by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2020
Madame de Pompadour was the official mistress of King Louis XV of France from 1745 until 1750, and continued to serve as one of the King’s closest confidantes until she died in 1764.
Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Madame de Pompadour source: Wikipedia
Jeanne Antoinette Poisson was born to François Poisson and Madeleine de la Motte on December 29, 1721. However, it is possible that her biological father was either financier Jean Pâris de Monmartel or tax collector Charles François Paul Le Normant de Tournehem. Tournehem became her guardian in 1725 after François Poisson was forced to leave France because of unpaid debts, punishable by death. Poisson was cleared eight years later and allowed to return to France.
Tournehem arranged for Jeanne to receive the best possible education at a convent in Poissy, but due to her ill health – believed to be whooping cough – she returned to Paris just four years later, where she continued her education at home. According to rumor, her mother consulted a fortune teller who foretold that Jeanne would “reign over the heart of a King”. This led to her the nickname “Reinette” (little queen).
In 1741, Tournehem arranged for Jeanne to marry his nephew Charles Guillaume Le Normant d’Étoiles. As part of the alliance, he made d’Étoiles his sole heir, and gifted Jeanne with a large estate at Étoiles, adjacent to one of the royal hunting grounds. The couple had two children:
- Charles Guillaume Louis d’Étoiles (1741) – died in infancy
- Alexandrine Le Normant d’Étoiles (1744) – died in childhood
Jeanne’s marriage gained her access to Parisian high society and soon she was one of the prominent hostesses at her home at Étoiles. By 1742, King Louis XV had been made aware of her, and soon she began to pursue him. After crossing paths several times, Jeanne was invited to a masked ball in February 1745. At the ball, King Louis XV publicly declared his affection for her, and by the following month, she was his mistress. Jeanne was given apartments directly about the King’s at the Palace of Versailles and was officially separated from her husband two months later. To allow her to be present at court, King Louis XV purchased the Marquisate of Pompadour and gifted the estate and a coat of arms to Jeanne. She was now the Marquise de Pompadour. Later that year, she made her formal entry to court and quickly ingratiated herself with Queen Marie, determined to establish good relationships with the royal family.
King Louis XV of France. source: Wikipedia
Perhaps closer to King Louis XV than anyone else, Jeanne exerted significant influence on him in both personal and political matters. Louis relied greatly on her advice and support, and in turn, was immensely generous in his gifts to her.
Most prominent among King Louis XV’s gifts were the properties and estates that Jeanne received. In 1746, the King purchased the estate of Crécy, and that same year gave her a large area within the Park of Versailles where a beautiful house and gardens were built for her. In 1748, the King gave her a large estate in Meudon where she had the Château de Bellevue built over the next two years. During this time, the nearby Château de La Celle was added to her growing list of properties, providing her with someplace nearby to live while overseeing the construction of Bellevue.
By 1750, her physical relationship with King Louis XV ended. However, unlike other mistresses who were cast off, Jeanne remained at his side, continuing to be his closest advisor and confidante. She exposed King Louis XV to the arts and culture, promoting festivals and theatrical performances, and consistently inviting new artists and artisans to the French court. Despite their romantic relationship being over, the King’s gifts continued to show his deep affection and respect for Jeanne.
At the end of 1753, King Louis XV purchased the Hotel d’Evreux in Paris to provide Jeanne with a residence in the city. The property would become known as the Elysée Palace and now serves as the official residence of the President of France. However, Jeanne spent most of her time at the Palace of Versailles or visiting her daughter, and avoided Paris as much as possible. Public sentiment in the city was never in her favor, as most French people resented that she was a commoner enjoying the company of their King.
In 1756, Jeanne was appointed Lady of the Palace to the Queen, the highest possible position at the French court, and in 1760, King Louis XV purchased the Marquisate of Menars and Jeanne was created Marquise de Menars. Three years later, King Louis XV elevated Menars to a duchy, making Jeanne the Duchess de Menars.
Madame de Pompadour.source: Wikipedia
After having been at the French court for twenty years, Jeanne’s constant ill health began to take its toll on her. She contracted tuberculosis and became gravely ill. During this time, King Louis XV personally cared for her but with no success. On April 15, 1764, in her apartments at the Palace of Versailles, Madame de Pompadour died at the age of 42. Per her wishes, she was buried in the chapel of the Convent of the Capuchins in Paris, alongside her mother and daughter. Jeanne left many of her properties to King Louis XV, with some inherited by her brother.
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