Marie-Celeste de la Courcel Stregazza was the daughter of Prince Benedicte de la Courcel and Maria Stregazza de la Courcel. She had one sister, Thérèse de la Courcel Stregazza. As the niece of King Ganelon de la Courcel and a member of House Courcel, Marie-Celeste was considered a Princess of the Blood. She was married to Marco Stregazza, one of her Stregazza kinsmen. Together, they had one son, Severio Stregazza. With her husband Marco, Marie-Celeste plotted to dethrone Marco's father Cesare Stregazza as Doge of La Serenissima and install her husband in his place. The two conspired with Melisande Shahrizai de la Courcel, who herself sought to have Queen Ysandre de la Courcel assassinated, to these ends. To further the conspiracy, Marie-Celeste managed to get Vesperia, the apprentice Oracle of Asherat-of-the-Sea, to replace the true Oracle Bianca on the day the Doge was to convene with her. Vesperia then gave the Doge false prophecy indicating he must step down from the position of Doge, something unprecedented as the position of ruler of La Serenissima and beloved of Asherat-of-the-Sea was for life. This set in motion the plots to depose him.
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