▁S our dis ▁and ▁Francis ▁de ▁Sales . ▁▁ ▁S ources ▁differ ▁as ▁to ▁when ▁she ▁became ▁abb ess , ▁but ▁she ▁retained ▁the ▁position ▁for ▁a ▁remark ably ▁long ▁time , ▁ret iring ▁from ▁it ▁only ▁in ▁ 1 6 5 7 , ▁probably ▁on ▁account ▁of ▁her ▁extreme ▁old ▁age . ▁▁ ▁The ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 6 1 3 ▁of ▁Abb ess ▁Anne ▁Bab ou ▁led ▁to ▁Marie - C atherine ' s ▁appointment ▁as ▁abb ess ▁of ▁Be aum ont , ▁apparently ▁concurrent ly ▁with ▁her ▁position ▁at ▁Mont mart re , ▁but ▁she ▁held ▁the ▁Be aum ont ▁appointment ▁only ▁for ▁two ▁years . ▁ ▁There ▁was ▁considerable ▁resistance ▁within ▁the ▁ab bey , ▁but ▁the ▁new ▁abb ess ▁pers isted ▁and ▁over ▁the ▁year ▁good ▁order ▁was ▁restored . ▁▁ ▁As ▁she ▁grew ▁older ▁she ▁became ▁more ▁p ious ▁and ▁aust ere ▁personally , ▁and ▁more ▁effective ▁as ▁a ▁leader ▁in ▁impos ing ▁ob ed ience ▁on ▁the ▁sister s . ▁▁ ▁It ▁was ▁only ▁in ▁ 1 6 5 7 ▁that ▁she ▁retired . ▁▁ ▁She ▁lived ▁on ▁for ▁another ▁de cade , ▁however , ▁dying ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁April ▁ 1 6 6 7 ▁in ▁Paris , ▁just ▁four ▁days ▁short ▁of ▁her ▁nin ety - third ▁birth day . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : F rench ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁abb esses ▁Category : M ist ress es ▁of ▁Henry ▁IV ▁of ▁France ▁Category : 1 5 7 4 ▁birth s ▁Category : 1 6