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 her death in 1764.
Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Madame de Pompadou.source: Wikipedia
Jeanne Antoinette Poisson was born to François Poisson and Madeleine de la Motte on December 29, 1721. It is believed that her biological father was Charles Le Normant de Tournehem, who later became her guardian in 1725 after her father was forced to leave France over a large number of unpaid debts. 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 back 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 one day “reign over the heart of a King”. This led to her being given 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
Her marriage gained her access to Parisian high society and soon she was one of the prominent hostesses at her home at Étoiles. By 1742, the King had been made aware of her, and soon she began to pursue him. After crossing paths several times, Jeanne was soon invited to a masked ball in February 1745. At the ball, the King publicly declared his affection for her and by the following month, she was his mistress. She was given apartments directly about the King’s at the Palace of Versailles and was officially separated from her husband two months later. In order to allow her to be present at court, the King 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 the Queen, determined to establish good relationships with the members of the royal family.
King Louis XV of France. source: Wikipedia
Perhaps closer to the King than anyone else in his life, Jeanne exerted significant influence on him when it came to 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 the King’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 the King had ended, but unlike other mistresses who had been cast off, Jeanne remained at the King’s side, continuing to be his closest advisor and confidante. She also worked toward exposing Louis 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 purchased the Hotel d’Evreux in Paris to provide Jeanne with her own residence in the city. However, Jeanne spent most of her time at Versailles or visiting her daughter, and avoided Paris as much as possible. Public sentiment in the city was never in her favor, as most resented the fact that she was a commoner enjoying the company of their King. Years later, the property would become known as the Elysée Palace, and now serves as the official residence of the President of France.
In 1756, she was appointed Lady of the Palace to the Queen, the highest possible position at the French court, and in 1760, he purchased the Marquisate of Menars and Jeanne was created Marquise de Menars. Three years later, he 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, the King personally helped to care 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 Capuchin convent in Paris, alongside her mother and daughter. In her will, she left many of her properties to the King, while the rest were inherited by her brother.
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