrup, the horse dragged her along. Charles, who saw this accident from the balcony of one of the palace windows, became motionless from terror. The court, at the moment, was filled with guards and grandees, but no one dared to run the hazard of assisting her Majesty in this peril, as it was a species of treason for any one to touch the person of a Consort of Spain; and, which one would hardly expect, it is a more heinous offence to touch her foot than any other part of the body. At length, two Spanish cavaliers, Don Louis de-las-Torres and Don Jayme de Sotomayor, resolved, at all risks, to save their Queen. The former seized the bridle of the palfrey, while his companion extricated her Majesty's foot from the stirrup. Having rendered her this service, they went home with all possible expedition, and ordered their steeds to be saddled that they might fly from the resentment of the King. The young Count of Peñaranda, who was the friend of both, approached the Queen, and respectfully informed her of the danger in which her preservers might be placed, unless she interceded in their favour. His Majesty, who had now come to the spot, listened to the entreaties which she offered up to him, and a messenger, who was immediately despatched with a pardon to the cavaliers, reached them just in time to prevent their flight into a foreign land." (in: John Dunlop: Memoirs of Spain – During the reign of Philip IV. and Charles II. From 1621 to 1700, Vol 2, id., pp. 201-202).
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