A King's Whore

In 1525, King Henry VIII had grown impatient waiting for his wife Queen Catherine to produce a living heir. It was around this time that the King became enamored by Anne Boleyn, one of a number of ladies in his wife’s entourage. Unlike her sister, Mary, Anne refused to become his mistress and after a seven year courtship, Henry and Anne secretly wed. Anne became pregnant shortly thereafter, though we all know how this story ends.

This miniature whistle pendent was, according to family tradition, the first gift sent to Anne Boleyn by King Henry. It is a gold and enamel “pendant in the form of a pistol, chased with scrolling foliage” and contains a set of tooth and ear picks, with spear, scythe and spatula shaped blades. The pendent dates from between 1525-1530 and is currently housed by the Victoria and Albert Museum, though it is not on display.

5 months ago 29 notes

Louise Rasmussen (21 Apr 1815 – 6 Mar 1874)

Mistress of: King Frederick VII of Denmark.
Tenure: c. 1840s - 1863.
Royal Bastards: None.
Fall From Power: None; She married him.

In 1848, at the age of forty, Prince Frederick became King Frederick VII of Denmark. Recently divorced (for the second time), the new King decided he wanted to marry his mistress, former ballet dancer Louise Christine Rasmussen. Frederick’s previous two marriages had been miserable, ending at least in part due to Frederick’s “bad temperament, excessive drinking and shameless womanizing.” Both marriages were also childless which was perhaps why Frederick doted on Louise’s bastard son by her former lover Carl Berling. Carl and Frederick were actually close friends, and it is probably through him that Louise met the Prince in the first place. In any case, the Danish government was hardly willing to allow Frederick to marry such a woman (who had since retired from the stage and opened up a clothing shop), especially seeing as he had no legitimate heirs.

While he waited on some sort of approval, Frederick successfully managed to reform several laws, making him so popular with his subjects that the government decided to grant his marriage request. Frederick and Louise were wed on 8 August 1850, at which time the bride was given the title Countess Danner. Louise’s ride from rag to riches is considered by some to be a sort of “Cinderella Story” – Louise was born the illegitimate child of a merchant and his maid. Unfortunately, the new Countess was met with contempt by high society, who considered her a “vulgar gold digger.” On one occasion, Frederick and Louise attended a dinner party where they were joined by many distinguished guests. It was customary for one of these guests to propose a toast to the King’s wife, but when the time came, no one did. Eventually, Frederick lost his patience, and he stood up and loudly announced: “As no one here will propose a toast to my wife, I will do so myself!“ Nonetheless, the marriage was happy and the couple (plus Carl) lived together comfortably at Jægerspris Slot. Following Frederick’s death in 1863, Louise retired from court life, spending the remainder of life establishing charity organizations in her husband’s name.

Sources

Formal portrait of ”Frederick VII of Denmark and his wife Countess Danner” by an unknown photographer, c. 1860s (right image) and a lovely painted portrait of ”Countess Danner” by an unknown artist, c. 1850s.
P. Fr. Suhm: Hemmelige Efterretninger om de danske Konger efter souveraineteten, Copenhagen 1918.
Louise Rasmussen, Countess Danner. Unofficial Royalty (blog).

louise rasmussen countess danner louise rasmussen countess danner king frederick vii of denmark king frederick vii denmark danish history mistress royal mistress happy ending 19th century

6 months ago 23 notes

Margaret Erskine (c. 1511 – 5 May 1572)

Mistress of: King James V of Scotland.
Tenure: c. 1530 - 1542.
Bastards: One.
Fall From Power: The King died.

Lady Margaret Erskine was one of several long-term mistresses of King James V of Scotland, though she was reportedly his “favorite” lover and there is some evidence that James contemplated marrying Margaret in mid-1536 – despite the fact that she was already married. James (or perhaps one of his advisors) wrote to the Pope seeking advice on the matter, though by November of that year James had finalized a more suitable union with Madeleine of Valois. Although Margaret came from a respectable family, a marriage to her brought no dowry and would have required special papal dispensation to have her current marriage annulled. Unfortunately for James; however, his marriage to the terribly fragile Madeline was short - she died in her husband’s arms on July 7th 1537 – just a month shy of turning 17.

Once again James began the hunt for a wife, though this time his list did not include Margaret (or any of his other mistresses). For although Margaret “showed genuine affection for the king … she probably had several lovers” and was the model for “Dame Sensuality” in Sir David Lyndsay’s play A Satire of the Three Estates. James settled on the widowed Mary of Guise, whom he married not quite a year after Madeleine’s death. While his legitimate wife would only produce a single surviving daughter (the quite famous Mary, Queen of Scots), his various mistresses gave him at least nine bastard children, seven of whom were sons. Margaret’s son James was perhaps the most important, and he was appointed Prior of St. Andrews as a child in 1538. He would also accompany the five-year-old Mary to France ten years later and as an adult become a supporter of the Scottish Reformation. This last act probably lead to his assassination in 1570.

King James was dead by 1542 and Margaret’s own husband was killed in battle five years later, but by all accounts Margaret ran an industrious household. Margaret was chatelaine (mistress) of Lochleven Castle where, between 1567 and 1567, Mary was imprisoned. It was during this time that the Queen was forced to abdicate. Margaret and her eldest surviving (legitimate) son also built a house on the shore of the Loch known as “New House”. She cared for her granddaughters there and frequently wrote to her mother.

Sources

Portrait of ”Young Lady” by Nathaniel Bacon, c. 1610 (image).
State Papers: King Henry the Eighth: Part IV. Volume 5. Record Commission (1836).
Historical Manuscripts Commission: 6th Report & Appendix. 1877.

margaret erskine lady margaret erskine king james v of scotland king james v scotland mistress royal mistress women in history 16th century happy ending

8 months ago 11 notes

Veronica Franco (1546 - 1591)

Mistress of: King Henry III of France, among others
Tenure: 1574.
Royal Bastards: None.
Fall From Power: The King left the country.

Veronica Franco was among the most respected courtesan in Venice by the time she had turned twenty. Belonging to the highest class of courtesan known as the cortigiana onesta, her skills in bed – coupled with her beauty, intelligence and strong personality - skyrocketed her popularity in a short amount of time. Veronica learned the finer art of seduction from another onesta: her mother, who taught her how to use her natural assets to attract wealthy men. The only daughter amongst three sons, Veronica was educated in the same manner as her brothers by a private tutor. In her mid-teens, Veronica was married to a wealthy physician quite a bit older than she, but the marriage ended a few years later in divorce. Veronica was left to support both herself and her infant child when her now ex-husband refused to return her dowry. Undaunted, Veronica splendidly managed her own household and the other children she eventually bore (a total of six by various men, though only three survived childhood). Many years later she would also care for her nephews, who were left orphaned.

Veronica began to seek patrons “among the learned” and by the 1570s, she belonged to one of the more prestigious literary circles in the city. From an early age, Veronica showed great skill in writing, though much of her contributions and literary accomplishments are now forgotten. Veronica would publish some 50 letters, 18 poems and two sonnets, the latter of which were dedicated to her former flame King Henry. She unsuccessfully petitioned the city to create a home for poor women (of which she would be administrator).

Despite her fame, Veronica’s only known royal conquest was that of King Henry III, whom she had a brief affair with when the King passed through Italy on his way to France to accept the French crown. Henry had heard of her talents and “requested an evening with the city’s most famous courtesan.” His request was granted and the pair spent a few hot and steamy nights together before Henry left Italy to finish his journey west.

Things took a downward turn in 1575, when plague ravaged Venice and Veronica was forced to leave the city, losing much of her wealth and possessions due to looting. Upon her return, she was met with a charge of witchcraft, but was able to “[defend] herself with dignity” and the charges were dropped. There is some evidence that her connections with several important Venetian nobles helped get her the acquittal. Veronica was never able to attain the same level of wealth that had before leaving the city, and she died in relative poverty at the age of 45.

Sources

Portrait of a ”Lady Baring her Breast”, thought to be a portrait of Veronica Franco by Jacopo Tintoretto, c. 1555 (left image) and another ”Portrait of a Lady” often identified as Veronica, by the same artist, c. 1575 (right image).
Robin, Diana. Encyclopedia of Women in the Renaissance: Italy, France, and England. ABC CLIO (2007). ISBN: 1851097724.
Russell, Rinaldina. Italian Women Writers: A Bio-bibliographical Sourcebook. Greenwood Press (1994). ISBN: 0313283478.
Ditmore, Melissa. Encyclopedia of Prostitution and Sex Work: Volume 1. Greenwood Press.

veronica franco the honest courtesan mistress royal mistress cortesan poet king henry iii of france king henry iii italy venice women in history 16th century poetess

8 months ago 8 notes

Laura Bon (24 Oct 1825 – 24 Jul 1904)

Mistress of: Victor Emmanuel II of Italy.
Tenure: 1844 – c. 1853.
Bastards: Two.
Fall From Power: Dumped by the King.

Laura Bon was the daughter of Francesco Augusto Bon, a playwright, and his wife Luigia Ristori, an actress. Laura, surrounded by the theater from birth, was perhaps destined to become an actress herself. Her father had founded his own theater company, and this venture turned a fair profit for the family. By 1844, Laura was a rising star at just 19 years old, performing in front of Victor Emmanuel, the first king of a unified Italy since the 6th century, who became captivated by the young performer. Although Victor would have eight children by his first wife, Adelaide of Austria, he preferred consorting with his various mistresses, by whom he had another seven or so known children. Victor was “sexually gifted” and made it a habit to have lovers scattered throughout his country - he would visit them whenever he was in town. Adelaide was a quiet and pious woman, known for her charity works; she did not (openly) complain about her husband’s affairs, though she certainly did not approve of them.

In 1849, Laura abandoned the stage per Victor’s request, and in exchange the King had Laura moved into Moncalieri Castle, where she gave birth to two children (though only the second would survive). She shared Victor with several other ladies, but there was one that Laura just couldn’t ignore: Rosa Vercellana. Victor began to spend less time with Laura and more time with Rosa, but the King had no need of a jealous lover. Victor was a passionate man and he was going to keep as many mistresses simultaneously as he wanted to, and without complaints for that matter. Victor tired of the drama and ended his relationship with Laura shortly after she gave birth to his second child in 1853. Victor’s wife passed away two years later and, in 1869, he married Rosa following an illness that the King believed was going to kill him (he was right: he died just a few months after the wedding).

Free from any royal stipulations, Laura returned to the stage in 1858 and was greeted with great support, especially when she took her act to Florence. While there, in 1865, she was once again briefly reunited with Victor after several years apart as they were both staying at the Pitti Palace. Despite her success, by the end of her life Laura was reduced to near poverty. She moved to Venice, where she had a string of unsuccessful parts in various theater productions. Laura died of heart disease in 1904, at almost 80 years old.

Sources

Lithograph of “Laura Bonn” by an unknown artist, kept at the Museo centrale del Risorgimento in Rome, c. 1850s (left image) and a contemporary photograph of the ”Castle of Moncalieri” (right image).
Giulio Piccini. Memorie di una prima attrice. Laura Bon. Firenze: Bemporad (1909). In Italian.

laura bon victor emmanuel ii king of italy victor emmanuel II italy mistress royal mistress italian history women in history 19th century actress

8 months ago 5 notes

Karoline Jagemann (25 Jan 1777 – 10 Jul 1848)

Karoline Jagemann (born Henriette Karoline Friedericke Jagemann; later Baroness Karoline Jagemann von Heygendorff) was a popular tragedienne and singer, whose most notable roles included Elizabeth in Mary Stuart (1800) and Beatrice in Bride of Messina (1803). Born in Weimar in 1777, she studied acting and singing in Mannheim beginning in 1790. Karoline debuted two years later in Oberon - the Fairy King, catching the attention of Goethe and Schiller.

Karoline was also the longtime mistress of Karl August, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, by whom she had three children. In 1809, Karoline was created Freifrau (Baroness) von Heygendorff by Karl August and gifted the Heygendorff manor. The same year, Karoline was made director of the opera, wielding enormous influence thanks to her relationshop with the Duke. Following Goethe’s retirement some years later (or perhaps his resignation - it was said that he wanted to avoid her), Karoline took over as sole director of the court theater in Weimar. Following Karl’s death in 1828, Karoline retired from public eye and spent her last years in Dresden. She died at the age of 72 in the summer of 1848.

karoline jagemann baroness von heygendorff karl august grand duke of saxe-weimar-eisenach mistress royal mistress germany german history 18th century 19th century women in history

1 year ago 12 notes

venicepearl

Letitia Cross (1681/1682 – 4 April 1737) was a British singer and actor. She appeared at the Drury Lane Theatre and was the mistress of Peter the Great when he visited England.

1 year ago 14 notes Source Source

Ellen Baldock (c. 1863 - 1920)

Mistress of: King Edward VII of England & Prince Francis of Teck, among others.
Tenure: c. 1904 - 1915.
Royal Bastards: One (Rumored).Fall From Power: The prince died.

In 1881, Ellen Constance “Nellie” Baldock became the wife of Francis Needham, 3rd Earl of Kilmorey, an Anglo-Irish Peer and (Conservative) Member of Parliament. The Earl’s wife was a “renowned beauty” who was rumored to have briefly been the mistress of King Edward when he was still the Prince of Wales – Edward regularly visited the family at their residence at Mourne Park, Francis having been an aide-de-camp to the prince. Nellie was one of a number of women that Edward bedded, though his (largely successful) effort to be as discreet as possible makes it difficult to know just how many affairs he had, or how long they lasted. Following her affair with Edward, Ellen became the mistress of the much younger Prince Francis of Teck (known as “Frank”) beginning in the late 1890s. Frank was “something of a philanderer with a charming but feckless manner” and was reportedly expelled from school for throwing his math teacher over a hedge, either to win a bet or following an argument. Like Edward, Frank had a number of affairs, but his relationship with Nellie was significant enough that Frank was reluctant to get married, despite being vigorously pursued by Maud of Wales. Although his bachelor lifestyle irritated his family, they begrudgingly accepted his philandering – until he died suddenly and it was discovered that the prince had left several prized royal jewels to Nellie. To make matters worse, there was also talk that Frank had fathered a bastard child with Nellie (or if not her, then any number of his other mistresses). Worried about the scandal the affair might cause, his sister persuaded a judge to seal the will; she quietly went to Nellie and bought back the family heirlooms for £10,000. This debacle was discovered in 2005, after a draft of Frank’s will was found among the Kilmorey family papers.

Sources

Photographs of ”Countess of Kilmorey in costume as Countess du Barri” by John Thomson, 1897, and the ”Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck” wearing some of the original emerald jewelry bequeathed to Nellie.
“Secret wills of the royals – a tale of mistresses, jewels and cover-ups”. The Guardian. 27 March 2007.
Vickers, Hugo. The Quest for Queen Mary. Zuleika (2018). ISBN: 1999777034.
“Secret wills of the royals – a tale of mistresses, jewels and cover-ups”. The Guardian. 27 March 2007.

ellen baldock ellen constance baldock nellie baldock countess of kilmorey ellen needham nellie needham king edward vii of england king edward vii prince francis of teck prince francis england the cambridge emeralds cambridge emeralds mistress royal mistress happy ending

2 years ago 11 notes

Varvara Turkestanova (26 Dec 1775 – 20 May 1819)

Mistress of: Tsar Alexander I of Russia, among others.
Tenure: 1810s - 1819.
Royal Bastards: One (Disputed).
Fall From Power: She committed suicide.

Following the death of her mother in 1795, Princess Varvara Ilynichna Turkestanova (Варвара Ильинична Туркестанова) moved in with relatives in St. Petersburg – her father had died some years earlier. Varvara possessed remarkable charm and ingenuity, which landed her a job in 1808 as a maid of honor to Empress Maria Feodorovna. Varvara was popular at court and became a dear friend to Maria, who remarked that her new maid was “… very intelligent, cunning, clever … and very entertaining.” Shortly after her arrival, the empress’ son, Alexander, began to take notice of this fascinating young woman, though it did not become physical until the (temporary) absence of Alexander’s previous favorite, Princess Maria Naryshkina. The romance was less than perfect; however and the pair often quarreled. In 1818, Varvara began an affair with Prince Vladimir Golitsyn, who was 18 years her junior. Varvara was 44 and became pregnant while still involved with both men – though she was unsure who the father was. A terrible scandal erupted at court, seeing as Varvara was unmarried. In the meantime, Prince Alexander had been persuaded to give up his mistresses and return to his wife’s bed – he was certainly not about to claim the baby as his.

In despair, Varvara poisoned herself but the desired effect was not immediate – she suffered for several weeks, tended to by the disheartened Empress. Her death on May 10th, 1819 was covered up and officially caused by cholera. Her infant daughter, known as “Mimi”, was raised by Vladimir.

Sources

” Portrait of a Woman” by Ivan Nikolaevich Kramskoy, 1883 (right image), and ” Varvara Turkestanova ” by Rossi, c. 1810s (left image).
Grebelsky, P. Kh.; Dumin, S.V.; Lapin, V.V. (1993). Дворянские роды Российской империи. Том 4: Князья Царства Грузинского [Noble families of the Russian Empire. Vol. 4: Princes of the Kingdom of Georgia] (in Russian). Vesti.

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2 years ago 23 notes

Catherine Bellier (1614 - 7 Jun 1689)

Mistress of: King Louis XIV of France.
Tenure: 1653 - 1655.
Royal Bastards: None.
Fall From Power: Dismissed by the King.

Catherine-Henriette Bellier was a lady-in-waiting to Anne of Austria, whose first surviving child would grow up to become the illustrious Louis XIV. Louis was said to have been quite handsome, and throughout his life, he would have many mistresses and many bastard children. This was despite having a fairly good relationship with his wife, Maria Theresa of Spain, who gave him six legitimate children, of whom two survived to adulthood.

Catherine found her way to court shortly after her marriage in 1634 where she became a favorite of Anne. Considered an intelligent, scheming woman, she was said to have very ugly. Despite this, Catherine had several lovers at court, and even had an affair with the archbishop of Sens.

When Louis reached the age of 15, his mother decided it was time for him to have his first sexual experience. Anne needed a woman who could easily get into her son’s room without arousing much suspicion. She also needed someone that was free of diseases, charming, and experienced - but not too experienced. Anne settled on her close friend Catherine, who by now was nearing forty, had lost an eye and had developed very rough patches on her skin. Nonetheless, “One-eyed Kate” was given the task of seducing the young prince at the bequest of his mother. You can only imagine Louis’ suprise when he walked into his room and found a very naked Catherine lounging on his bed. But good sex and good looks do not go necessarily hand-in-hand, and Catherine succeeded at her task. Thier relationship actually lasted for some two years, though Catherine’s tenure did overlap with the much younger and much prettier Olympe Mancini.

For her efforts, Catherine was ennobled with the title Baroness de Beauvais, given the stone to construct a grand house (known as the Hôtel de Beauvais) and a hefty pension. Catherine was greatly respected at court, and remained in favor with Louis for long after their affair had ended.

Sources

Although no portrait of Catherine Bellier is known to exist, this face found at the Hôtel de Beauvais is said to be in her likeness.
Mémoires ch. 7 tome 1 p. 69.
L'Hôtel de Beauvais, hrsgg. von der Association pour la Sauvegarde et la Mise en valeur du Paris historique, Paris o.J.

cahterine bellier catherine-henriette bellier catherine bellies baroness de beauvais king louis xiv of france king louis xiv france mistress royal mistress 17th century happy ending lady in waiting women in history catherine bellier

2 years ago 11 notes