Portraits of famous favorites of the kings of France. Favorites and mistresses of French kings - in the best portraits The most famous favorites

Oscar Wilde said that women were created not for understanding, but for love. This writer understood the weaker sex much better than most men. As a result, many women went down in history not due to their intelligence, but due to the beauty and seduction of famous men.
However, many of these mistresses did not possess obvious beauty at all, but were still able to captivate their chosen ones. As a result, the fame of such women passed through years and centuries. And even today women are trying to take advantage of some of the secrets of those legendary figures.

Valeria Messalina. This woman has remained in history as one of the most dissolute persons. Despite her high status (she was the wife of Emperor Claudius), Valeria literally became the personification of lust and fornication in Rome. Messalina lived in the 1st century AD. Contemporaries say that she was more dissolute than Nero himself. But he became famous for his wild orgies, harems with children and a palace that became a brothel. They say about Messalina that she came to one of the brothels in Rome, taking the place of a prostitute there. Only this could satisfy her passion. Valeria herself did not miss a single handsome man. For a long time she got away with her behavior; her blinded husband did not notice anything. But Valeria also decided to enthrone her next lover, Gaius Silius. The plot failed, and Messalina herself was killed by order of the emperor at the age of 28. Historians say that at that time the woman was already stricken with syphilis, so such a death was not the worst end to a dissolute and shameful life.

Cleopatra. This woman is considered one of the wisest mistresses. Also Cleopatra is one of the most scandalous characters Ancient world. Because of it, powerful states fought with each other. A night with Cleopatra cost each of her new slave lovers their lives, nevertheless, the fatal beauty (some sources say that she was not a beauty in appearance) attracted men. Each of them dreamed of conquering a woman with his strength and love skills, and in the morning waking up not only alive, but also the king of all Egypt. Nevertheless, Cleopatra continued to kill her lovers, unacceptable compromises. Specialists in Ancient Egypt The queen is called one of the first adherents of free love. It was believed that she was an experienced fellatrix, that is, she skillfully gave blowjobs to her chosen ones. Perhaps this is what tied Antony to her? The ancient Greeks nicknamed the queen Meriohane, which literally means “open-mouthed,” “women with a thousand mouths.” Another nickname for the mistress was “thick-lipped.” Although Cleopatra had all the makings of a good ruler, what prevented her from skillfully ruling was primarily her own desires. She also indulged her own famous lovers. For Caesar, Cleopatra seemed modest and smart, but for Anthony she became a mad hunter of carnal pleasures. Love for the latter became tragic, the couple decided to confront Rome, for which they paid with their lives.

Phryne. But this Greek hetaera became famous for her beauty. She worked part-time as a model. The ancient creators sculpted and painted Aphrodite herself from it. They wrote that Phryne was very shy and extremely reluctant to expose herself. She even met her men in the dark. As a result, the hetaera was convicted of negatively influencing the most enlightened citizens of the republic. But when she was led to execution and her clothes were torn off, the public saw Phryne’s perfect body. Hetera was immediately acquitted, since it was decided that a dissolute soul simply could not live in such a divine body.

Thais of Athens. This daring hetaera became famous for seducing Alexander the Great himself. Although she was a prostitute, she became famous for her inaccessibility. She attracted the great conqueror himself because she did not want to give herself up to him for any treasures or riches. The woman told Alexander that he needed to win her heart and then the whole world would fall before him. Subsequently, Thais was able to marry the Egyptian king Ptolemy I.

Wu Hu. This Chinese empress from the Tang Dynasty announced the advent of an era of female supremacy in the country. For this purpose, the custom of licking “lotus stamens” even appeared in court etiquette. The Empress demanded that all government officials and visiting dignitaries show her special respect through cunnilingus. This ceremony remained even in ancient paintings: Wu Hu holds her dress, and a guest kneels in front of her and kisses her genitals.

Scheherazade. This woman became famous for her intelligence. Naturally, she engaged with the Sultan not only by telling fairy tales. After each love affair, Scheherazade began to tell most interesting story, which was actually interrupted interesting place. At first, the Sultan even wanted to send her to the lower harem, as a wife who no longer satisfied him. However, it turned out that no one else was able to tell such interesting tales to the ruler. Shahriyar continued to listen to his concubine. This is how the book of fairy tales “A Thousand and One Nights” appeared. This is exactly how long it took for the ruler to regain common sense and stop killing virgins. And what happened after this to the Sultan’s most desired wife is unknown. They say that the cause of her death was some kind of infection.

Elizabeth Bathory. This woman went down in history under the name of the Bloody Countess. She had many lovers, the most famous of whom is the painter Caravaggio. They say that she became for him not only a model, but also a real muse and goddess. Contemporaries recall that Bathory was of unearthly beauty; until her death, she retained the face of a young girl. This effect became possible allegedly due to the fact that the countess bathed in the blood of tortured and murdered virgins. In total, she killed about 600 women, among whom were not only peasant women and servants, but also noble persons. They say that Bathory came up with terrible mechanisms. For example, a metal coffin containing spikes inside. They entered the body shallowly, not killing immediately, but only causing bleeding. Thus, the victim died gradually, giving his blood to the insatiable countess. They say that Bathory came up with several thousand sophisticated tortures and devices for this. Only in 1611 was the 50-year-old sadist convicted. There are several versions of her death. They say that an angry crowd simply carried out lynching on her, walling her up alive within the walls of her own castle. The popular story is that Bathory got away with it. Her family was too influential. The Bloody Countess was sent to the dungeon to live out her sentence, away from human eyes. There is an opinion that Elizabeth was slandered. The fact is that she was richer than the king himself, who wanted to take away all her property. After the death of the countess, five of her children disappeared somewhere, and all her gold and lands went to the ruler. Bathory went down in history not only as a bloodthirsty killer, but also as one of the most beautiful women of her time with unfading beauty. In Hungary itself, the woman was nicknamed a vampire, believing that in terms of the number of her atrocities she was in no way inferior to Count Dracula.

Marquise de Pompadour. This favorite of the French king Louis XV was not only a skillful and tireless lover, but also played an important role in European politics. They say that she owes her passion to celery. Every day, the marquise consumed two powerful aphrodisiacs at once - chocolate and celery root. In the morning she drank a mug of hot chocolate, adding ground root. During the day she ate a special salad with apples, walnuts and celery. Although it is unclear whether she knew that these particular products helped her maintain her love life, Pompadour could make love up to 10 times a day with different partners. Celery is generally a known pathogen. So in different countries peasants place a bunch of this plant at the head of the bed on their wedding night. Jeanne Poisson herself, the future Marquise of Pompadour, was promised the love of the king himself at the age of nine. What else could a young girl dream of? The origin of the Pompadour remains a mystery. There is an opinion that she was generally of low origin, but one day she successfully found herself a patron in the form of a nobleman and ended up at court. There, at a masquerade, she met Louis XV. The monarch was intrigued by the behavior of the girl, who coquettishly hid her face under a mask. And when the mask was removed, the king finally fell in love. Achieve a high position and favorite status on long years it was not easy, but Zhanna was able to do it. She did not limit her activities only to bed. The Marquise of Pompadour began to develop the arts, patronizing many artists and writers. Until her death, she remained for the king not just a mistress, but also a close friend. This in itself is very rare.

Josephine. Napoleon's chosen one was not young at the time of their meeting, she was already over thirty and had two children. However, outwardly she looked impeccable. Although Bonaparte himself gave imperious orders to the others, he was timid in front of Josephine and experienced either tender or passionate feelings. The secret of victory over Napoleon was simple. Josephine was not just a beauty, she was also an excellent listener. A wise woman always approved of the actions of her lover, no matter what he did. And as a reward for this, she became the first Empress of France. The couple's divorce took place only for the good of France - the country needed an heir.

Inessa Armand. Although this woman was right at the center of revolutionary actions, her role was bashfully hushed up by historians. After all, she was the mistress of Vladimir Lenin himself, which somehow did not fit with the leader’s immaculate image. Armand met him in front of Krupskaya in Paris. Inessa’s personal relationship with Lenin was so close that Nadezhda Konstantinovna herself was in the background with her husband. Krupskaya was forced to forgive her husband’s passion for his mistress, as long as it was for the good of the revolution. Inessa herself was wholeheartedly devoted to her work and to Lenin himself. Armand left behind three children who were born before meeting the leader. And she died of cholera in 1920 and was buried not far from her beloved - under the Kremlin wall.

Mata Hari. This courtesan made her living performing exotic dances. At one time she was admired by all of Paris. Many high-ranking officials of France and Germany became the artist’s lovers. According to legend, during the First World War, Mata Hari was a spy, collaborating with both warring sides at once. It is unknown whether she was able to extract truly valuable information from her patrons. However, in 1917, the French shot Mata Hari for spying for Germany. She herself became a legend, embodying the images of a femme fatale and a fearless intelligence agent.

Isadora Duncan. This American dancer led a bohemian lifestyle. She is considered the founder of free dance, from which the modern style was born. She had many fans, some of whom she reciprocated. Having survived the death of her two children, she went to Russia, where she met Sergei Yesenin. He became her lover, and then her husband. According to her contemporaries, Isadora herself did not captivate with her brilliant beauty. But she was very natural and had natural sexuality. Duncan performed barefoot on stage, and her every movement was filled with grace and natural charm. All her dances showed that she was open to life and madly loved it in all its manifestations. She herself wrote: “If my art is symbolic, then this symbol is only one: the freedom of women and her emancipation from the ossified conventions that underlie Puritanism.” Contemporaries believed that Duncan's work opened up new horizons for the women of the future. Her dancing was called genius; she was able to change both art and everyday life. But the relationship with Yesenin did not work out - two gifted creative person were jealous of each other's fame.

Lilya Brik. Men were drawn to her by her sense of inner freedom. This woman had many fans - Pablo Neruda, Marc Chagall, Louis Aragon, Sergei Parajanov, Fernand Léger, Yves Saint Laurent. But Brik’s most famous lover was Vladimir Mayakovsky. The poet even lived with her and her husband, confusing ordinary people with such a love triangle. Brik herself said: “We need to convince a man that he is wonderful or even brilliant, but that others do not understand this. And allow him to do things that are not allowed at home, for example, smoking or traveling wherever he wants. Good shoes and silk underwear will do the rest.” As you can see, the secret of seduction is not so complicated. Lilya Brik often appears as a femme fatale. If a man attracted her, then nothing could stop her. Brick's story is covered in legends; there was some kind of mystery in it that attracted the most famous men that time. When talking with people, Lilya skillfully and intelligently emphasized her interest in her interlocutor. Brick was always aware of fashion, dressing with taste and hiding her flaws in clothes. It was she who became the first woman in Moscow who dared to wear trousers. The straightforward Akhmatova recalled Lila in this way: “Dyed hair and impudent eyes on her worn-out face.”

Marilyn Monroe. This mistress is one of the most mysterious in history. The sex symbol of the 20th century had a close relationship with US President John Kennedy. But this connection, as well as the subsequent death of the actress, is shrouded in mystery. It is unclear whether Monroe's death was a suicide or whether her love for Kennedy began to bother someone and was simply removed. During her lifetime, she managed to tarnish the reputation of an excellent family man and the pride of America, John Kennedy. It is still not profitable for anyone to reveal the secret about those events. One thing is clear - the sexy beauty Marilyn Monroe was deeply unhappy in her personal life. More than half a century has passed since her mysterious death, but she still remains the standard of femininity and sexuality. And the actress herself has turned into a well-promoted and popular brand. With the help of her name, billions of dollars are earned around the world every year.

Edwina Curry. The mistress of English Prime Minister John Major significantly complicated his political career after he decided to break up with her. Although the woman was even threatened with death, she did not want to remain silent, writing the whole truth about her relationship with her powerful admirer. The book, written at the risk of his life, quickly became a bestseller, and Major’s career went downhill. Curry said that she was not only threatened, but also attacked and beaten twice. The criminals demanded silence from her and promised to kill her if the book was published. But she did it anyway. Perhaps she was driven by a sense of revenge, or perhaps by a desire to prove that even powerful men should be held accountable for their actions. In the end, the truth about the premiere turned out to be stunning. No British politician has ever had so many humiliating details told about him. The most intimate details of his life became public knowledge. And this happened because one day he decided to leave the one who loved him. Fear for his career and threats only worsened the situation for the unhappy lover.

Sylvia Christel b. This beautiful woman became famous for playing the leading role in the acclaimed erotic film "Emmanuelle". Her attractiveness did not go unnoticed by the most prominent men. Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, President of France, became Christelle's mistress. Moreover, their romance began even before he took up this prominent post. D'Estaing himself never hid this relationship. As a result, Sylvia was even invited to all official events related to the head of state. She acted as hostess at his receptions. And the president often took Sylvia with him on trips abroad. Thus, Kristel seemed to receive the status of an “official” mistress.

Anne Penjo. As already mentioned, they often generated a scandal around their politician admirer. This happened with Anne Penjo. This mistress of Francois Mitterrand even moved into the Elysee Palace. But when the new president, Jacques Chirac, came to power, the first thing he did was order the eviction of Penjo and her illegitimate daughter from his predecessor from the state residence. Biographers say that the loving Mitterrand had many mistresses. Penzho was simply one of them. That is why the French themselves were calm about the fact of its existence. But the citizens of the country could not forgive him for the fact that the president provided her with free housing in the Elysee Palace, and even denied it. After Mitterrand's death, another scandal erupted. The mistress, along with the president’s illegitimate daughter, wanted to attend the funeral, which his family vehemently opposed. Now Anne does not lead a luxurious life at all - she works in a museum, barely making ends meet. And Mitterrand’s illegitimate daughter, with the help of the court, achieved the right to her father’s surname and entered politics.

Monica Lewinsky. This mistress turned out to be very selfish. She not only had a strong influence on the career and family of her partner, but also did not fail to earn several million dollars from it. Monica told the press about all the details of her intimate relationship in the Oval Office. After this connection became known to the public, everyone was literally amazed at how a previously unknown intern managed to carry out the operation she had planned. She even saved for history the dress she wore when she made love to Clinton. For the president, that story almost resulted in resignation and even prison for lying before the court. Monica herself has traveled all over the world with memories of that relationship. Lewinsky wrote a book about her intimate relationship and even filmed documentary"Monica in black and white", for which she received a multi-million dollar fee. And I feel frankly sorry for Clinton himself; even his wife forgave him. It is not clear what the charming and popular politician saw in the unsightly, plump Lewinsky.

Of course, I can’t show everyone. Henry IV alone (the same Navarsky) had about 35 hobbies “documented”.
But there are ladies whose influence was so great that it is not easy to bypass them... neither during their lifetime, nor in historical terms.

Odette de Champdiver (1391-1425)
Favorite of King Charles VI the Mad.
Interesting option, when the wife, Queen Isabella of Bavaria, chose her husband’s favorite. The fact is that Charles VI’s schizophrenic symptoms began to recur more and more often, and the queen constantly became a victim of the unmotivated cruelty of her husband, who, in the dark of his mind, used his fists, and over time became more and more dangerous. Fearing for her life, the queen was looking for a woman who could replace her, turning into both a lover and a nurse to care for the sick.
Thus, at the age of 15, Odette became the mistress-nurse of the mad king and served him for 16 years. She was even nicknamed the “little queen.” Odette was the only one who could restrain attacks of rage, during which the king became dangerous to those around him and to himself; according to the recollections of contemporaries, one reproachful look, or in the worst case, the threat of falling out of love and leaving him was enough to stop the attack. In 1407, she gave birth to a daughter from the king, Margaret of Valois.
Immediately after the king's death in 1423, Odette and her daughter returned to her homeland, Saint-Jean-de-Lonne, in Burgundy. She lost her royal pension, but the Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Good, continued to support her financially for some time, until his death in 1425. Two years later, King Charles VII officially recognized her daughter as his half-sister and married her to the rich man Jean de Arpedanna, lord of Belleville.
It turned out to be a bit long, I’ll try to make it shorter in future. So the portrait.

The King and Odette (Artist - François GUIZOT, France)

Agnes Sorel (1421-1450)
Favorite of Charles VII.
She came from a noble family and was a maid of honor to Isabella of Lorraine, Duchess of Anjou. Her beauty was noticed by Charles VII and he gave her the castle of Beauté-sur-Marne. Agnes gave birth to three daughters from the king, who received the title filles de France. She had enormous influence on the king, fought against his unworthy favorites and took care of filling senior positions with well-deserved persons. But, they say, she was wasteful.
She is credited with introducing such innovations as the wearing of diamonds by uncrowned persons, the invention of a long train, and the wearing of very loose outfits that reveal one breast.
Being pregnant for the fourth time, Agnes died unexpectedly. It was assumed that she died of dysentery, but mercury poisoning was also not ruled out.

(Portrait by Jean Fouquet)

Françoise de Foix, Countess of Chateaubriand (1495-1537)

Second cousin of Queen Anne of Brittany, she was brought up at her court, knew Latin, Italian, and wrote poetry. In 1509 she married Jean de Laval-Montmorency, Count de Chateaubriand. The couple lived in Chateaubriand and had a daughter. But King Francis, having heard about Françoise’s beauty, ordered his husband to present her to the court. Against the Count's wishes, Françoise arrived at the royal court in 1516 or early 1517. The king made the countess's husband a company commander, her elder brother, Viscount de Lautrec, became governor of the Duchy of Milan. Françoise became the king's mistress.
The rise of the de Foix family displeased Queen Louise of Savoy, the king's mother. The Queen Mother introduces her son to a new beauty and he becomes captivated. Two year goes by rivalry between the favorites, then Françoise gives in and returns home. And there her husband kills her.
Some researchers believe that after returning to her husband, she was locked in a room upholstered in black cloth, and after six months of imprisonment, the count opened her veins.

(Artist unknown, Louvre)

Anne de Pisleux, Duchess of Etampes (1508-1576)
Favorite of King Francis I.
The same lady who was introduced to Francis by his mother, Louise of Savoy. She was her maid of honor. To create a more comfortable position for the new favorite at court, Francis married her to Jean de Brosse, to whom he gave the title of Duke of Etampes. Distinguished by her great intelligence, outstanding beauty and rare education for a woman, she had a great influence on the king until his death. At the end of Francis' reign, she was at odds with Diane de Poitiers, the favorite of the heir to the throne. After the death of the king, Henry II removed Anne from Paris, having previously selected the diamonds donated by Francis for Diana de Poitiers.

(The artist is believed to be Corneille Lyon)

Diane de Poitiers (1499-1566)
Favorite of King Henry II.
At the age of thirteen, she was married to Louis de Brezé, Comte de Molvrier (whose mother was the fruit of the illicit love of Charles VII and Agnes Sorel). Her husband died on July 23, 1531, leaving Diana a widow at the age of 31. By the way, she mourned for him until the end of her days.
She met the Dauphin (heir to the French throne) Henry in 1539. She is forty, he is only twenty years old. But Henry fell in love. Diana was beautiful and this beauty was not destined to fade. Brantome, who saw her shortly before her death, assured that she was still beautiful.
Possessing also a great mind, Diana in a short time acquired enormous influence over the Dauphin, and when he became king, over the whole country. When King Francis I died and Henry II ascended the throne, it was not Catherine de Medici, his wife, who became the real queen, but Diana. Even at the coronation, she took an honorable public place, while Catherine was on a distant podium.
Having come to power, Henry II allowed his beloved to exercise complete control over the affairs of the kingdom. As the historian Nogare notes, never in the history of the monarchy has any favorite been able to achieve such an absolute and effective influence on the king’s person, much less convince foreign sovereigns of her omnipotence. The ambassadors addressed their correspondence to her, and she corresponded with the Pope himself. The king did nothing without consulting her.
The "reign" of Diane de Poitiers ended in 1559 when Henry II was accidentally killed at a tournament by the Comte de Montgomery. The king was still alive when Queen Catherine de Medici, showing weakness, ordered Diana to leave Paris, first giving away all the jewelry given to her by Henry. Diane de Poitiers gave a very worthy answer: "... while I have a master, I want my enemies to know: even when the king is gone, I will not be afraid of anyone." Diana returned the jewelry box only the day after the death of Henry II. Diana de Poitiers retired to her castle of Anet, where she died in her sixty-seventh year.

(Artist unknown)

Marie Touchet (1549-1638)
Favorite of Charles IX.
From Orleans. Beautiful, educated, meek. Retained the king's love until his death. She never tried to get rich and gain political influence. She gave birth to two sons from the king. One died in infancy, the other, Charles of Valois, received the title of Duke of Angoulême. In 1578, Touchet married François de Balzac d'Entregues, governor of Orleans. From this marriage she had two daughters, one of whom, the Marquise de Verneuil, became the favorite of Henry IV.

(Artist - François Quesnel)

Charlotte de Sauves, de Bon-Samblance (1551-1617)
Favorite of Henry of Navarre. In the first marriage - the wife of the Secretary of State Baron de Sauve, in the second marriage - the Marquise de Noirmoutier. She was a member of the “flying squad” of Catherine de Medici’s ladies-in-waiting. During the years of struggle with Diane de Poitiers, the Queen Mother well studied the degree of influence of female beauty on politics and used her ladies-in-waiting to seduce the noblest men of the kingdom in order to obtain the information the Queen Mother needed.
Soon after her wedding to Margaret of Valois, the Queen Mother sent Charlotte to Henry of Navarre to enter into a pact with him. love affair. Their relationship lasted 5 years - until 1577. In 1583, Charlotte was removed from the court, but the following year she married the Marquis de Noirmoutier from the de La Tremouille family and returned to Paris. In 1586, her son was born. After Henry of Navarre's accession to the French throne, she lived with her husband on the estates.

(Artist unknown)

Gabriel d'Estrée (1573-1599)

Since 1590, she was the mistress of King Henry IV, who for the sake of appearance married her to d’Amerval de Liancourt. The beautiful and witty Gabrielle had enormous influence on the king, who even intended to divorce Margaret of Valois and elevate Gabrielle to the throne. She gave birth to two sons and a daughter from Henry. She died from fruit poisoning. I. They say this was done by Medici supporters, wanting to marry the king to their protégé.

(Artist unknown)

Catherine Henrietta de Balzac d'Entragues (1579-1633)
Favorite of Henry of Navarre.
Daughter of François de Balzac d'Entragues, governor of Orleans, and Marie Touchet, former mistress of King Charles IX. The king saw Henrietta six days after the death of his favorite Gabrielle d'Estrées and was so struck by her beauty that he forgot about his loss. She gave birth to the king two children (a son and a daughter). She was constantly and openly in conflict with Henry’s second wife, Maria de Medici. Then she began to cheat on Henry and prepare conspiracy after conspiracy, wanting to make her son the heir to the throne. There were many revelations and trials, Catherine’s relatives. were deprived of estates and heads, but she was only exiled. Her son became Bishop of Metz.

(Artist unknown)

Olympia Mancini (1637-1608)
Favorite of Louis XIV, one of the first.
Niece of Cardinal Mazarin. She led a very stormy life at court. Young Louis was so in love that there was serious talk of marriage. But the Queen Mother, Anne of Austria, could not allow such a wedding to take place. And young Olympia, who had gained too much power over the king, was ordered to leave Paris. She was quickly married to the Count de Soissons, and seven children were born in the marriage, including the famous Generalissimo Eugene of Savoy. Olympia was involved in the famous case of the “Versailles poisoners.” She was accused of poisoning her own husband, as well as the Queen of Spain, Marie Louise of Orleans. And although she maintained that she was innocent and had been compromised, she had to leave France. She died in Brussels.

(portrait by Pierre Mignard)

Maria Mancini (1639-1715)
Favorite of Louis XIV.
Also the niece of Cardinal Mazarin. And it also almost came to a wedding. But the Queen Mother did not consent to this marriage and Louis was quickly engaged to the Spanish Infanta Maria Theresa, soon forgetting about Mancini.
Maria in 1661 marries Prince Lorenzo Onofrio Colonna, Grand Constable of Naples, gives birth to three sons and leaves her husband. Traveling. After the death of her husband, she returns to Italy.

(Artist - Jacob Ferdinand Voet)

Louise-Françoise de Labeaume-Leblanc, Duchesse de La Vallière (1644-1710)
Favorite of Louis XIV.
She was a lady-in-waiting to Princess Henrietta Stuart. Despite the fact that she was not very beautiful and had a slight limp, she managed to charm the king. The relationship continued for several years. Louise had four children from the king, two of whom survived (a daughter and a son). Then, after the rise of the Marquise de Montespan, Lavaliere retired from the court and took monastic vows at the Carmelite monastery in Paris.

(Artist - J. Nocret)

Françoise Athenaïs de Rochechouart, Marquise de Montespan (1641-1707)
Favorite of Louis XIV.
Lady-in-waiting of Queen Maria Theresa. In 1663 she married Louis Henri de Pardayan de Gondrin, Marquis de Montespan. She gave birth to a son and a daughter. She had intelligence and charm, and in 1667 she attracted the attention of the king. In 1669 she gave birth to a son for the king, who died three years later, but the other six, including Louis-Auguste de Bourbon and Louis-Alexandre de Bourbon, were legitimized by the king in different years without mentioning the mother's name. The children were raised by the future Marquise de Maintenon.
The Marquise de Montespan was involved in the poison case and was suspected of wanting to poison the king. She was acquitted, but she lost confidence and in 1691 she retired to the monastery of San Joseph.

(The artist is unknown to me)

Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon (1635-1719)
Favorite and later morganatic wife of Louis XIV.
Granddaughter of the Huguenot leader Theodore Agrippa d'Aubigné. The family was subjected to repression for a long time and lived in poverty. In 1650, Françoise was married to the famous poet Scarron. Scarron was much older than his wife and his arm was paralyzed, but later Françoise recalled the years of marriage as the most best time life. Ten years later, her husband and left without money, Françoise accepted Madame de Montespan's invitation to raise her children from Louis XIV. The king appreciated her love for children, conscientiousness, and so, drew attention to the already middle-aged, inconspicuous widow. Madame Scarron was smart, thanks to her husband, she moved among the intellectual elite of Paris and, unlike most other ladies of the court, had a very broad outlook. The king often talked with her for a long time. In 1675, the king elevated her to the Marquise of Maintenon.
In 1683 the queen died, and Louis's affections turned to Maintenon. In the same year, the marquise was secretly married to the king. Only Archbishop de Chanvallon and the king's personal confessor were present at the ceremony. The pomp and freedom of the court gave way to modesty and piety. After the death of Louis XIV, Maintenon retired to Saint-Cyr, where she died three years later.

(Artist - Pierre Mignard)

Angelique de Fontanges (1661-1681)
Favorite of Louis XIV.
Maid of honor to Charlotte Elisabeth of Bavaria, daughter-in-law of the king. Angelica attracted the attention of the king and in 1678 became his mistress. At the end of 1679, she gave birth to a stillborn child from the king and never recovered after that. In 1680, Louis granted her the title of Duchess de Fontanges, which, according to the custom of that time, meant the end of official relations with the king. Abandoned and seriously ill, Angelique retired to the Port-Royal monastery, where she died (possibly from pleurisy).

(Artist - Louis le Grand)

Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour (1721-1764)
Favorite of Louis XV.
Antoinette married Lenormand d'Etiol at the age of 19 and shone in society. Louis XV met her by chance and in 1745 Antoinette became his favorite. Her husband, who was threatened with the Bastille, calmed down and received a lucrative position. For twenty years, until her death, Pompadour played a prominent role not only in France, which was entirely in her hands, but also in Europe. She directed the external and domestic policy France, delving into every detail state life, patronizing science and art. They say that the depraved king soon lost interest in her, but he was also not interested in ruling the country, so he entrusted the country to this woman, and she introduced young beauties to the court.

(Artist - François Boucher)

Marie Jeanne Becu, Countess Du Barry (1743-1793)
Favorite of Louis XV.
They write that in her youth Marie was a prostitute and had a relationship with the executioner Henri Sanson, at whose hands she died on the scaffold during the Great french revolution. Then she was a milliner, and later settled in the house of Count DuBarry. Louis XV brought her closer to him, arranged her marriage with the brother of Count DuBarry, and introduced her to court in 1769.
After the death of Louis XV, she was arrested and imprisoned in a convent, but soon returned to her castle in Marly, where she continued to live in great pomp. The people hated Du Barry and during the revolution she was put on trial and guillotined.

The wise biblical king Solomon said " Three things are incomprehensible to me, and four I do not understand: the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the middle of the sea, and the way of a man to a maiden.” This can be seen very clearly in the example of favorites. They went to hearts and power in different ways: some through cunning, relaxedness, and the ability to present themselves, others through intelligence, education, piety, others through kindness and modesty...

Sabers are ringing, guns are loaded... Two armies stand opposite each other on the battlefield. On one side is King Henry IV of France, on the other is Duke Von Merceur. From the sources of 1597 it is known that this is a struggle for dominance in Brittany, which cannot end in any way. In this desperate situation, only one secret French weapon helps.

Enters the stage Gabriel d'Estre. The beauty with blond hair is not just Henry’s favorite, but also an excellent diplomat. She invites the Duke's wife into her carriage, and they not only find mutual language, but also agree that in the future their children will get married. And this is not the only case where the “golden Gabrielle” successfully pursues a policy.

Henry IV bestows on her the beautiful title of “official mistress of His Majesty the King of France.” With such a title, she has the right to be heard by the Pope himself. A sign of her permanent place in Henry's council of ministers was a bunch of golden keys around her neck. Gabriel participates in the creation of laws, meets ambassadors and plays a significant role in ending the religious war that broke out between Catholics and Huguenots from 1562 to 1598.

« My favorite has become a brilliant speaker“, writes the king with undisguised pride. Gabrielle d'Estrée is one of the first independent women with whom the great time of favorites began.

Naturally, monarchs and statesmen have always had lovers before, but only since the 16th century have these relationships been documented. The invention of printing led to an explosion of illiteracy among the aristocracy. From a selection of letters from courtiers and foreign ambassadors, from diaries, memoirs and biographies, secret meaning professions of court favorites.

Nowhere did the beloved of kings occupy such an important position as at the court of Versailles. From the 16th to the 18th centuries, the position of a court favorite was considered almost the position of the first minister of the kingdom. The monarch's mistress had claims to the title, money for entertainment and rent. She influenced life at court and contributed in every possible way to the development of beautiful arts. And in some cases she mixed active politics into this.

The most famous of all French favorites Madame de Pompadour for 19 years she was the unofficial mistress of the country under Louis XV.

She appointed ministers and generals during the Seven Years' War. In 1753, the Marquis d'Argenson writes: “ The favorite is the Prime Minister. She is very despotic, since there have never been such favorites in France».

She may have been an exceptional phenomenon in France, but Madame Pompadour had famous predecessors. We would love to know about the fate of a certain Marozia, which in 900 AD. became one of the most powerful women in the world. Apart from the fact that this woman shared a bed with Pope Sergius III, we know only minor details about her life.

The wife of an influential Roman aristocrat, her mother was Theodora. They had children together, and they managed to bring their daughter closer to the papal throne. As a 15-year-old girl, she became the mistress of the Pope, who was 30 years older than her. She gives him a son, also Sergius. After the death of her lover, Marozia does everything to strengthen her power and influence.

In 928, she follows in the footsteps of her mother - she calls herself "senatress" - the most important mistress of Rome. First of all, Marozia gets rid of Pope John X, with whom she has long wanted to settle scores, and names her 20-year-old son as the pope's heir. This woman's power came to an end when she was depowered by her second son and sent to Engelsburg, where in 955, at the age of 90, she learned second-hand that her grandson Octavian had also become Pope.

Marozia is not the only woman who has become a victim of her ambitions. At all times, the life of favorites was dangerous, and the reward for this was only the inclination of the ruler. Entire political groups emerged against the favorites. An example of a woman who lost the fight against such a coalition was Anna-Constance von Kosel- favorite of the Elector of Saxony Augustus the Strong.

The Countess, an imposing beauty with powdered white locks, bold black eyes and a fiery temperament, pays for an army of spies to be informed of the king's every move. She does not leave Augustus even for a few minutes.

For seven years in a row, Anna was the most powerful person at court, participated in all political issues and zealously defended her position. But for ministers it has become an eternal speck in the eye. When Augustus was proclaimed King of Poland in 1697, it was time to throw this heavy burden off his shoulders. The ministers convinced the king to acquire a Catholic favorite and thereby get rid of Anna Constance.

In Dresden, when the favorite lies prostrate on her bed after the birth of her third child, her opponents skillfully use this chance. They bring young Mary Magdalene von Denhoff to the king's viewing in Warsaw. Kozel finds out about this and rushes off to deal with his Augustus. But the king’s new lover has no desire to have a conversation with Kozel, so Augustus intercepts the carriage and sends his former lover under house arrest.

Later it will become known that the king is doing all this under pressure. Meanwhile, 40-year-old Kozel must remain in custody for the rest of her days for another 49 long years.

Jeanne Antoinette Poisson born December 29, 1721 in Paris. Her mother, the daughter of a butcher, sees her future in Zhanna and does everything to contribute to this in every possible way. Zhanna graduated from school at the monastery and took dancing and singing lessons. When she was 9 years old, the prophetess predicted that she would be the king's mistress. Since then, the family begins to call her the little queen.

The girl lives with completely legitimate hopes and grows up to be a beauty. At the age of 20, she finds a good match for herself, marries an aristocrat and becomes Madame D'Etielle. She has two children, opens her own Parisian salon. But the vain Jeanne, at 24, wants more - to meet the king.

In the Senar forest, during the hunt of Louis XV, her dreams come true. The king notices a beautiful stranger who, by lucky chance, ends up where he kills the deer. First he sees her in a pink dress and a blue carriage, and the next day - in a pink carriage and a blue mantilla. He invites Jeanne to a masquerade ball, where he wants to get to know her better under the mask. When Jeanne's husband returns from a long journey, she has already managed to settle in Versailles.

The entourage of the relationship with the favorites was so great that they began to be described in books. The Dauphin and his sister called their father's new favorite "maman - whore." Jeanne quickly realized that she was in the shark's mouth of Versailles. Her toughest challenge: To remain the official favorite, she must replace the queen.

But Jeanne, meanwhile elevated to the dignity of nobility under the title of Marquise de Pompadour, follows her own path - instead of unceremoniously treating the queen, as beloved monarchs used to do, she, on the contrary, wants to gain recognition and strengthen solidarity.

To begin with, she manages to encourage Louis to pay off the queen’s huge gambling debts. But her delicate appearance was facilitated by her disarming elegance. The first phrase she said to Queen Mary was: “Madam, I have a painful desire to please you.” After this, a short conversation continues, and Pompadour leaves without the help of servants, taking his train. She won!

Undoubtedly, it was a great love story, only the death of Jeanne in 42 from tuberculosis marked the end of their relationship with Louis XV. She paid for her position high price: Her daily schedule was similar to that of a businessman. She could not afford more than 5 - 6 hours of sleep a day.

Already before the morning toilet, about 40 envoys and petitioners visited her. Then there was morning mass, breakfast with the king, hunting, conference, office work, theatrical performances in which she herself took part. And late in the evening there was a dinner party where issues of war and peace were discussed. And after midnight, Jeanne received the monarch.

This part of “caring” is one of the hardest for her. She loves the king, but, by her own admission in the letter, she is “naturally cold.” After several years of unsuccessful attempts at treatment, Pompadour had an idea: in the palace park she would organize a “Deer Park” - a type of private brothel where young girls could please the king. It must be said that the popularity of this brothel was so great that at the end of its service, all the girls were generously rewarded.

The French Revolution ended the reign of the favorites. It happened when the beautiful head Jeanne DuBarry fell from the guillotine.

DuBarry was a follower of the Pompadour under Louis XV. The king wished that after his death Jeanne would go to a monastery, but she did not agree and remained at court. Already under Louis XVI she lived, despised by the people. The revolution destroyed the mistress's ideas, fear of God prevailed.

Already in the 19th century. touchy, the stories of monarchs have become common knowledge! newspapermen. They began to publish articles about them love affairs and draw ambiguous caricatures where fat kings were depicted with their lustful mistresses.

Thus began the time of unofficial favorites in Europe. Brief, insignificant connections are becoming popular. The exception to this rule was the relationship between the actress Katharina Schratt and the Austro-Hungarian Kaiser Franz Joseph, who lasted for 30 years. Their relationship was a “secret” into which Empress Sisi was privy.

She herself, therefore, could feel independent, because in the conservative Austro-Hungarian court everyone had to play their roles so that no one would find out anything. For the lonely, melancholy Kaiser, Schratt was not only a caring lover, but also his favorite interlocutor. When both spent time in Bad Schiel, every morning Franz Joseph took a walk, all alone, to Villa Schratt, where Katharina was already waiting for him with freshly baked women.

Less harmonious were the relations between Ludwig I of Bavaria and Loloy Montes, with whom he fell in love in 1846.

By that time he was already 60, and his connections were previously known to the people and the board, but this case turned out to be completely different.

Lola, 25, a Southern belle with wavy black hair, wanted influence, a title and official recognition. To keep his beloved, the king tries to please her. His Lolita builds herself a palace and brings her friends closer to the king's court. But for the people she is a foreign prostitute who willingly rides around the streets of the Bavarian capital with a whip.

Ludwig tries to classify his girlfriend as an aristocracy, but what was a simple formality at the court of the Sun King is no longer recognized at the Bavarian court. The office disperses in protest, and the mistresses stage a riot in front of the palace. The king, in order to save the life of his favorite, appoints a new liberal cabinet.

In August 1847, Lola Montez became Countess von Landsfeld, but this couple lasted only a few months. At the beginning of 1848, Lola's palace was stormed by huge masses of people. At the last moment, the “Bavarian Pompadour” leaves in a carriage for the city, and the king has no choice but to abdicate the throne.

At the beginning of the 20th century. the ideal of marriage for love arises. This means that men, including the king, must be faithful to their wife. The official favorite has been ruled out. But when you still have to follow dynastic rules when choosing a wife, piquant scandals can happen, like what happened in the English house of Windsor.

Prince Charles, in the interests of state, married a woman whom he loved less than his mistress. In the early 90s. the Camillagate game has been exposed. Nevertheless, this modern drama found its famous “happy ending”. Although this is not the first time.

King Edward VIII abdicated the throne and married a twice-divorced American woman Wallis Simpson. At the Ritz Hotel in London, while the lords and ladies were sitting at lunch, his recantation was made.

Among the diners was an already aging but still attractive Eliza Kepkel, last mistress of King Edward VII. She exclaimed to the whole room: “In my time, such things were treated better.” And she ordered dessert...

Who are the favorites? This is usually what they call the “official” mistresses of ruling persons. Moreover, the favorites are not just “flesh” to satisfy the desires of the ruler. These are completely independent individuals who, without hiding their relationship with the monarch, had a certain social status and could often influence not only court life, but also the politics of the state where their beloved ruled. The very term “favorite” (or metresse - in French Maîtresse) appeared in France, where the mistresses of monarchs were practically officials. Some kings limited themselves to a couple of passions throughout their lives, others changed them like gloves.

However, there were few real favorites both in France and abroad. After all, getting into bed with a ruler is a simple matter. But staying there, tying your royal lover to you for a long time, is quite a challenge! In our selection, we will limit ourselves to only those beautiful ladies who firmly held in their hands the hearts and wallets of sovereigns - and sometimes even the fate of the state.

Favorites of European monarchs

Let's start with the Europeans, with most of the positions given to the French - these are their playful monarchs, forced to marry for state reasons, for the pleasure of soul and body they decided to introduce the actual position of “official favorite”. This, of course, does not mean that other European monarchs did not have mistresses, just that their influence rarely extended beyond the boudoir.

Diane de Poitiers

This woman twirled the king as she pleased.

Patron: Henry II of Valois, King of France (1547–1559)

How much and when: 21 years, from 1538 to 1559

What she became famous for: a distant relative of the royal family - her grandmother was the illegitimate daughter of Louis XI. Diana was very smart, beautiful and had a strong character. After the death of her husband, she became close to Prince Henry, who was twenty years younger than her. The young prince, obsessed with chivalric customs, considered Diana the standard of a beautiful lady from gallant novels. Having ascended the throne, he showered her with gifts and titles, making her Duchess of Valentinois.

With age, Diana remained more of a close friend of the king, who took on younger mistresses. However, Diana's enormous influence on the monarch remained unchanged until his death. Diana appointed ministers and marshals, the king only approved her decisions. And after each royal council or reception of foreign ambassadors, Henry went to his favorite to listen to her opinion. Thus, at the direction of Diana, the king ended the many years of Italian wars by signing the Treaty of Cateau-Cambresia.

How it ended: After the tragic death of Henry at a knight's tournament, Diana retired to her domain, where she died at the age of 66. She had no children from Henry. By the way, Diana was previously called the mistress of Henry’s father, King Francis I, but modern historians consider this a fiction.

Barbara Villiers

Barbara Villiers as the "Penitent Magdalene", portrait by Peter Lely

Patron: Charles II Stuart, King of England (1660–1685)

How much and when: 13 years, from 1660 to 1673

What she became famous for: grandniece of the Duke of Buckingham (the same one from the “case with pendants”), however, due to the events of the English Revolution, she lived in poverty. She was considered one of the most beautiful, witty and extravagant women of her time. She married for convenience the diplomat Roger Palmer, who soon joined the retinue of Charles II, who lived in Holland in exile. It was there that Barbara became the mistress of the king, who a year later triumphantly sat on the throne.

After the Restoration, Barbara had enormous political influence and participated in many intrigues. Thus, thanks to her efforts, the powerful First Minister Clarendon was fired. She received several palaces and lands from the king, as well as the titles Countess of Castlemaine, Countess of Southampton and Duchess of Cleveland. Despite this, she did not hesitate to take bribes from Spanish and French diplomats. Carla gave birth to five children, who received the surname Fitzroy.

How it ended: Barbara was simply tired of Karl, who had many mistresses. After “retirement” she got married again (unsuccessfully). Outlived Charles II by 24 years.

Françoise-Athenais de Montespan

Does she look like a poisoner? But who knows…

Patron:

How much and when: 16 years, from 1667 to 1683

What she became famous for: originally from the very noble Rochechouart family, she was the wife of the Marquis de Montespan and the royal maid of honor. Very beautiful and charming, with a lively mind, she was very popular in secular society. Having met the king, she took him away from her close friend Louise de la Vallière. For ten years she was virtually the uncrowned ruler of France; royal ministers and military officials listened to her opinion. She patronized culture and the arts, Moliere and La Fontaine enjoyed her favors. She bore Louis seven children, six of whom were legitimized with the right to bear the royal surname Bourbon.

How it ended: The marquise became involved in the famous “case of poisons”, when among the clients of the poisoner Monvoisin was her trusted maid Montespan. The king finally lost interest in the marquise when his new passion, the very young Duchess de Fontanges, suddenly died, possibly from poison. Of course, nothing was proven, but Montespan ceased to be a favorite, and after the rise of Madame de Maintenon she left the court altogether. She lived at the monastery or on her estates, did charity work and died peacefully at the age of 66.

Francoise de Maintenon

Not a beauty at all, but she married the king to herself! (Portrait of Pierre Mignard)

Patron: Louis XIV of Bourbon, King of France (1643–1715)

How much and when: 32 years, from 1683 to 1715

What she became famous for: came from the Huguenot d'Aubigné family, her grandfather was a close friend of Henry IV. She was born in prison, where her father was imprisoned for debt. She spent her childhood on the tropical island of Martinique. After the death of her parents, she lived with her aunt “out of mercy”; Later she was married to the famous poet Paul Scarron, not only a commoner, but also a paralytic. However, Françoise, a girl not too beautiful, but very smart, called the years of marriage with Scarron “the best time of her life.” After all, he was considered one of the most charming people of his time.

Having been widowed, Françoise received a “grain” position as a teacher of the children of the Marquise de Montespan from the king. This is how she met Louis, who enjoyed talking with Françoise. At first there was nothing between them except a purely intellectual relationship. However, when the king lost interest in Montespan, it was Françoise who attracted his attention - despite the fact that this ugly woman was already approaching fifty. However, the king was only three years younger than her. The affection for Françoise was so strong that the widowed Louis entered into a morganatic marriage with her in 1683 (official, but not giving the wife the right to occupy the throne and be considered a queen).

IN late period During the reign of Louis, his policy largely depended on his wife, who received the title of Marquise de Maintenon. And, despite her brilliant mind, this woman brought France a lot of trouble. It was Maintenon, who became a zealous Catholic, who was one of the main initiators of the repeal of the Edict of Nantes on religious tolerance. This led to civil unrest and the emigration of many Huguenots, which greatly weakened the state.

How it ended: After the death of the king, Françoise ran the Academy of Noble Maidens of Saint-Cyr, which she herself founded. There she died three years later.

Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour

Uncrowned ruler of France (portrait of Francois Boucher)

Patron: Louis XV of Bourbon, King of France (1715–1774)

How much and when: 19 years, from 1745 to 1764

What she became famous for: born into a bourgeois family, received an excellent education, was very beautiful and smart. She got married at the age of 19, but Jeanne’s goal was determined from childhood - she longed to become the king’s mistress. And Jeanne achieved this goal by literally pursuing Louis, who could not resist the charms of the beautiful girl. He made her Marquise de Pompadour and showered her with money and gifts. But most importantly, he actually entrusted power in the country to her - a unique case even for France.

For almost 20 years the king was engaged only in entertainment and a little more foreign policy(so, Louis XV oversaw French intelligence). Everything else was in the tenacious hands of the Marquise de Pompadour: appointments to important government posts, tax policy, issues of war and peace. She also very generously gave gifts to cultural and artistic figures - it is not without reason that her reign can be called the last “golden age” of the French monarchy.

How it ended: Pompadour was the king's mistress for about eight years; then Louis switched to other women, but the clever marquise remained in power until her death at 42.

Fantastic minions

Strong-willed lady Jessica (Francesca Annis in the 1984 film Dune)

In fantasy literature, there are, of course, favorites, but, as a rule, they are located somewhere on the periphery of the plot. For example, the very colorful Comitta Rangave, at the same time arrogant and vulgar mistress of Turizin Gavras, Emperor Videss from Harry Turtledove's series of novels about the Lost Legion. Or the ambitious and ruthless Heather Towney, Prince Victor's favorite from Simon Greene's Blood and Honor. Or the gentle, kind, but somewhat stupid Dariolo Cairna, the beloved of Prince Alexander Tagare from the “Chronicles of Arcia” by Vera Kamshi.

The exception is numerous loveburgers, usually fantasy ones. There's a lot of this stuff there - every second beautiful lady becomes the love interest of some emperor, king, or, at worst, a prince. If we talk about more traditional fiction, then the choice of true favorite heroines is extremely small.

So the most notable favorite in fantasy is Lady Jessica, the concubine of Duke Leto I Atreides, with whom she gave birth to the main character of Frank Herbert's novels about the planet Dune. Jessica was specially trained in the powerful female order of the Bene Gesserit, which fought for power in the Universe. With her help, the order tried to control Duke Leto in order to avoid the rise of his family. However, Jessica fell in love with the Duke for real, and the centuries-old calculations of all the political forces in the world of Dune went up in smoke. So a simple favorite changed the history of the Universe.

Favorites of Russian sovereigns

Our next top is the favorites of Russian sovereigns. Russian tsars and emperors rarely gave their mistresses real power over themselves, and therefore most of them never reached the rank of favorite, remaining only toys for monarchs.

Anna Mons

Not a single portrait of Anna Mons has survived. This is how she looks as portrayed by Ulrike Kunze (1980 Soviet film “Peter’s Youth”)

Patron:

How much and when: 13 years, from 1691 to 1704

What she became famous for: the daughter of a wealthy German merchant who lived in Moscow, a rare beauty. When Anna was about 20 years old, Franz Lefort, Peter I's closest friend, introduced her to the young Tsar. The girl completely charmed Peter, who even sent his wife to a monastery and was going to marry Anna. The tsar gave her generous gifts, but Anna did not hesitate to take bribes “for protection” and, not feeling love for her dignitary patron, cheated on him.

How it ended: Anna was arrested when her affair with the Saxon ambassador was accidentally discovered. However, even while under house arrest, this lady charmed another Prussian diplomat, who married her. True, Anna’s husband soon died, and she did not survive him for long, dying of consumption in 1714.

Marta Skavronskaya

Ceremonial portrait of the sovereign's wife (by Jean-Marc Nattier, 1717)

Patron: Peter I Alekseevich, Tsar and Emperor (1682–1721)

What she became famous for: a native of the Baltic states from a peasant family . She was orphaned early and was a servant in the house of a pastor from the city of Marienburg (now the Latvian city of Aluksne). At the age of 17 she married the Swedish dragoon Johann Kruse. After the capture of Marienburg by the Russian army, its commander, Count Sheremetev, noticed a pretty woman and made her his mistress. Soon Marta passed into the hands of Prince Menshikov, Tsar Peter’s closest friend, and he, noticing the beauty, took her for himself. So, from 1703, Martha (soon baptized into Orthodoxy as Ekaterina Mikhailova) became the constant mistress of Peter the Great.

Catherine was not distinguished by a powerful mind, but she was very calm, sweet, cheerful and knew better than anyone how to calm the king, who had a very difficult character. Petra gave birth to six children, most of whom died early, as well as her daughter Elizabeth, the future “cheerful” empress. Peter became very attached to Catherine and officially married her in 1712.

How it ended: Shortly before his death, Peter suspected his wife of infidelity and alienated him from him, however, falling ill, he brought him closer again and died in her arms. After the death of Peter, Prince Menshikov, whom Catherine always considered good friend, seated the former maid on the throne Russian Empire under the name of Catherine I. Naturally, she was a purely nominal ruler. She spent her time in endless amusements and died two years later - from fever or pneumonia.

Anna Lopukhina

And how did this charming creature cope with the violent Pavel? (Portrait of Jean-Louis Voile)

Patron: Pavel I Petrovich, emperor (1796–1801)

How much and when: 4 years, from 1798 to 1801

What she became famous for: aristocrat, daughter of a senator. I met the emperor at a ball. The Emperor fell in love with a 19-year-old beauty and offered her father a deal: if Anna becomes a favorite, daddy gets princely title and a lot of money, otherwise - arrest and exile. Naturally, the senator chose the first option. Charming Anna did not shine with any special intelligence, but she was very kind and often softened Pavel’s violent temper - for example, she more than once successfully stood up for those who had fallen into disgrace. Some used her flexible character to receive awards and distinctions from the tsar - Pavel, usually very stubborn, adored Anna and catered to her wishes. Obsessed with military affairs, he even ordered the ancient synonym of her name (Grace) to be embroidered on the banners of the imperial guard.

How it ended: Anna was in love with her childhood friend, Prince Gagarin, and once confessed this to Pavel. And this “last monarch-knight” contributed to their marriage. The legalized love triangle continued until the murder of Paul by the conspirators. In 1805, Anna died of consumption.

Ekaterina Dolgorukova

Happy family: Alexander, Ekaterina, their eldest children Georgy and Olga. Perhaps this boy in a Circassian coat could become a Russian sovereign. And then there would be no “Matilda”...

Patron: Alexander II Nikolaevich, Emperor (1855–1881)

How much and when: 15 years, from 1866 to 1881

What she became famous for: nee Princess Dolgorukova, studied at the Smolny Institute for Noble Maidens, where the Tsar met her during an official visit. The fifty-year-old monarch fell in love with a sweet 17-year-old girl and courted her for about a year until she relented. Moreover, apparently, Catherine really fell in love with the Tsar, despite the huge difference in age - there is a lot of evidence of this. Perhaps she was attracted bright personality sovereign.

Alexander settled the favorite in Winter Palace, although the heir to the throne, the future Emperor Alexander III, sharply opposed this. Dolgorukova gave birth to four children for the Tsar; she was the joy of his life. She never asked for anything, but accepted gifts with gratitude. There is evidence that the king even asked her for advice on political issues.

How it ended: in 1880, immediately after the death of his wife, Alexander entered into a morganatic marriage with Catherine, granting her the title of His Serene Highness Princess Yuryevskaya. There were also rumors that it was their eldest son George that the Tsar intended to declare as his heir. It is no wonder that after the assassination of Alexander II by the Narodnaya Volya, the new emperor advised Dolgorukova to disappear from the horizon. Together with her children, she left for France, where she lived comfortably until her death in 1922.

Matilda Kshesinskaya

Nikolai and Matilda: normal people, normal relationships - what's the fuss about?

Patron: Nicholas II Alexandrovich, Emperor (1894–1917)

How much and when: about 5 years, from 1890 to 1894

What she became famous for: the ballerina of the Mariinsky Theater Matilda Kshesinskaya was not a favorite in the strict sense of the word - after all, Nicholas during the years of their relationship was the heir to the throne, and not the emperor. Another thing is that Matilda still played a role in discrediting royal family. After all, she was a kind of drifting prize - she passed from Nicholas to his close relatives, the Grand Dukes: first to Sergei Mikhailovich, and then to Andrei Vladimirovich.

Moreover, Matilda did not hesitate to use the highest patronage for personal purposes - both to promote her ballet career (through connections she became a prima ballerina in 1896) and to enrich herself. The following episode can testify to the degree of its power: during the First World War Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich, who commanded the troops, argued that there were not enough shells in the army because Matilda Kshesinskaya influenced the distribution of orders between various companies. And her protégés simply cannot provide timely and high-quality deliveries - but, despite this, they are the ones who receive lucrative government orders. Naturally, such influence of the Tsar’s former mistress did not go without negative public attention.

How it ended: in 1919, Matilda went abroad with her son Vladimir (from Grand Duke Sergei). Two years later she married Grand Duke Andrei, and a few years later she received the title of Princess Krasinskaya from the then head of the Romanov house, Vladimir Kirillovich. She opened her own ballet school in France and wrote interesting memoirs. She died in 1971.

Oscar Wilde said that women were created not for understanding, but for love. We completely agree with this expression, especially the female part of our editorial staff.

But in this post we will not talk about those lovely ladies, guardians of the family hearth and all that... We will talk about the most famous mistresses or, if I may say so, about the most lustful women in history.

Many of them did not have obvious beauty, but were still able to captivate their chosen ones. As a result, the fame of such women passed through years and centuries. And even today women are trying to take advantage of some of the secrets of those legendary figures.

Valeria Messalina

This woman has remained in history as one of the most dissolute persons. Despite her high status (she was the wife of Emperor Claudius), Valeria literally became the personification of lust and fornication in Rome. Messalina lived in the 1st century AD. Contemporaries say that she was more dissolute than Nero himself. But he became famous for his wild orgies, harems with children and a palace that became a brothel. They say about Messalina that she came to one of the brothels in Rome, taking the place of a prostitute there. Only this could satisfy her passion. Valeria herself did not miss a single handsome man. For a long time she got away with her behavior; her blinded husband did not notice anything. But Valeria also decided to enthrone her next lover, Gaius Silius. The plot failed, and Messalina herself was killed by order of the emperor at the age of 28. Historians say that at that time the woman was already stricken with syphilis, so such a death was not the worst end to a dissolute and shameful life.

Cleopatra


This woman is considered one of the wisest mistresses. Cleopatra is also one of the most scandalous characters of the Ancient World. Because of it, powerful states fought with each other. A night with Cleopatra cost each of her new slave lovers their lives, nevertheless, the fatal beauty (some sources say that she was not a beauty in appearance) attracted men. Each of them dreamed of conquering a woman with his strength and love skills, and in the morning waking up not only alive, but also the king of all Egypt. Nevertheless, Cleopatra continued to kill her lovers, unacceptable compromises. Experts on Ancient Egypt call the queen one of the first adherents of free love. It was believed that she was an experienced fellatrix, that is, she skillfully gave blowjobs to her chosen ones. Perhaps this is what tied Antony to her? The ancient Greeks nicknamed the queen Meriohane, which literally means “open-mouthed,” “woman with a thousand mouths.” Another nickname for the mistress was “thick-lipped.” Although Cleopatra had all the makings of a good ruler, what prevented her from skillfully ruling was primarily her own desires. She also indulged her own famous lovers. For Caesar, Cleopatra seemed modest and smart, but for Anthony she became a mad hunter of carnal pleasures. Love for the latter became tragic, the couple decided to confront Rome, for which they paid with their lives.

Phryne


But this Greek hetaera became famous for her beauty. She worked part-time as a model. The ancient creators sculpted and painted Aphrodite herself from it. They wrote that Phryne was very shy and extremely reluctant to expose herself. She even met her men in the dark. As a result, the hetaera was convicted of negatively influencing the most enlightened citizens of the republic. But when she was led to execution and her clothes were torn off, the public saw Phryne’s perfect body. Hetera was immediately acquitted, since it was decided that a dissolute soul simply could not live in such a divine body.

Thais of Athens


This daring hetaera became famous for seducing Alexander the Great himself. Although she was a prostitute, she became famous for her inaccessibility. She attracted the great conqueror himself because she did not want to give herself up to him for any treasures or riches. The woman told Alexander that he needed to win her heart and then the whole world would fall before him. Subsequently, Thais was able to marry the Egyptian king Ptolemy I.

Wu Hu


This Chinese empress from the Tang Dynasty announced the advent of an era of female supremacy in the country. For this purpose, the custom of licking “lotus stamens” even appeared in court etiquette. The Empress demanded that all government officials and visiting dignitaries show her special respect through cunnilingus. This ceremony remained even in ancient paintings: Wu Hu holds her dress, and a guest kneels in front of her and kisses her genitals.

Scheherazade


This woman became famous for her intelligence. Naturally, she engaged with the Sultan not only by telling fairy tales. After each love affair, Scheherazade began to tell a most interesting story, which she interrupted at the most interesting point. At first, the Sultan even wanted to send her to the lower harem, as a wife who no longer satisfied him. However, it turned out that no one else was able to tell such interesting tales to the ruler. Shahriyar continued to listen to his concubine. This is how the book of fairy tales “A Thousand and One Nights” appeared. This is exactly how long it took for the ruler to regain common sense and stop killing virgins. And what happened after this to the Sultan’s most desired wife is unknown. They say that the cause of her death was some kind of infection.

Elizabeth Bathory


This woman went down in history under the name of the Bloody Countess. She had many lovers, the most famous of whom is the painter Caravaggio. They say that she became for him not only a model, but also a real muse and goddess. Contemporaries recall that Bathory was of unearthly beauty; until her death, she retained the face of a young girl. This effect became possible allegedly due to the fact that the countess bathed in the blood of tortured and murdered virgins. In total, she killed about 600 women, among whom were not only peasant women and servants, but also noble persons. They say that Bathory came up with terrible mechanisms. For example, a metal coffin containing spikes inside. They entered the body shallowly, not killing immediately, but only causing bleeding. Thus, the victim died gradually, giving his blood to the insatiable countess. They say that Bathory came up with several thousand sophisticated tortures and devices for this. Only in 1611 was the 50-year-old sadist convicted. There are several versions of her death. They say that an angry crowd simply carried out lynching on her, walling her up alive within the walls of her own castle. The popular story is that Bathory got away with it. Her family was too influential. The Bloody Countess was sent to the dungeon to live out her sentence, away from human eyes. There is an opinion that Elizabeth was slandered. The fact is that she was richer than the king himself, who wanted to take away all her property. After the death of the countess, five of her children disappeared somewhere, and all her gold and lands went to the ruler. Bathory went down in history not only as a bloodthirsty killer, but also as one of the most beautiful women of her time with unfading beauty. In Hungary itself, the woman was nicknamed a vampire, believing that in terms of the number of her atrocities she was in no way inferior to Count Dracula.

Marquise de Pompadour


This favorite of the French king Louis XV was not only a skillful and tireless lover, but also played an important role in European politics. They say that she owes her passion to celery. Every day, the marquise consumed two powerful aphrodisiacs at once - chocolate and celery root. In the morning she drank a mug of hot chocolate, adding ground root. During the day she ate a special salad with apples, walnuts and celery. Although it is unclear whether she knew that these particular products helped her maintain her love life, Pompadour could make love up to 10 times a day with different partners. Celery is generally a known pathogen. So in different countries, peasants place a bunch of this plant at the head of the bed on their wedding night. Jeanne Poisson herself, the future Marquise of Pompadour, was promised the love of the king himself at the age of nine. What else could a young girl dream of? The origin of the Pompadour remains a mystery. There is an opinion that she was generally of low origin, but one day she successfully found herself a patron in the form of a nobleman and ended up at court. There, at a masquerade, she met Louis XV. The monarch was intrigued by the behavior of the girl, who coquettishly hid her face under a mask. And when the mask was removed, the king finally fell in love. It was not easy to achieve a high position and the status of a favorite for many years, but Zhanna was able to do it. She did not limit her activities only to bed. The Marquise of Pompadour began to develop the arts, patronizing many artists and writers. Until her death, she remained for the king not just a mistress, but also a close friend. This in itself is very rare.

Josephine


Napoleon's chosen one was not young at the time of their meeting, she was already over thirty and had two children. However, outwardly she looked impeccable. Although Bonaparte himself gave imperious orders to the others, he was timid in front of Josephine and experienced either tender or passionate feelings. The secret of victory over Napoleon was simple. Josephine was not just a beauty, she was also an excellent listener. A wise woman always approved of the actions of her lover, no matter what he did. And as a reward for this, she became the first Empress of France. The couple's divorce took place only for the good of France - the country needed an heir.

Inessa Armand


Although this woman was right at the center of revolutionary actions, her role was bashfully hushed up by historians. After all, she was the mistress of Vladimir Lenin himself, which somehow did not fit with the leader’s immaculate image. Armand met him in front of Krupskaya in Paris. Inessa’s personal relationship with Lenin was so close that Nadezhda Konstantinovna herself was in the background with her husband. Krupskaya was forced to forgive her husband’s passion for his mistress, as long as it was for the good of the revolution. Inessa herself was wholeheartedly devoted to her work and to Lenin himself. Armand left behind three children who were born before meeting the leader. And she died of cholera in 1920 and was buried not far from her beloved - under the Kremlin wall.

Mata Hari


This courtesan made her living performing exotic dances. At one time she was admired by all of Paris. Many high-ranking officials of France and Germany became the artist’s lovers. According to legend, during the First World War, Mata Hari was a spy, collaborating with both warring sides at once. It is unknown whether she was able to extract truly valuable information from her patrons. However, in 1917, the French shot Mata Hari for spying for Germany. She herself became a legend, embodying the images of a femme fatale and a fearless intelligence agent.

Isadora Duncan


This American dancer led a bohemian lifestyle. She is considered the founder of free dance, from which the modern style was born. She had many fans, some of whom she reciprocated. Having survived the death of her two children, she went to Russia, where she met Sergei Yesenin. He became her lover, and then her husband. According to her contemporaries, Isadora herself did not captivate with her brilliant beauty. But she was very natural and had natural sexuality. Duncan performed barefoot on stage, and her every movement was filled with grace and natural charm. All her dances showed that she was open to life and madly loved it in all its manifestations. She herself wrote: “If my art is symbolic, then this symbol is only one: the freedom of women and her emancipation from the ossified conventions that underlie Puritanism.” Contemporaries believed that Duncan's work opened up new horizons for the women of the future. Her dancing was called genius; she was able to change both art and everyday life. But the relationship with Yesenin did not work out - two gifted creative people were jealous of each other’s fame.

Lilya Brik


Men were drawn to her by her sense of inner freedom. This woman had many fans - Pablo Neruda, Marc Chagall, Louis Aragon, Sergei Parajanov, Fernand Léger, Yves Saint Laurent. But Brik’s most famous lover was Vladimir Mayakovsky. The poet even lived with her and her husband, confusing ordinary people with such a love triangle. Brik herself said: “We need to convince a man that he is wonderful or even brilliant, but that others do not understand this. And allow him to do things that are not allowed at home, for example, to smoke or travel wherever he wants. Good shoes and silk underwear will do the rest.” As you can see, the secret of seduction is not so complicated. Lilya Brik often appears as a femme fatale. If a man attracted her, then nothing could stop her. Brick's story is covered in legends; there was some kind of mystery in it that attracted the most famous men of that time to her. When talking with people, Lilya skillfully and intelligently emphasized her interest in her interlocutor. Brick was always aware of fashion, dressing with taste and hiding her flaws in clothes. It was she who became the first woman in Moscow who dared to wear trousers. The straightforward Akhmatova recalled Lila in this way: “Dyed hair and impudent eyes on her worn-out face.”

Marilyn Monroe


This mistress is one of the most mysterious in history. The sex symbol of the 20th century had a close relationship with US President John Kennedy. But this connection, as well as the subsequent death of the actress, is shrouded in mystery. It is unclear whether Monroe's death was a suicide or whether her love for Kennedy began to bother someone and was simply removed. During her lifetime, she managed to tarnish the reputation of an excellent family man and the pride of America, John Kennedy. It is still not profitable for anyone to reveal the secret about those events. One thing is clear - the sexy beauty Marilyn Monroe was deeply unhappy in her personal life. More than half a century has passed since her mysterious death, but she still remains the standard of femininity and sexuality. And the actress herself has turned into a well-promoted and popular brand. With the help of her name, billions of dollars are earned around the world every year.

Edwina Curry


The mistress of English Prime Minister John Major significantly complicated his political career after he decided to break up with her. Although the woman was even threatened with death, she did not want to remain silent, writing the whole truth about her relationship with her powerful admirer. The book, written at the risk of his life, quickly became a bestseller, and Major’s career went downhill. Curry said that she was not only threatened, but also attacked and beaten twice. The criminals demanded silence from her and promised to kill her if the book was published. But she did it anyway. Perhaps she was driven by a sense of revenge, or perhaps by a desire to prove that even powerful men should be held accountable for their actions. In the end, the truth about the premiere turned out to be stunning. No British politician has ever had so many humiliating details told about him. The most intimate details of his life became public knowledge. And this happened because one day he decided to leave the one who loved him. Fear for his career and threats only worsened the situation for the unhappy lover.

Sylvia Christel


This beautiful woman became famous for playing the leading role in the acclaimed erotic film “Emmanuelle.” Her attractiveness did not go unnoticed by the most prominent men. Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, President of France, became Christelle's mistress. Moreover, their romance began even before he took up this prominent post. D'Estaing himself never hid this relationship. As a result, Sylvia was even invited to all official events related to the head of state. She acted as hostess at his receptions. And the president often took Sylvia with him on trips abroad. Thus, Kristel seemed to receive the status of an “official” mistress.

Anne Penjo


As already mentioned, mistresses often created a scandal around their politician admirer. This happened with Anne Penjo. This mistress of Francois Mitterrand even moved into the Elysee Palace. But when the new president, Jacques Chirac, came to power, the first thing he did was order the eviction of Penjo and her illegitimate daughter from his predecessor from the state residence. Biographers say that the loving Mitterrand had many mistresses. Penzho was simply one of them. That is why the French themselves were calm about the fact of its existence. But the citizens of the country could not forgive him for the fact that the president provided her with free housing in the Elysee Palace, and even denied it. After Mitterrand's death, another scandal erupted. The mistress, along with the president’s illegitimate daughter, wanted to attend the funeral, which his family vehemently opposed. Now Anne does not lead a luxurious life at all - she works in a museum, barely making ends meet. And Mitterrand’s illegitimate daughter, with the help of the court, achieved the right to her father’s surname and entered politics.

Monica Lewinsky


This mistress turned out to be very selfish. She not only had a strong influence on the career and family of her partner, but also did not fail to earn several million dollars from it. Monica told the press about all the details of her intimate relationship in the Oval Office. After this connection became known to the public, everyone was literally amazed at how a previously unknown intern managed to carry out the operation she had planned. She even saved for history the dress she wore when she made love to Clinton. For the president, that story almost resulted in resignation and even prison for lying before the court. Monica herself has traveled all over the world with memories of that relationship. Lewinsky wrote a book about her intimate relationship and even made a documentary film, “Monica in Black and White,” for which she received a multimillion-dollar fee. And I feel frankly sorry for Clinton himself; even his wife forgave him. It is not clear what the charming and popular politician saw in the unsightly, plump Lewinsky.