Madame de Montespan
French noble, mistress of Louis XIV; (1640-1707) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Françoise de Rochechouart, Marquise of Montespan (5 October 1640 – 27 May 1707) was better known as Madame de Montespan. She was the most celebrated mistress of King Louis XIV of France. She had seven children with him.
Madame de Montespan | |
---|---|
Full name
Françoise de Rochechouart | |
Born | (1640-10-05)5 October 1640[1][2] Lussac-les-Châteaux, France |
Baptised | 5 October 1640 Lussac-les-Châteaux, France |
Died | 27 May 1707(1707-05-27) (aged 66) Bourbon-l'Archambault, France |
Noble family | House of Pardaillan de Gondrin House of Rochechouart |
Spouse(s) | Louis Henri de Pardaillan de Gondrin |
Issue
Marie Christine de Pardaillan de Gondrin Louis Antoine, Duke of Antin Louis Auguste, Duke of Maine Louis César, Count of Vexin Louise Françoise, Duchess of Bourbon Louise Marie Anne, Mademoiselle de Tours Françoise Marie, Duchess of Orléans Louis Alexandre, Count of Toulouse | |
Father | Gabriel de Rochechouart, Duke of Mortemart |
Mother | Diane de Grandseigne |
Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Occupation | Maîtresse en titre of Louis XIV |
She had spent several years in fashonable Parisians salons. There she was quickly seen as an intelligent, witty and very attractive woman. She eventually gave herself the nickname Athénaïs in honour of the ancient Greek goddess Athena. As a result of this, she is also referred to as "Athénaïs de Montespan". She lived at the same time as Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland, the mistress of Charles II of England. Several of her decendants married, which makes her an ancestress of several royal houses in Europe, including those of Spain, Italy, Bulgaria and Portugal. She was also responsible for the creation of the now destroyed "Trianon de Porcelaine" as well as the larger and grander Château de Clagny. That was like the Palace of Versailles, just on a smaller scale. She was also called "the real queen of France" in her lifetime due to her strong influence over the king and royal court.