Oscar Wilde is famous for saying that women are created not for understanding, but for love. We fully agree with this expression, especially the female part of our editorial board.

But in this post we will not talk about those lovely ladies, keepers 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 possess obvious beauty, but nevertheless they were able to captivate their chosen ones with something. As a result, the fame of such women passed through the years and centuries. And even today, women are trying to take advantage of some of the secrets of those legendary figures.

Valeria Messalina

In history, this woman remained 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 promiscuous than Nero himself. But he became famous for wild orgies, harems with children and a palace that became a brothel. It is said about Messalina that she came to one of the brothels of 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, her behavior got away with her, 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 no worse 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 her, powerful states fought each other. The night with Cleopatra cost each of her new lover-slave lives, nevertheless, the fatal beauty (some sources say that outwardly she was not a beauty) beckoned men to her. Each of them dreamed of conquering a woman with his strength and love skills, and in the morning to wake up not only alive, but also the king of all Egypt. Nevertheless, Cleopatra continued to kill her lovers, unaccepting compromise. Specialists in 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 a blowjob 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 "fat-lipped." Although Cleopatra had all the makings of a good ruler, her own desires prevented her from ruling skillfully. She also indulged her own famous lovers. For Caesar, Cleopatra seemed modest and intelligent, and for Antony she became a mad hunter for carnal pleasures. Love for the latter became tragic, the couple decided to resist Rome, for which they paid with their lives.

Phryne


But this Greek hetera became famous for its beauty. She worked as a model. From it, the ancient creators sculpted and painted Aphrodite herself. They wrote that Phryne was very bashful and extremely reluctant to be naked. She even met her men in the dark. As a result, the hetera was convicted of Negative influence on the most enlightened citizens of the republic. But when she was led to her execution and her clothes were torn off, the audience saw the perfect body of Phryne. Geter was immediately acquitted, since it was decided that a dissolute soul simply could not live in such a divine body.

Thais of Athens


This impudent hetaera became famous for seducing Alexander the Great himself. Although she was a prostitute, she became famous for her impregnability. She attracted the great conqueror herself by the fact that she did not want to give herself to him for any treasures or riches. The woman told Alexander that it was necessary 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 the era of female superiority in the country. To do this, in court etiquette, even the custom appeared to lick the "stamens of the lotus." The Empress demanded that all government officials and visiting dignitaries show her special respect through cunnilingus. This ceremony has remained even in old paintings: Wu Hu holds her dress, and a guest kneels in front of her, who kisses her genitals.

Scheherazade


This woman is famous for her intelligence. Naturally, she did not only tell fairy tales with the Sultan. After each love intercourse, Scheherazade began to tell interesting story, which was interrupted by interesting place. At first, the Sultan even wanted to exile her to the lower harem, as a wife who no longer satisfies 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. So the book of fairy tales "A Thousand and One Nights" appeared. That's how long it took the ruler to regain common sense and stop killing virgins. And what happened after that with the most desirable wife of the Sultan is unknown. Some infection is said to have caused her death.

Elizabeth Bathory


This woman went down in history under the name of the Bloody Countess. She had many lovers, the most famous of which 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 kept her face like a young girl. This effect became possible supposedly 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 causing only bleeding. Thus, the victim died gradually, giving his blood to the insatiable countess. They say that Bathory invented several thousand sophisticated tortures and devices for this. Only in 1611 was the 50-year-old sadist condemned. There are several versions of her death. They say that the angry mob simply staged lynching for her, immuring her alive in the walls of her own castle. A popular story is that Bathory got away with it. Her family was too powerful. The bloody countess was sent to the dungeon to live out her term, 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 from her. 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 called 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 mistress, but also played important role in European politics. It is said that she owes her passion to celery. Every day, the Marquise used two of the strongest aphrodisiacs at once - chocolate and celery root. In the morning she drank a mug of hot chocolate, adding ground root there. During the day she ate a special salad with apples, walnuts and celery. While it's unclear if she knew these particular foods helped her stay lovable, Pompadour could make love up to 10 times a day with different partners. Celery is generally a well-known pathogen. So in different countries peasants put 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 more 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, just 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 Jeanne was able to do it. She did not limit her activities to just bed. The Marquise of Pompadour took up the development of the arts, patronizing many artists and writers. Until her death, she remained for the king not only a mistress, but also a close friend. This in itself is a rarity.

Josephine


Napoleon's chosen one at the time of their meeting was not young, she was already over thirty and she had two children. However, she looked flawless on the outside. Although Bonaparte himself gave imperious orders to the rest, he was shy in front of Josephine and experienced either tender or passionate feelings. The secret of the 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 divorce of the couple took place only for the good of France - the country needed an heir.

Inessa Armand


This woman, although she was right in 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 immaculate image of the leader. 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, if only it was for the good of the revolution. Inessa herself was wholeheartedly devoted to her occupation 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 earned her living by performing exotic dances. At one time, all of Paris admired her. Many high-ranking officials of France and Germany became lovers of the artist. According to legend, during the First World War, Mata Hari was a spy, while cooperating with both warring parties at once. It is not known whether she was able to extract really valuable information from her patrons. Nevertheless, in 1917 the French shot Mata Hari for her 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 Art Nouveau style was born. She had many admirers, 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 later her husband. Isadora herself, according to her contemporaries, did not captivate with her brilliant beauty. But she was very natural and had a natural sexuality. On stage, Duncan performed barefoot, and her every movement was filled with grace and natural charm. All her dances spoke of the fact that she was open to life and madly in love with her in all manifestations. She herself wrote: “If my art is symbolic, then this symbol is only one: the freedom of a woman and her emancipation from the rigid conventions that underlie puritanism.” Contemporaries believed that Duncan's work opens up new horizons for the women of the future. Her dances were called brilliant, she was able to change both art and everyday life. But relations with Yesenin did not work out - two gifted creative person jealous of each other's glory.

Lilya Brik


Men were drawn to her by her sense of inner freedom. This woman had many admirers - 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, embarrassing the townsfolk with such a love triangle. Brik herself said: “It is necessary to inspire a man that he is wonderful or even brilliant, but that others do not understand this. And to allow him what is not allowed at home, for example, to smoke or go wherever he pleases. 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. The history of Brik is covered with legends, there was some kind of mystery in it that attracted the most famous men of that time to her. Talking with people, Lily skillfully and cleverly emphasized her interest in her interlocutor. Brik has always been fashion-conscious, dressing with taste and hiding her flaws in her clothes. It was she who became the first woman in Moscow who dared to wear trousers. The straightforward Akhmatova recalled Lila in this way: “Hair is dyed and insolent eyes on a worn 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 F. Kennedy. But this connection, like the subsequent death of the actress, is shrouded in mystery. It is not clear if Monroe's death was a suicide or if her love for Kennedy became a hindrance to someone and she was simply removed. During her lifetime, she managed to tarnish the reputation of an excellent family man and the pride of America, John F. Kennedy. It is still unprofitable for someone 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 promoted and popular brand. With the help of her name, billions of dollars are earned annually in the world.

Edwina Curry


The mistress of the English Prime Minister John Major significantly complicated his political career after he decided to break with her. Although the woman was even threatened with reprisal, she did not want to remain silent, writing the whole truth about her relationship with a powerful admirer. Written at the risk of his life, the book quickly became a bestseller, and Major's own 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. Maybe she was driven by a sense of revenge, or maybe the 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 was told so many humiliating details as about him. The most intimate details of his life became the property of the public. And this happened because one day he decided to leave the one who loved him. Fear for a career and threats only exacerbated the position of the unfortunate lover.

Sylvia Kristel


This beautiful woman became famous for performing leading role in the sensational erotic film "Emmanuelle". Her attractiveness did not go unnoticed by the most prominent men. Valerie Giscard d'Estaing, President of France, became Christelle's mistress. Moreover, their romance began even before he took this prominent post. d'Estaing himself never hid this relationship. As a result, Sylvia was even invited to all official events associated with the head of state. She acted as hostess at his receptions. Yes and in foreign trips the president often took Sylvia with him. Thus, Christelle seemed to have received the status of an "official" mistress.

Anne Penjo


As already mentioned, often mistresses created a scandal around their politician admirer. So it was with Anne Penjo. This mistress of Francois Mitterrand even settled in 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. Penjo was just one of them. That is why the French themselves were calm about the fact of its existence. But the fact that the president gave her free housing in the Elysee Palace, and even denied it, the citizens of the country could not forgive him. 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 Ann 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, won the right to her father's surname and went into 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 this. Monica told the press about all the details of her intimate relationship in the Oval Office. Already after this connection became known to the public, everyone was literally amazed at how the intern, unknown to anyone before, managed to carry out the operation she had planned. She even saved for history the dress in which she made love with Clinton. For the president, that story almost turned into a resignation and even a prison for lying before the court. Monica herself, with memories of those relationships, traveled all over the world. Lewinsky wrote a book about her intimacy and even filmed documentary"Monica in black and white", for which she received a multi-million dollar fee. And Clinton himself is frankly sorry, even his wife forgave him. It is not clear just what the charming and popular politician found in the unsightly plump Lewinsky.

The wise biblical king Solomon said " Three things are incomprehensible to me, and four I do not understand: the path of an eagle in the sky, the path of a serpent on a rock, the path of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the path 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 with cunning, looseness, the ability to present themselves, others with intelligence, education, piety, others with kindness and modesty ...

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

Enters the stage Gabriel d'Estre. A beauty with blond hair is not just Heinrich's favorite, but also a great 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 when the “golden Gabrielle” successfully pursues politics.

Henry IV grants her the beautiful title of "the official favorite 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 bundle with golden keys around her neck. Gabrielle participates in the creation of laws, meets ambassadors and plays a significant role in the end religious war, unleashed between Catholics and Huguenots from 1562 to 1598.

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

Naturally, monarchs and statesmen have had lovers at all times, 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 court and foreign ambassadors, from diaries, memoirs and biographies, the secret meaning of the profession of court favorites is revealed.

Nowhere did the beloved of kings occupy such an important position as at the court of Versailles. From the 16th to the 18th century, the place of the court favorite is considered almost the position of the first minister of the kingdom. The mistress of the monarch had claims to the title, money for entertainment and rent. She influenced life at court and in every possible way contributed to the development of fine arts. And in some cases, it mixed in active politics.

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, because there were no such favorites in France yet.».

Perhaps in France she was an exceptional phenomenon, but Madame Pompadour had famous predecessors. We would gladly learn about the fate of a certain Marozia, which in 900 AD. became one of the most powerful women in the world. In addition to the fact that this woman shared a bed with Pope Sergius III, we know only minor details about her life.

The woman of an influential Roman aristocrat was her mother Theodora. They had common children, 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 her senior. 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 accounts, and names her 20-year-old son as the pope's heir. This woman's power came to an end when she was de-powered by her second son and sent to Engelsburg, where in 955, at the age of 90, she learns second-hand that her grandson Octavian had also become pope.

Marozia is not the only woman who has fallen victim to 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 factions sprang up 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 kept informed of the King's every move. She doesn't leave August 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 occupied place. 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 lift this heavy burden from 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 the bed after the birth of her third child, her opponents skillfully use this chance. They bring the young Mary Magdalene von Denhoff to the royal bride 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 Cozel, so August intercepts the carriage and sends the former lover under house arrest.

Later it will become known that the king does all this under pressure. Meanwhile, 40-year-old Kozel must remain under arrest until the end 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. Jeanne graduated from school at the monastery, took dancing and singing lessons. When she was 9 years old, the prophetess predicted that she would be the mistress of the king. Since then, the family began 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, she opens her Parisian salon. But the conceited Jeanne at 24 wants more - to meet the king.

In the Forest of Senars, during the hunt of Louis XV, her dreams come true. The king notices a beautiful stranger, who, by a lucky chance, turns out to be where he kills a deer. At 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 already has time to settle in Versailles.

The entourage of communication with favorites was so great that they began to be described in books. The Dauphine and his sister named their father's new favorite "maman - prostitute." Jeanne quickly realized that she was in the shark's mouth of Versailles. Her most difficult test: to remain the official favorite, she needs to replace the queen.

But Jeanne, meanwhile raised to the nobility under the title of Marquise de Pompadour, is on her own path - instead of cavalierly 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 induce Louis to pay off the queen's huge gambling debts. But her disarming elegance contributed to her delicate appearance. Her first phrase, which she said to Queen Mary: "Madame, I have a painful desire to please you." After this, a short conversation continues, and Pompadour, without the help of servants, leaves, taking his train. She won!

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

Already by the morning toilet, about 40 messengers and petitioners visited her. Then there was morning mass, breakfast with the king, hunting, a 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 the "worries" is one of the most difficult for her. She loves the king, but, by her own admission in a letter, she is "cold by nature." After several years of unsuccessful attempts at treatment, Pompadour had an idea: in the palace park, she organizes the "Deer Park" - a type of private brothel where young girls could please the king. I must say, the popularity of this brothel was so great that at the end of his service, all the girls were generously rewarded.

The French Revolution ended the power of the favorites. It happened when the beautiful head Jeanne Dubarry fell off the guillotine.

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

Already in the XIX century. ticklish, the stories of monarchs have become property! newsboys. They began to print articles about their love affairs and draw ambiguous caricatures where fat kings were depicted with their lustful mistresses.

So in Europe began the time of unofficial favorites. Brief, insignificant relationships are becoming popular. An 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" that Empress Sisi was privy to.

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

Less harmonious were the relations between Ludwig I of Bavaria and Lola Montez 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 government, but this case turned out to be completely different.

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

Ludwig is trying to rank his girlfriend among the aristocrats, but what was at the court of the Sun King a mere formality is no longer recognized at the Bavarian court. The cabinet 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 the 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.

At the beginning of the XX century. the ideal of marriage for love arises. This means that men, including the king, must be faithful to their wife. The official favorite is excluded. But when you still have to follow dynastic rules when choosing a spouse, piquant scandals can happen, like the one that happened in English house Windsors.

Prince Charles in public interest married a woman he loved less than his mistress. In the early 90s. the game "Camillagate" was revealed. Nevertheless, this modern drama has found its famous "happy ending". Although this is not the first time.

King Edward VIII abdicated and married twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson. At the Ritz in London, as the lords and ladies were at lunch, his recantation was heard.

Among the diners was an aging but still attractive Eliza Kepkel, the last beloved of King Edward VII. She exclaimed to the entire hall: "In my time, such things were treated better." And she ordered dessert to be served ...

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 somehow they were still able to captivate their chosen ones. As a result, the fame of such women passed through the years and centuries. And even today, women are trying to take advantage of some of the secrets of those legendary figures.

Valeria Messalina. In history, this woman remained 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 promiscuous than Nero himself. But he became famous for wild orgies, harems with children and a palace that became a brothel. It is said about Messalina that she came to one of the brothels of 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, her behavior got away with her, 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 no worse 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 of the Ancient World. Because of her, powerful states fought each other. The night with Cleopatra cost each of her new lover-slave lives, nevertheless, the fatal beauty (some sources say that outwardly she was not a beauty) beckoned men to her. Each of them dreamed of conquering a woman with his strength and love skills, and in the morning to wake up not only alive, but also the king of all Egypt. Nevertheless, Cleopatra continued to kill her lovers, unaccepting compromise. Specialists in 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 a blowjob 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, her own desires prevented her from ruling skillfully. She also indulged her own famous lovers. For Caesar, Cleopatra seemed modest and intelligent, and for Antony she became a mad hunter for carnal pleasures. Love for the latter became tragic, the couple decided to resist Rome, for which they paid with their lives.

Phryne. But this Greek hetera became famous for its beauty. She worked as a model. From it, the ancient creators sculpted and painted Aphrodite herself. They wrote that Phryne was very bashful and extremely reluctant to be naked. She even met her men in the dark. As a result, the getter was condemned for the negative impact on the most enlightened citizens of the republic. But when she was led to her execution and her clothes were torn off, the audience saw the perfect body of Phryne. Geter was immediately acquitted, since it was decided that a dissolute soul simply could not live in such a divine body.

Thais of Athens. This impudent hetaera became famous for seducing Alexander the Great himself. Although she was a prostitute, she became famous for her impregnability. She attracted the great conqueror herself by the fact that she did not want to give herself to him for any treasures or riches. The woman told Alexander that it was necessary 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 the era of female superiority in the country. To do this, even the custom of licking the "lotus stamens" appeared in court etiquette. The Empress demanded that all government officials and visiting dignitaries show her special respect through cunnilingus. This ceremony has remained even in old paintings: Wu Hu holds her dress, and a guest kneels in front of her, who kisses her genitals.

Scheherazade. This woman is famous for her intelligence. Naturally, she did not only tell fairy tales with the Sultan. After each love intercourse, Scheherazade began to tell an interesting story, which she interrupted at the most interesting place. At first, the Sultan even wanted to exile her to the lower harem, as a wife who no longer satisfies 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. That's how long it took the ruler to regain common sense and stop killing virgins. And what happened after that with the most desirable wife of the Sultan is unknown. Some infection is said to have caused her death.

Elizabeth Bathory. This woman went down in history under the name of the Bloody Countess. She had many lovers, the most famous of which 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 kept her face like a young girl. This effect became possible supposedly 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 causing only bleeding. Thus, the victim died gradually, giving his blood to the insatiable countess. They say that Bathory invented several thousand sophisticated tortures and devices for this. Only in 1611 was the 50-year-old sadist condemned. There are several versions of her death. They say that the angry mob simply staged lynching for her, immuring her alive in the walls of her own castle. A popular story is that Bathory got away with it. Her family was too powerful. The bloody countess was sent to the dungeon to live out her term, 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 from her. 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 called 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 mistress, but also played an important role in European politics. It is said that she owes her passion to celery. Every day, the Marquise used two of the strongest aphrodisiacs at once - chocolate and celery root. In the morning she drank a mug of hot chocolate, adding ground root there. During the day she ate a special salad with apples, walnuts and celery. While it's unclear if she knew these particular foods helped her stay lovable, Pompadour could make love up to 10 times a day with different partners. Celery is generally a well-known pathogen. So in different countries, peasants put 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 more 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, just 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 Jeanne was able to do it. She did not limit her activities to just bed. The Marquise of Pompadour took up the development of the arts, patronizing many artists and writers. Until her death, she remained for the king not only a mistress, but also a close friend. This in itself is a rarity.

Josephine. Napoleon's chosen one at the time of their meeting was not young, she was already over thirty and she had two children. However, she looked flawless on the outside. Although Bonaparte himself gave imperious orders to the rest, he was shy in front of Josephine and experienced either tender or passionate feelings. The secret of the 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 divorce of the couple took place only for the good of France - the country needed an heir.

Inessa Armand. This woman, although she was right in 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 immaculate image of the leader. 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, if only it was for the good of the revolution. Inessa herself was wholeheartedly devoted to her occupation 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 earned her living by performing exotic dances. At one time, all of Paris admired her. Many high-ranking officials of France and Germany became lovers of the artist. According to legend, during the First World War, Mata Hari was a spy, while cooperating with both warring parties at once. It is not known whether she was able to extract really valuable information from her patrons. Nevertheless, in 1917 the French shot Mata Hari for her 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 Art Nouveau style was born. She had many admirers, 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 later her husband. Isadora herself, according to her contemporaries, did not captivate with her brilliant beauty. But she was very natural and had a natural sexuality. On stage, Duncan performed barefoot, and her every movement was filled with grace and natural charm. All her dances spoke of the fact that she was open to life and madly in love with her in all manifestations. She herself wrote: "If my art is symbolic, then this symbol is only one: the freedom of a woman and her emancipation from the rigid conventions that underlie puritanism." Contemporaries believed that Duncan's work opens up new horizons for the women of the future. Her dances were called brilliant, she was able to change both art and everyday life. But relations with Yesenin did not work out - two gifted creative people were jealous of each other's glory.

Lilya Brik. Men were drawn to her by her sense of inner freedom. This woman had many admirers - 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, embarrassing the townsfolk with such a love triangle. Brik herself said: “You need to inspire a man that he is wonderful or even brilliant, but that others do not understand this. And allow him what is not allowed at home, for example, to smoke or go wherever he likes. 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. The history of Brik is covered with legends, there was some kind of mystery in it that attracted the most famous men of that time to her. Talking with people, Lily skillfully and cleverly emphasized her interest in her interlocutor. Brik has always been fashion-conscious, dressing with taste and hiding her flaws in her clothes. It was she who became the first woman in Moscow who dared to wear trousers. The straightforward Akhmatova recalled Lila in this way: "Hair dyed and impudent eyes on a worn 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 F. Kennedy. But this connection, like the subsequent death of the actress, is shrouded in mystery. It is not clear if Monroe's death was a suicide or if her love for Kennedy became a hindrance to someone and she was simply removed. During her lifetime, she managed to tarnish the reputation of an excellent family man and the pride of America, John F. Kennedy. It is still unprofitable for someone 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 promoted and popular brand. With the help of her name, billions of dollars are earned annually in the world.

Edwina Curry. The mistress of the English Prime Minister John Major significantly complicated his political career after he decided to break with her. Although the woman was even threatened with reprisal, she did not want to remain silent, writing the whole truth about her relationship with a powerful admirer. Written at the risk of his life, the book quickly became a bestseller, and Major's own 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. Maybe she was driven by a sense of revenge, or maybe the 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 was told so many humiliating details as about him. The most intimate details of his life became the property of the public. And this happened because one day he decided to leave the one who loved him. Fear for a career and threats only exacerbated the position of the unfortunate lover.

Sylvia Kristel b. This beautiful woman became famous for her leading role in the acclaimed erotic film "Emmanuelle". Her attractiveness did not go unnoticed by the most prominent men. Valerie Giscard d'Estaing, President of France, became Christelle's mistress. Moreover, their romance began even before he took 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. Yes, and on foreign trips, the president often took Sylvia with him. Thus, Christelle seemed to have received the status of an "official" mistress.

Anne Penjo. As already mentioned, they often generated a scandal around their politician-fan. So it was with Anne Penjo. This mistress of Francois Mitterrand even settled in 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. Penjo was just one of them. That is why the French themselves were calm about the fact of its existence. But the fact that the president gave her free housing in the Elysee Palace, and even denied it, the citizens of the country could not forgive him. 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 Ann 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, won the right to her father's surname and went into 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 this. Monica told the press about all the details of her intimate relationship in the Oval Office. Already after this connection became known to the public, everyone was literally amazed at how the intern, unknown to anyone before, managed to carry out the operation she had planned. She even saved for history the dress in which she made love with Clinton. For the president, that story almost turned into a resignation and even a prison for lying before the court. Monica herself, with memories of those relationships, traveled all over the world. Lewinsky has written a book about her intimate relationship and even made a documentary, Monica in Black and White, for which she received a multi-million dollar fee. And Clinton himself is frankly sorry, even his wife forgave him. It is not clear just what the charming and popular politician found in the unsightly plump Lewinsky.

March 24, 2012, 03:49 pm

Agnes Sorel Official favorite (fr. Maîtresse en titre) - the status that the king of France could give one of his beloved. The difference between the official favorite and all the others was that she had the opportunity to influence the course of political events, actively intervene in the life of the royal court and even in the intra-family relationships of the ruling family. Medieval France was a country with patriarchal foundations, in which a woman was assigned the modest role of the guardian of the hearth. Until the 15th century, the king's entourage consisted mainly of knights, to satisfy the sexual needs of which a brothel was kept at the court. Only under Anne of Brittany did the institution of ladies-in-waiting arise, under subsequent queens the ladies' court increased in size and there was an increasing feminization of the royal court. From now on, the king and his courtiers were content not with corrupt girls from the lower strata of the population, but with a society of sophisticated ladies. Not in last turn for sanitary reasons (at that time, an epidemic of syphilis broke out in France), the courtiers selected the king's only beloved from among the ladies of the court. Often a marriage contract was concluded long before the age of majority of the heir to the throne, there was usually no talk of any personal sympathies. main function the queen was, in addition to strengthening interstate ties, the continuation of the royal dynasty. With the exception of a few brilliant rulers who left a noticeable mark on the history of France, the king's wife usually remained in the background, not interfering in political affairs, and often devoted herself to religion. Guided by personal preferences, the king usually chose attractive and educated ladies from his circle, including among the queen's ladies-in-waiting, as his mistresses. In addition to satisfying the sexual needs of the sovereign, the favorite often played an important role in governing the country. Since the favorites were usually ladies of noble birth, who received an excellent education and upbringing, they were distinguished by progressive views on many things that they, with the support of the king, sought to embody in society. They were not only trendsetters of fashion and cultural traditions at court, but were also actively involved in politics, often actually taking over the reins of government in their own hands. Sometimes the favorites were only an elegant tool in the hands of the powerful people of France, with which they could influence the decisions of the king. However, the favorite could just as quickly fall into disfavor with the king, how quickly she won his favor. Her position was unstable, since the king often changed his mistresses, so the most conceited of them tried by all means to strengthen their power at court and marry the king to themselves. Although there were decent women among the royal mistresses, almost all of them had a bad reputation, and at the same time many enemies and rivals. The prototype of the official favorite is called the mistress of Charles VII - Agnès Sorel, whom he awarded with the official status of the royal favorite. The status gave Agnes a number of advantages: in particular, she was served like a princess, and she wore the longest train after the queen (the length of the train in the Middle Ages and in the Renaissance was determined by the status of a woman). The king gave Sorel the lordship of Bothe-sur-Marne with the right to bear this name, then other possessions, in particular the castle of Issoudun in Berry and the possession of Vernon in Normandy. Among other things, Agnès Sorel actively intervened in politics and achieved titles and positions at the royal court for her relatives. She is credited with introducing such innovations as the wearing of diamonds by the uncrowned, the invention of a long train, the wearing of very loose outfits that open one breast; her behavior and open recognition of her connection with the king often caused indignation, but much was forgiven her thanks to the protection of the king and her perfect beauty, about which even the Pope said: "She has the most beautiful face that can only be seen in this world." According to one version, Sorel was deliberately poisoned with mercury. However, the period of the reign of Francis I is still considered the moment the term “official favorite” appeared. From now on, the official favorite was consecrated in the presence of the entire royal court - so the king made it clear that this was not a fleeting hobby, but an act of supreme trust in a particular woman. According to the French historian Guy Chaussinant-Nogaret, the cult of the mistress at the French court is a degenerate chivalrous tradition of worshiping the Beautiful Lady. Francoise The first official lady of the heart of Francis I was Francoise de Chateaubriand in 1517. The countess was distinguished by her beauty and modesty, and used her personal relationship with the king only to promote her relatives to high positions. These appointments later turned out to be erroneous, for example, Francoise's brother was one of the culprits for the defeat at Pavia. After the release of Francis from Spanish captivity in 1526, his mother, Louise of Savoy, decided to remove the independent favorite from her post, replacing her with the young Anne de Pisleux. Between the favorites, a two-year struggle unfolded for the love of the king, in which the Countess de Chateaubriand lost, offended by the king's proposal to become his second lover. In 1532, Francis resumed relations with Chateaubriand for three weeks, but their relationship ended there. To arrange the best for Anna de Pisleux, Francis married the girl to Jean de Brosse, who was given the title of Duke of Etampes and Chevreuse. After the death of Louise of Savoy in 1531, the king completely fell under the influence of his mistress. She succeeded not only in the artistic field, but also in the political affairs of France, placing people devoted to her in the most important posts. The Duchess d'Etampes even achieved the resignation of the most prominent politician of the era of Francis I - the constable of Montmorency, a supporter of Diane de Poitiers, the favorite of the future King of France, Henry II. After the death of Francis in 1547 and the ascension of his successor to the throne, Anna d'Etampes was forced to leave the court and spent the rest of her life in solitude. The mistress of Henry II, the widow Diane de Poitiers, was 20 years older than her lover, but possessed an extraordinary beauty that did not fade over the years, but flourished more and more. Contemporaries compared her to a goddess who descended from Mount Olympus to charm a prince. Diana herself cultivated the image of a deity and exploited this image in every possible way in order to achieve the veneration and love of powerful people and people. Even under the reign of Francis I, Diana was compared with Artemis, symbolizing chastity, which was opposed to Venus (Duchess d'Etampes), personifying carnal sensuality. For a long time, the courtiers believed that Diana and Henry were connected exclusively by platonic relations, and she herself was like a mother and a wise mentor to the king. I wrote more about Diana. The reign of the last three representatives of the Valois dynasty was marked by the absence of influential favorites. For 20 years, the country was ruled by the Queen Regent Catherine de Medici, who at all costs tried to keep the monarchy and the Valois dynasty on the throne. The eldest son, Francis II, who did not live to see his 17th birthday, doted on his wife, Mary Stuart. The second son, Charles IX, who ascended the throne at the age of 10, like his older brother, was unable to govern the state on his own. In love with his brother's widow Mary Stuart, Charles remained a virgin until the age of 16. In 1566, Charles met the Flemish Marie Touchet while hunting in Orleans, with whom he maintained a relationship until his death. Marie was a Huguenot, and, according to Guy Breton (the author of historical novels about the love affairs of French kings), it was she who caused Bartholomew's night: thanks to her influence on the king, Charles established friendly relations with one of the leaders of the Huguenots - Admiral Coligny - which did not Liked by Catherine de Medici. The Queen Mother ordered an assassination attempt on Coligny, but the attempt was unsuccessful and escalated into a massacre of the Huguenots. However, there is another opinion that the favorite had a meek disposition and in no way interfered in the course of religious wars. Marie Touchet The third son of Catherine de Medici, Henry III, had love affairs with court ladies, but was in love with Maria of Cleves, whom his mother forbade him to marry. Due to unhappy love and the sudden death of Mary, Henry lost interest in women. He is also credited with homosexual relationships. It was under the latter of the Valois that the term “minions” appeared, denoting male royal favorites of predominantly non-traditional sexual orientation. There were legends about the abundance of love of the first king from the Bourbon dynasty. He is credited with the phrase "Having one woman means hitting chastity," which fully characterizes the recognized ladies' man. The list of mistresses of Henry IV includes more than 50 ladies, but only two of them were awarded the status of an official favorite. The first woman who managed to tie Henry to her for a long time was Diana d'Andouin, nicknamed the "beautiful Corizanda" in honor of the heroine of the cycle of chivalric romances about Amadis. Diana was not only a lover for him, but also a wise mentor who provided him with both spiritual and material support. Their connection had practically disappeared by the time of Henry's accession to the throne. The first official royal favorite of Henry IV was Gabrielle d'Estre. Despite the presence of a legitimate queen, the favorite accompanied the king everywhere, even in military campaigns, being on demolition. From Henry, Gabriel gave birth to four children who were recognized as the legitimate children of the king. The royal favorite was a Catholic and, trying to settle the conflict between the Protestant Henry and the Catholic League, slowly managed to persuade the king to change his faith. In 1593, Henry IV converted to Catholicism, and five years later signed the Edict of Nantes, which granted the Huguenots freedom of religion and put an end to the protracted Wars of Religion. Gabriel After the annulment of his marriage to Marguerite, Henry IV was about to marry d'Estra when she unexpectedly died. According to one version, the favorite was poisoned by the courtiers, who were interested in the marriage of the king with Maria Medici. The king, who was mourning for d'Estre, after some time found solace in the face of Henriette d'Antragues, whose mother was Marie Touchet, the former mistress of King Charles IX. The family of the future favorite skillfully speculated on Henrietta's innocence. Ultimately, the girl's virginity was sold for one hundred thousand crowns, the title of marquise and a written promise of the king to marry. Passionately in love, Henry agreed to all the conditions, with the proviso that he would marry Henrietta only if she gave him an heir to the throne (at that time, the almost fifty-year-old king had no official heirs). The favorite had a miscarriage, thanks to which Henry IV was able to freely marry Maria Medici, thereby hoping to rid France of debts. The relationship between d'Entragues and the queen was never friendly, and the relationship between the favorite and the king soon worsened. The d'Antragues claimed that the king's marriage to Marguerite de Valois was not annulled, therefore, Maria Medici could not be considered a legal wife, and the children born to her were bastards. The brother (Duke of Angouleme) and the father of the favorite entered into a new conspiracy, which was revealed. In 1605, the verdict was announced, according to which the Duke of Angouleme and d'Entragues were sentenced to death, Henriette - to imprisonment in a monastery. Thanks to the favor of the king, all three were pardoned, and Henrietta was allowed to return to Paris. Louis XIV's predecessor, his father Louis XIII, is speculated by some historians to have been a homosexual who spent time in the company of his minions. With the coming to power of Louis XIV, the most brilliant part of the Great Age began - the so-called Gallant Age. The "Sun King" became the personification of the period of cultural and political heyday of France, during his reign the country became one of the most powerful powers in the world. One of the main principles of the era of luxury and entertainment was the gallant appeal to the lady, which the king was perfect at. Louise de Lavalier Louise de Lavaliere was recognized as the official favorite. She was originally a lady-in-waiting to Princess Henrietta Stewart. Louise's appearance was more ordinary than attractive, however, her modest talents left much to be desired. However, she was a kind, conscientious woman, next to whom the king found rest. The favorite was ashamed of her high position and tried to rarely attend social events. Thanks to Louise (or rather, in honor of their love), the king began to rebuild the Palace of Versailles, which until then had been only a small hunting castle of his father. Lavaliere had four children from the king, of whom two survived: Marie-Anne Bourbon, Mademoiselle de Blois and the Count of Vermandois. Both children were considered legitimate children of the king - de Blois subsequently married the prince de Conti, and Vermandois became an admiral of France. When Louis XIV brought Madame de Montespan closer to him, Lavalière retired from court and took tonsure in the Carmelite monastery in Paris. The modest Lavalière was supplanted by Athenais de Rochechouart, Marquise de Montespan, a woman who can be safely called "a man of the Baroque era." Montespan was the complete opposite of Lavaliere. She was a stately, large, incredibly beautiful and witty woman. Her expensive and frilly outfits were often the subject of satire: "Golden gold on gold." Vain, she completely subjugated the life of the court and even occupied 20 rooms in Versailles (the queen - only 10). She allowed herself other deviations from etiquette: she wore the longest train in France, received delegations of diplomats together with the king, and, of course, handed out court and state positions. Athenais de Montespan Despite the fact that all of Europe perceived Montespan as the "true queen of France", Louis left her, carried away by the young and stupid beauty - Angelique de Fontanges. (The latter went down in history only thanks to her accidental invention - the Fontange hairstyle). Enemies said that Montespan, in her desire to regain her former power, reached the point that she began to attend "black masses", which, however, did not help her. (Subsequently, the Marquise was involved in the case of the famous witch Monvoisin). After this misconduct, incompatible with the high rank of an official (albeit retired) mistress, Montespan lost the favor of the king, over time she retired to her estate, where she died at a respectable age. Montespan also bore the king several children, and all of them were officially recognized as the king. By the way, the modest widow of the poet Scarron, Francoise d'Aubigne, was engaged in raising royal children. She managed to do what even the Marquise of Montespan could not - she married the king. Francoise de Maintenon Louis noticed this woman in Montespan's house - Francoise d'Aubigne worked as a teacher of royal children. Having become the official favorite under the name of Madame de Maintenon, Francoise began to educate the king himself. The era of balls and sensual pleasures at court ended: the king constantly fasted, read spiritual literature and spent the evenings in soul-saving conversations. Maintenon was not limited to the court - in Paris, the so-called "morality police" was created, which fined ladies for deep necklines. Maintenon was actually a confidant of the king. She was aware of many affairs and events, however, the king, as before, did not allow the favorite to participate in public affairs. In the Palace of Versailles, the Marquise sat in an armchair in the presence of Louis, his son - the heir to the throne, his brother, the English crowned persons. At the same time, Maintenon avoided expensive outfits and did not wear jewelry, but dressed with taste and rather modestly, not for her age. To get an appointment with the marquise was, perhaps, no easier than with the king himself. The fight against "heresy" (one of the main tasks of this favorite) required the education of the nobility in the Catholic spirit. To this end, Maintenon created in 1686 educational institution for girls from poor noble families. It was located in Saint-Cyr, not far from Versailles. The king trusted Francoise to such an extent that she became his wife. They married Louis XIV (1683), but the favorite was never officially recognized as queen. The era of Louis XV and the entire XVIII century is often called the "age of women" because of the strong influence of the fair sex on politics, science, and art. Unlike his great-grandfather Louis XIV, the sun king was very far from the pressing problems of our time and treated state affairs with indifference. marquise de pompadour The Prussian king Frederick II jokingly called the reign of his neighbor "the reign of three skirts." The term has become a common definition of an entire era. The question of who these “three skirts” were has no definite answer. The fact is that the opinion of the authors of articles on this matter constantly diverges: two “skirts” are her predecessor Marie-Anne de Châteauroux, and the third one is Louise de Mailly-Nel, then her sister, Pauline-Felicia de Ventimille , the infamous Countess Dubarry. However, Dubarry appeared with the king after Frederick let go of his wit about this. Therefore, by the “first skirt” Frederick meant de Magli or Ventimil (the sisters had the surname de Neil before marriage). It is known, however, that de Magli was not interested in politics, while the Marquise Pauline de Ventimil skillfully subjugated the will of the king and actively intervened in politics. She not only tried to be a confidant of Louis, but also fought with the all-powerful Cardinal Fleury - the first minister, friend and educator of the king. However, death from puerperal fever prevented her from completing what she started (there is an assumption that the favorite was poisoned). Madame Dubarry Marie Jeanne Becu was of humble origin, and before meeting the king of France, she managed to be a prostitute, a fashionista, and then a kept woman of Count Dubarry. Louis XV, having brought Jeanne closer to him, arranged her marriage to the brother of Count Dubarry and in 1769 presented her to the court. Minister Choiseul tried in vain to overthrow her, and by doing so only brought about his own downfall. Although she interfered little in government affairs, she contributed to the rise of the Duke d'Eguillon. Her slovenliness and carelessness, although embarrassing the whole court, but for a while her "personal casual style" came into great fashion. The rise of Dubarry was also opposed by the daughters of Louis XV and the young Dauphine Marie Antoinette. It is noteworthy that even Empress Maria Theresa, a deep mind and state activity which Stefan Zweig highly appreciates in his famous historical and artistic novel "Marie Antoinette", ordered her daughter to change her attitude "... to the woman to whom the king is inclined." This once again proves the political and social importance that the official favorite had in France. After the death of Louis XV, Dubarry was arrested and imprisoned in a monastery, but soon returned to her castle of Marly, where she continued to live with befitting pomp. For the Countess Dubarry, the jeweler Böhmer made a valuable necklace, which, after the death of Louis XV, went to the new Queen Marie Antoinette and became the cause of a scandalous affair. Dubarry aroused almost universal popular hatred and was considered one of the symbols of the crimes of the "old regime", although in reality - like most other people close to the royal house and who became victims of the bourgeois revolution - she was not involved in any odious political actions. During the revolution, Dubarry was put on trial and guillotined on charges that she allegedly helped emigrants and entered into relations with the Girondins - adherents of Brissot. Here is a short article. If you are interested in hearing more about one of these women or what other mistress of the king, write in the comments. Thank you for your attention!

Who are the favorites? Usually this is the name of the "official" mistresses of the ruling persons. Moreover, 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 policy of the state where their lover ruled. The very term "favorite" (or metressa - in French Maîtresse) appeared in France, where the mistresses of monarchs were practically officials. Some kings were limited to a couple of passions in their entire lives, others changed them like gloves.

However, there were few real favorites both in France and abroad. After all, getting into bed with the ruler is a simple matter. But to stay there, for a long time tying a royal lover to himself, is another task! In our selection, we will limit ourselves to only those beautiful ladies who firmly held the hearts and wallets of sovereigns in their hands - 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 the 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 spread outside 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 old, from 1538 to 1559

What is famous for: 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 her junior. The young prince, obsessed with knightly 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 the Duchess of Valentinois.

With age, Diana remained more of a close friend of the king, who took on younger mistresses. However, the huge influence of Diana on the monarch was 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 the favorite to listen to her opinion. So, at the direction of Diana, the king ended the long-term Italian wars by signing the Cato-Cambresian peace.

How it ended: after tragic death Henry at the jousting tournament, Diana retired to her possessions, where she died at the age of 66. She had no children by Heinrich. By the way, earlier Diana was called the mistress and father of Henry, 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 old, from 1660 to 1673

What is famous for: great-niece of the Duke of Buckingham (the same one from the “pendant case”), however, due to events English revolution lived in poverty. She was considered one of the most beautiful, witty and extravagant women of her time. She married the diplomat Roger Palmer, who soon joined the retinue of Charles II, who lived in exile in Holland. 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 great political influence and participated in many intrigues. So, thanks to her efforts, the powerful first minister of Clarendon was fired. She received from the king several palaces and landed estates, as well as the titles of Countess of Castlemaine, Countess of Southampton and Duchess of Cleveland. Despite this, she did not hesitate to take bribes from Spanish and French diplomats. Carl gave birth to five children, who received the name Fitzroy.

How it ended: Barbara just got tired of Karl, who had a lot of mistresses. After the “resignation”, she married again (unsuccessfully). Survived 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 old, from 1667 to 1683

What is famous for: originally from a 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 recaptured him from her close friend Louise de la Vallière. For ten years she was actually the uncrowned ruler of France, royal ministers and military officials listened to her opinion. She patronized culture and the arts, Molière and Lafontaine used her favors. She gave birth to Louis of seven children, six of whom were legalized with the right to bear the royal family of Bourbon.

How it ended: the marquise was involved in the famous "case of poisons", when among the clients of the poisoner Monvoisin was a trusted maid Montespan. Finally, the king cooled off towards the Marquise when his new passion, the very young Duchess de Fontanges, died suddenly, possibly from poison. Of course, nothing was proven, but Montespan ceased to be a favorite, and after the elevation of Madame de Maintenon, she completely left the court. She lived at the monastery or in her possessions, did charity work and died peacefully at the age of 66.

Francoise de Maintenon

Not at all a beauty, 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 old, from 1683 to 1715

What is famous for: came from a Huguenot d'Aubigné family, her grandfather was a close friend of Henry IV. She was born in a prison where her father was imprisoned for debts. 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 paraplegic. However, Francoise - 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, Francoise received a "bread" place as a teacher of the children of the Marquise de Montespan from the king. So she met Louis, who liked to talk with Françoise. At first, there was nothing between them except a purely intellectual relationship. However, when the king lost interest in Montespan, it was Francoise who attracted his attention - despite the fact that this ugly woman was already under fifty. However, the king was only three years younger than her. The affection for Francoise 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 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 abolition 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 managed the academy for noble maidens of Saint-Cyr, which she herself founded. She died there three years later.

Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour

Uncrowned sovereign of France (portrait of Francois Boucher)

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

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

What is famous for: was 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 a beautiful girl. He made her the Marquise de Pompadour, showered her with money and gifts. But most importantly, he actually entrusted power to her in the country - even for France, the case is unique.

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 endowed figures of culture and art - it is not without reason that the time of 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 dexterous marquise remained in power until her death at 42.

Fantastic favorites

Strong-willed Lady Jessica (Francesca Annis in Dune 1984)

In fantasy literature, favorites, of course, occur, but, as a rule, they are somewhere on the periphery of the plot. For example, the very colorful Komitta Rangave, both haughty and vulgar mistress of Turizin Gavras, Emperor Videsse from Harry Turtledove's Lost Legion series of novels. Or the ambitious and ruthless Heather Towne, Prince Victor's favorite in Simon Green's Blood and Honor. Or gentle, kind, but somewhat stupid Dariolo Cairna, beloved of Prince Alexander Tagere from Vera Kamshi's "Chronicles of Artia".

The exception is numerous loveburgers, usually fantasy ones. Here there is a lot of this goodness - 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 remarkable favorite in science fiction is Lady Jessica, the concubine of Duke Leto I Atreides, from whom she gave birth to the protagonist of Frank Herbert's novels about the planet Dune. Jessica was specially trained in the powerful female order of the Bene Gesserit, who 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 political forces in the world of "Dune" went to pieces. 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 performed by Ulrike Kunze (1980 Soviet film "Peter's Youth")

Patron:

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

What is famous for: daughter of a wealthy German merchant who lived in Moscow, a rare beauty. When Anna was about 20 years old, Franz Lefort, the closest friend of Peter I, introduced her to the young tsar. The girl completely fascinated Peter, who even sent his wife to a monastery and was going to marry Anna. The king gave her generous gifts, but Anna did not hesitate to take bribes "for patronage" and, not feeling love for her high-ranking patron, cheated on him.

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

Marta Skavronskaya

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

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

What is famous for: a native of the Baltics from a peasant family . Orphaned early, she 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 Martha passed into the hands of Prince Menshikov, the closest friend of Tsar Peter, and he, noticing the beauty, took her to himself. So from 1703, Marta (soon baptized into Orthodoxy as Ekaterina Mikhailova) became the constant mistress of Peter the Great.

Catherine did not have a powerful mind, but she was very calm, sweet, cheerful and best of all knew how to calm the king, who had a very difficult character. She gave birth to six children to Peter, most of whom died early, as well as a daughter, Elizabeth, the future "jolly" empress. Peter became very attached to Catherine and in 1712 officially married her.

How it ended: shortly before his death, Peter suspected his wife of infidelity and alienated him from himself, however, having fallen ill, he again brought her closer 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 time in endless amusements and died two years later - from a fever or pneumonia.

Anna Lopukhina

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

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

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

What is famous for: aristocrat, daughter of a senator. I met the Emperor at a ball. The sovereign fell in love with a 19-year-old beauty and offered her father a deal: if Anna becomes a favorite, daddy receives a princely title and a lot of money, otherwise - arrest and exile. Naturally, the senator chose the first option. Charming Anna did not shine with a special mind, but she was very kind and often softened Pavel's violent temper - for example, she successfully stood up for those who fell into disgrace more than once. Some used her complaisant character to receive awards and distinctions from the king - Paul, usually very stubborn, adored Anna and catered to her desires. 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 a 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 assassination of Paul by the conspirators. In 1805 Anna died of consumption.

Ekaterina Dolgorukova

Happy family: Alexander, Ekaterina, their eldest children George 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 old, from 1866 to 1881

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

Alexander settled the favorite in the Winter Palace, although this was sharply opposed by the heir to the throne, the future Emperor Alexander III. Dolgorukova gave birth to the king of four children, 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 matters.

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 the Most Serene Princess Yuryevskaya. There were also rumors that it was their eldest son George that the king intended to declare his heir. 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 went to France, where she lived comfortably until her death in 1922.

Matilda Kshesinskaya

Nicholas and Matilda: normal people, normal relations - because of what noise?

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

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

What is famous for: the ballerina of the Mariinsky Theater Matilda Kshesinskaya was not a favorite in the strict sense of the word - after all, Nikolai 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 Nikolai 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 advance her ballet career (she became a prima ballerina in 1896 through pull) and to enrich herself. The following episode may 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 firms. And her protégés simply cannot provide timely and high-quality supplies - but, despite this, it is they who receive profitable state orders. Naturally, such an influence of the former mistress of the king did not remain 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, a few years later she received the title of Princess Krasinskaya from the then head of the Romanov dynasty, Vladimir Kirillovich. She opened her own ballet school in France and wrote interesting memoirs. She died in 1971.