Marie Madeleine de Vignerot

Marie-Madeleine de Vignerot de Pontcourlay, suo jure Duchess of Aiguillon (French pronunciation: [maʁi madlɛn də viɲʁo də pɔ̃kuʁlɛ]; 1604 – 17 April 1675) was a French aristocrat, also remembered for her charitable work and her patronage of artists and mathematicians.

In 1625, through her uncle's influence, she was made a lady-in-waiting (dame d'atour) to the queen-mother Marie de Medici, and in 1638 was created duchess of Aiguillon.

After the death of the cardinal in 1642, the Duchess retained her honours and titles, but withdrew from the court and devoted herself entirely to works of charity.

The Duchess worked with St. Vincent de Paul and helped him to establish the Bicêtre Hospital for foundlings.

[1] She also had the vision to provide patronage to Marie Crous, a mathematician who introduced the decimal system to France with her published research.