Fashionable outfits from the regal Madame de pompadour. De Pompadour: the secrets of seduction from the famous favorite. Participation in public affairs

The strange illness of the Marquise de Pompadour When the king was informed that the Marquise de Pompadour was seriously ill, he at first did not believe it. What a sickness there, because he had only seen her the day before, and she was, as always, cheerful and talkative. The reason for such ignorance of the king

The death of the Marquise de Pompadour On April 15, 1764, the Marquise de Pompadour was no longer alive. On the same day, the royal chronicler recorded: “The Marquise de Pompadour, the queen’s court lady, died at about seven o’clock in the evening in the king’s private chambers at the age of forty-three years” . It is known

In the footsteps of the Marquise de Pompadour Madame du Barry's main concern was not glory and state affairs. She thought only of how to keep the aging king with her, and to herself to prolong the entertainment and pleasures associated with this. The strategy of the Marquise de Pompadour was

The second Madame de Pompadour Returning Napoleon III made it clear to Virginia that the separation did not cool his ardor, frolicked like a young man, and then went to rest in Biarritz. Upon his return, still in love, the emperor invited the countess to Compiègne. The court was amazed.

Marquise de Pompadour. Heart of the king It was said that the country is ruled not by the king, but by the Marquise de Pompadour. She behaved as if she were of royal blood herself: in her chambers, which once belonged to Madame de Montespan, the all-powerful mistress of Louis XIV, she

Marquise de Pompadour Heart of the King It was said that the country is ruled not by a king, but by the Marquise de Pompadour. She behaved as if she were of royal blood herself: in her chambers, which once belonged to Madame de Montespan, the all-powerful mistress of Louis XIV, she

In the 18th century, rare women managed to avoid the “duty”, which boiled down to the German “three Ks”: Kuche (kitchen), Kinder (children), Kirche (church). Only the daughters of the crowned persons could count on this. All the more surprising is the phenomenon of the Marquise de Pompadour, who
for twenty years she was the uncrowned queen of France, not even having a noble origin!

Little Queen
There is a possibility that Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, who was born in 1721, still had a bit of noble blood. Her father was officially listed as a former lackey, who had become a quartermaster. He stole and fled the country, leaving his wife and daughter. Both survived thanks to financial assistance by a certain Mr. Le Norman de Tournam. It was said that he was the real father of the girl. But even in this case, the noble addition “de” to the surname, most likely, was simply bought by him - in many sources this gentleman is called a simple syndic - in other words, the chairman of the trade guild.
In general, the future marquise clearly did not work out with the pedigree. However, from early childhood, the girl was convinced that eventually she would settle in the royal palace! The famous Parisian fortune-teller, seeing the nine-year-old Jeanne, immediately prophesied: “This baby will become the king’s favorite!” And since then, everyone called the girl nothing more than a little queen. The difference between a queen and a favorite will be explained to her later.
De Turnnam did everything to ensure that the daughter of the Parisian philistines received an education worthy of a noblewoman. By the age of 19, Jeanne Poisson was drawing beautifully, playing music and singing - lessons were given to her by the prima donna of the Parisian opera. And besides, with the help of the famous playwright Crebillon, she discovered a real acting talent in herself.
The groom was found for her by the same Monsieur de Tournam. His nephew Charles d'Etoile was a good match for a commoner and the daughter of a wanted criminal, but the "little queen" took a long time to answer. The fortune-teller predicted to her the fate of the favorite, which in France of that time was not at all considered indecent or unworthy! And Zhanna decided not to wait for "favors from nature."

Diana the Huntress
Jeanne frequented the Senar forest, where the king and his court often hunted. The first time he met her on a forest path, Louis XV only slightly restrained his horse. But this was enough to make the royal mistress of the Marquis de Chateauroux seriously worried. Soon, Jeanne's mother was conveyed to Chateauroux's urgent wish "to save his majesty from the annoying attention of the young lady." Another in Jeanne's place would have given up, but she did not even think of giving up. Having accepted, just in case, the proposal of the Chevalier d'Etoile, she did not abandon plans to win the heart of another man. Three years after the wedding, having given her husband a daughter, Zhanna considered her marital duty fulfilled on that.
In the same year, the Marquise de Chateauroux unexpectedly died of pneumonia, and a real war broke out for the vacant seat of the royal favorite. Entire court parties were formed, striving at all costs to promote their candidate to an honorary "position". For several months, the king kept the memory of the deceased passion, but then, at one of the masquerade balls, a stranger in the costume of Diana the hunter attracted his attention. Before melting into the crowd, the mysterious mask dropped a perfumed handkerchief at the feet of the king.
Jeanne organized and conducted her "royal hunt" brilliantly. 35-year-old Louis XV was married to the daughter of the Polish king in exile - Maria Leszczynska. She was eight years older than him, gave birth to ten children in the first twelve years of marriage, and was known as a pious and wise woman. Louis' favorites changed one after another, so that by the time he met Jeanne, the king was simply bored. The future Marquise de Pompadour made a bet on this. Jeanne swore to herself that with her the king would never get bored. And she kept her word for 20 years.

Actress for life
Jeanne no longer appeared to the king in front of her eyes - she forced the man of her dreams to search for a mysterious mask. But she hid deliberately not too skillfully. So to the regal boyfriend - already intrigued, completely forgotten about the spleen that corroded him! - it was not difficult to quickly find the fugitive in her own house. Extremely pleased with himself, the king immediately invited Joan to dine with him at Versailles.
The next morning, the king honored the young woman with a cold kiss and prepared for a long siege from the rejected mistress. And in vain - nothing of the kind followed. The girl left Paris on the same day and did not come across the eyes of the king again. She decided to play on the eternal male vanity - and did not lose. Accustomed to flattering compliments about his masculine irresistibility, Louis was again intrigued. And even slightly wounded!
The king was even more agitated when the valet sent by him reported that the servants of Madame d'Etoile, who had been bribed by him, had blabbed. It turns out that she is madly in love with the king. And horrified by the fact that she cheated on her husband. She is even ready to die at the hands of a jealous husband, because she never believed that her childhood dream, about which she half-jokingly told everyone - to be in the arms of the king himself, would come true ...
The king, of course, believed and wished to immediately see Joan at home. And in the palace, the actress played a real melodrama - with a secret penetration into the royal chambers (nothing complicated - a banal bribe), with a fall unconscious on the carpet, wringing her hands, passionate confessions and a plea for protection from a jealous spouse ...
In general, the royal boredom and this time as if removed by hand. On the same night, the touched monarch promised his new girlfriend that in the very near future he would “produce” her into an official favorite. And on September 14, 1745, he kept his word.

Best friend
The jealous husband of Madame d'Etoile was "reassured" by a profitable place and the threat of the Bastille. And in order not to produce unnecessary complexes with the favorite about her low origin, the king gave Jeanne the Margraviate of Pompadour and the title of Marquise, which had been vacated on the occasion.
The court accepted the new royal passion without enthusiasm. If she were a countess or, at worst, a baroness, they would envy, and then they would still be drawn to “make friends”. And here is some kind of rootless petty bourgeois, and not to say that a beauty ... But the newly-made Marquise de Pompadour unexpectedly found understanding and protection from the one from whom she least expected to meet both the first and second - the wife of the king! Maria Leshchinskaya, despite all the ambiguity of her position, immediately felt a kindred spirit in the Marquis ... Many rivals of Madame de Pompadour thought that a “change of scenery” was just around the corner. But days, months and years passed, and the marquise still occupied the heart, bedroom and all the free time of the king.
Many biographers of the Marquise relished the details of her intimate life, her insane spending and constant meddling in public affairs. All this, of course, was. Wars in which the active marquise consciously or against her will dragged the country. Ministers and military leaders, whom the Pompadoursh shuffled like cards at secular evenings. More than a million livres spent on her outfits, and more than two million on jewelry ...
But at the same time, the authors of accusatory works forgot about something else. In her salon, the whole color of the then spiritual elite gathered - there you could meet the caustic writer and philosopher Voltaire, the mannered artist Boucher, the greatest scientist-economist Quesnay. By order of the Marquise, the Theater of Small Rooms was created. The auditorium was designed for only forty seats. One of them was invariably occupied by the king himself, the mistress of the theater shone on the stage, and there was a real struggle for the remaining 39 seats in the hall. The Compiègne castle and the Petit Trianon Palace in Versailles, the Military School (which the young Corsican Napoleon Bonaparte will soon finish) and the famous porcelain factory in Sevres - the Marquise de Pompadour had a hand (and often her own funds) in all this. Finally, the world is indebted to Jeanne for such trifles as a special cut of diamonds (the “marquise” style), champagne tulip glasses, a handbag made of soft leather, high hairstyles and high heels.

After us - even a flood
The most important achievement of the marquise, the secret of which has not been fully disclosed so far, was her amazing and at first glance inexplicable longevity at court. The age of favorites has never been long - the rapid rise was quickly followed by an equally quick disappearance into oblivion. And the Marquise de Pompadour did not leave Versailles for twenty years, until her death she remained the closest friend and adviser of the king. Even when his bed was occupied by other, younger “applicants”. She succeeded in what a woman rarely succeeds - to maintain friendly relations with former lover. Not politely friendly, not official or secular, but friendly.
Realizing that she was irretrievably losing her lover, she did not cling to him, roll scenes, torment him and herself with jealousy and weave intrigues. Instead, she still tried to cheer up her often bored friend, and in this she remained inimitable. And for love comforts, she periodically introduced the king to young and, as a rule, narrow-minded beauties. They did not stay long in the royal bedroom. And the wise marquise remained with the king until her death.
She died in 1764 from pneumonia. She was only 46 years old, twenty of which she, the daughter of a footman (or merchant), actually ruled France. Her death did not cause universal grief - quite the contrary. A strong and intelligent woman who does not want to submit to social stereotypes and takes her fate into her own hands ... Even today, this causes envy and irritation in many. What can we say about the distant eighteenth century? ..

Portrait of the Marquise de Pompadour

The eighteenth century, the gallant century, became famous in the history of Europe for the fact that at the same time three women left an indelible mark on it. Two empresses: Maria Theresa in Austria-Hungary, Catherine the Great in Russia. In France, the Marquise de Pompadour (12/29/1721 - 04/15/1764), a bourgeois, uncrowned queen, who for twenty years was the favorite of Louis XV and went down in history not only as the most brilliant courtesan, but also as an outstanding politician, patroness of sciences and arts.

Portrait of the Marquise Pompadour, F. Boucher.Francois Boucher The Marquise de Pompad...

On December 30, 1721, Jeanne Antoinette Poisson was baptized in Paris. As a child, she was so charming that her family called her the Queen. Zhanna from childhood was distinguished by her extraordinary abilities: she played musical instruments, sang well, loved and knew how to draw, had undoubted acting qualities. The girl, however, did not differ in good health, which greatly worried her father. With young years she was found to have a predisposition to lung disease, which eventually caused her death at the age of forty-two ...

François Poisson, implicated in a very ugly commissary case, was sentenced to hang and escaped only by flight to Germany. Little Jeanne was left in the arms of her mother, a very beautiful and intelligent woman, but apparently not of very strict morals. There is strong evidence to suggest that General Le Norman de Tournam was Joan's real father. In any case, he took a very active part in the fate of Jeanne. First of all, he took care to give her an excellent upbringing and education. For Jeanne they chose the monastery of the Ursulines in Poissy, in an excellent location on the banks of the Seine.

From time to time, Jeanne Antoinette visited her relatives in Paris. One day, according to family tradition, Madame Poisson had the idea of ​​taking her daughter to a fortune-teller, a certain Madame Lebon. She looked at the Queen for a long time, and although the girl was only nine years old, the future charming woman was already guessed in her. "This little girl," said Madame Lebon, "one fine day will become the king's maitre." Thirty years later, the Queen, who by that time already bore the title of Marquise de Pompadour, in gratitude ordered that the woman who predicted her fate be paid an annual pension of 600 livres.

Madame de Pompadour as Diana. Jean-Marc Nattier 1752.

Did the prediction itself, which neither the Queen nor her mother ever forgot, affect the fate of the girl, convinced that she was destined to win the heart of Louis XV.

French king Louis XV in coronation robes, with a baton and a crown

It is noteworthy that the monasteries of that time really provided an excellent education. Jeanne Antoinette excellently played the harpsichord, was engaged in painting and was passionate about engraving stones. She was also attracted by the then fashionable science - botany, besides, having an extremely refined taste, she became an impeccable mistress of the house. In love with art, the future marquise from a young age worshiped the cult of beauty, which she later introduced at Versailles. She herself, by the way, also resembled a chiseled figurine: a fragile but harmonious physique, excellent skin tone, impeccable elegance ...

Alexander Roslin. Portrait of Madame Pompadour.

Her parents decided it was time to marry her off. Moreover, Jeanne's patron already had a plan for this: he decided to marry her off as his nephew, who, although he did not have an attractive appearance, compensated for his physical imperfection with a brilliant education, delicacy of feelings and, thanks to his uncle, a rather large fortune. For the wedding, the general gave his nephew half of his estates, and promised to leave the rest after his death.

And on March 9, 1741, in Paris, in the church of St. Eutachia, fifteen-year-old Jeanne Poisson, married Charles Guillaume Le Normand d'Etiol. Charles Guillaume fell madly in love with his young wife. Mademoiselle Poisson was married for convenience. She looked at her marriage as an inevitable stage in her life. “I will never leave you,” she once said to her husband jokingly, “except for the sake of the king!”

Francois Boucher. Alleged portrait of Jeanne Poisson.

A year after the wedding, Madame Le Norman d "Etiol gave birth to a boy who, unfortunately, died in infancy. The saddened mother was soon comforted by the birth of her daughter, named Alexandrina.

French painting Marquise Pompadour with her daughter Alexandrina

Having married, Zhanna, despite her young age, managed to gather interesting people around her. In the castle of Etiol, where she settled, she visited many writers, artists, scientists - and among them the abbe Berni, Voltaire, Fontenelle. Communicating with them, she entered the world of art, literature and politics.

You can't say she was beautiful. A very pale, infinitely mobile face, a bewitching smile, magnificent ashy hair, beautiful hands, amazing skin, a fragile figure of wondrous proportions. Add the charm and intelligence with which Voltaire himself lavished compliments. The chief huntsman of the Versailles park, Leroy, described her portrait of that time as follows: “Her eyes had a special charm, which may be explained by the uncertainty of their color - their elusive color seemed to have unlimited possibilities to seduce and convey all the impressions of a restless soul; therefore, her facial expression changed endlessly, but the harmony of his features was never violated ... her personality gave the impression of supreme elegance, bordering on nobility.

Francois Boucher

She knew her appearance very well and knew how to use it. But at that time the most evil tongues could not say anything bad about her - her life was impeccable. The path to the royal bedroom was by no means easy for Jeanne. In the memoirs of contemporaries, her life is like a fairy tale. It is difficult to separate fiction from reality. And is there a need for this? The main thing is that she created this fairy tale herself. Thanks to the name and wealth of her husband, she got the opportunity to visit high society, where she purposefully absorbed everything that concerned the king and his court. Soon she knew many details of the intimate life of the king, especially his relationship with mistresses and favorites. It was then that she came up with a plan, the implementation of which she set about with all seriousness.

Francois Boucher

She did not have the opportunity to meet the king at court ceremonies. The then favorite Duchess de Châteauroux skillfully cut off all possible "pretenders" from the king. But there was a place where Louis XV would definitely pay attention to a beautiful woman, this is the Senar forest, in which the monarch often hunted. But she was not lucky, for she caught the eye not of the king, but of the Duchess de Chateauroux, who intuitively understood the purpose of her forest walks. Naturally, the walks had to be stopped so as not to get into serious trouble.

Francois Bush. Portrait of Madame de Pompadour 1756 Louvre. Paris

But soon fate smiled at her. The beautiful Duchess de Chateauroux died of pneumonia, the way to the heart of the king was open. On February 28, 1745, at a masquerade in the Paris City Hall, the king was intrigued by an elegant mask dressed as Diana the Huntress.

paris town hall

The king was interested in her witty speeches and was clearly not averse to getting to know each other better. When the curiosity of the king reached the limit, ... the mask disappeared, having managed, however, to drop the handkerchief scented with fine perfumes. Naturally, Louis soon sought her out and made an appointment.

Louis XV.

It is worth noting that the king, who by this time was 35 years old, was known as a sophisticated connoisseur of beautiful ladies. ... The real Queen of France, Maria Leshchinskaya, daughter of the Polish king in exile, was eight years older than her husband, which, however, did not prevent Louis from being an almost exemplary spouse for the first twelve years of marriage. The queen bore him ten children, and still the king spent almost every night in her bedroom.

Maria Leshchinskaya

Until this bothered Mary herself, a very pious woman and not very temperamental. She behaved like the most ordinary woman, mortally tired of fulfilling her "marital duty" - she began to evade under all sorts of pretexts.

Maria Leshchinskaya (Maria Karolina Zofia Felicja Leszczyńska)

And the king... well, the king was a man. Louis XV was always distinguished by great love of love, it was not for nothing that he was nicknamed Louis the Lover or Louis the Beloved. He began to surround himself with young, cheerful and not too chaste women. Thus began the era of favorites.

Jeanne (Marquise de Pompadour)

So a new acquaintance came in handy. Jeanne did not refuse to dine with the king. In the morning, Ludovic considered that this affair could be ended. To his surprise, the woman resignedly left and no longer made itself felt, which was not typical for him. former mistresses. It turned out that she also rejected him, and this already hit the male pride ... And the king could not resist.

Jeanne Antoinette Poisson (Marquise of Pompadour)

Reappearing in the palace, Jeanne acted out a scene of sincere love, which not only touched the king, but also gave birth to something similar to a reciprocal feeling in him. Madame d'Etoile's husband was given a lucrative job and "drew" tempting career prospects. The unfortunate Charles Guillaume, almost losing his mind, could not believe what had happened. He wrote a long touching letter to his wife ... Everything was useless! Obsequious officials of the Independent Court in a few days issued a decision on the separation of the spouses, and they never saw each other again. Expelled by the king from Paris, Charles was seriously ill for a long time in Avignon. And she changed not only her fate, but also her name, becoming, at the request of the king, the Marquise de Pompadour, although her origin was, to put it mildly, flawed. So Louis had a new official favorite. A few days after the return of the king from Flanders, the new marquise was granted to the court. She was very worried, but she coped with her task intelligently and tactfully.

Madame de Pompadour. Bush, Francois

It was easier to win the king than to achieve the recognition of the world. For the aristocracy, the newly-minted marquise remained for a long time an ordinary Grisette - she received such a nickname in high-society salons. Surprisingly, she managed to establish almost friendly relations with the queen. On the Parisian streets of that time, one could often hear the cries of commoners: “Look, our queens are coming!” And the people hurried to look at the passing carriage, in which the two main women of the country were seated. They not only peacefully shared the royal bed for some time, they also “divided” their official duties: one reigned and the other ruled.

Madame de Pompadour 1756. Boucher, Francois

Jeanne remained by the side of the king for over 20 years - an amazing period for a favorite.

With the light hand of the Marquise in France, solid money began to be spent on science, literature and art. Her range of interests was wide. A visit to the famous Institute of Noble Maidens, located in Saint-Cyr, led the marquis to create in Paris a Military School for the sons of war veterans and impoverished nobles, which was obtained from the king, who did not show much enthusiasm for this undertaking, permission.

Construction began in one of the most prestigious areas of the capital - near the Champ de Mars.
The project of the building was commissioned by the first-class architect Jacques-Ange Gabriel, the creator of the famous Place de la Concorde. The construction, which began in 1751, was interrupted due to insufficient state subsidies. Then the marquise invested the missing amount from her own savings. And already in 1753, classes began in the partially rebuilt school premises. Later, the tax that Louis imposed on lovers helped card game wholly spent on the completion of construction.
Since 1777, this educational institution began to accept best students provincial military schools, among which, in October 1781, 19-year-old cadet Napoleon Bonaparte arrived for training.

With her assistance, a military school appeared in France for the sons of nobles and war veterans, which Napoleon Bonaparte later graduated from.

Paris. Military Academy our days

Institute for Noble Maidens, located in Saint-Cyr

With her help, the French Encyclopedia of Denis Diderot was published,

Denis Diderot French writer, philosopher-educator and playwright, who founded the "Encyclopedia, or Dictionary sciences, arts and crafts" (1751). Foreign honorary member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences (1773)

she set up the production of porcelain, creating an exemplary factory on her estate of Sèvres. In memory of her, delicate pink Sèvres porcelain was named "Rose Pompadour". Very quickly, the works of Sevres reach extraordinary value, and they are no longer afraid of comparison with Saxon and Chinese porcelain. To distribute Sevres products, the Marquise arranges their exhibition in Versailles, where she sells them herself.

Sèvres porcelain 18th century

Sèvres porcelain 18th century

Do not think that her life was cloudless. The marquise had enough enemies. Almost every new favorite tried to remove her, but no one managed to shake the position of de Pompadour under the king. In Europe, even a new entertainment has appeared - to bet when the Marquise de Pompadour will lose her influence on the king. But all such bets were lost.

Pierre Patel. View of the Palace of Versailles from the road to Paris. 1668

Boredom was a hallmark of 18th-century France, the age of laughter and play. Boredom reigned everywhere and its full embodiment, it seemed, was King Louis XV himself.

artist Carl Andre van Loo (1705-1765). . Portrait of Louis XV

Handsome, charming, surrounded not only by courtiers, but also by sincere friends, the king was bored. And so, armed with her lively mind and taste, the marquise decided to make the king not be bored. And the whole secret of her influence on Louis was in the ability to achieve this. For this, she had a rare gift in anything, starting with appearance, never to be monotonous. Always unexpected, always smart and interesting in a new way, she quickly managed to completely master the mind and soul of the lazy, apathetic king.

Panorama of Versailles. 1715

Not a single small cloud on the forehead of her royal lover hides from her keen eye. She knows how to drive him away with her caress, her cheerfulness. She plays the harpsichord, sings, tells a new joke.

Bouchardon Edme (Bouchardon) famous French sculptor (1698-1762).

Montesquieu, Charles-Louis de Seconda French writer, jurist and philosopher

Fragonard Jean-Honore (1732-1806) (Fragonard Jean-Honore), French painter and graphic artist.

Francois Boucher - French painter, engraver, decorator. Bright representative Rococo artistic culture. Boucher was awarded many honors, including the title of court painter (1765). He was actively involved in decorating the residences of the king and Madame de Pompadour, private mansions in Paris.

Jean-Baptiste van Loo was the most popular French portraitist of the Rococo era.

Georges-Louis Leclay Comte de Buffon French naturalist, biologist, mathematician, naturalist and writer of the 18th century. He expressed the idea of ​​the unity of flora and fauna.

From her earliest youth, the Marquise loved the arts and practiced them. Now, when, by the will of fate, she approached the French court, the arts and literature approached with her. Although personally Louis XV was indifferent to all this, she managed to interest him as well. Twice a week, artists, writers, philosophers gathered in her salon - Bouchardon, Boucher, Latour, Verna, the architect Gabriel, Voltaire ...

Mozart at Madame de Pompadour, M. V. de Parédès, "Monde illustré" 1857

There were interesting topics of conversation, heated debates. The marquise took a great part in this, and the king involuntarily began to take part in this.

Voltaire - one of the largest French philosophers-enlighteners of the XVIII century, poet, prose writer, satirist, historian, publicist, human rights activist; founder of Voltairianism.

In the palace of Choisy, according to the idea of ​​the Marquise, there is a theater called the Theater of Small Rooms, an intimate, refined theater for forty people spectators. At the opening there was Molière's comedy Tartuffe, followed by the plays by Voltaire and Rousseau. The troupe was not made up of professional actors, but courtiers, who achieved, as a great honor, to play here. The main actors were Moritz of Saxony, Duke of Duras, Richelieu, D Estrade, Duke de La Vallière. The audience was almost always the royal family, headed by Louis XV, relatives and friends of the marquises. Sitting on a simple chair, the king could watch the performance without tiring etiquette.

Watteau Antoine. "Actors of the French Theater" 1712

She supervised everything and the first actress was the Marquise Pompadour. Now she could turn around and show all the subtlety and grace of female coquetry, all the charm and tenderness of her flexible voice. Indeed, where, besides the theater, one can be so variously beautiful, one can change so many captivating faces! A gentle shepherdess, a passionate odalisque, a proud Roman woman... What a spacious stage was for the Marquise's delicate taste. Not without reason, after one of the performances, Louis told her: "You are the most charming woman in France."

Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Lenormand-d'Etiol, Marquise de Pompadour (1721-1764). Portrait by J. Nattier

When she feels that the king is already tired of entertainment, she takes him on a trip. He visits unfamiliar cities of his kingdom, receives greetings from his subjects who have never seen him before. Among entertainment and travel, she gets acquainted with the affairs of the kingdom.

The influence of the marquise on Louis could not please the courtiers. She came not from their circle, but from the bourgeoisie. Everything about her, from her mannerisms to her tongue, shocked the strict court etiquette. But the Marquise was ambitious and wanted to influence the whole policy of France. Every morning the ministers of France came to her boudoir and for two hours reported on the state of affairs in the country. Boldly invading state affairs, she often inspired Louis to make cardinal political decisions. At her insistence, Louis banned the activities of the Jesuit order in France. Thanks to her influence, France, which had always been in traditional allied relations with Prussia, reoriented itself towards Austria. Laughing bitterly, she repeats: "After us, at least the flood." It is to her that these words belong. With them, she consoled the king when the news came that France had lost either Canada or India to England ...

Marquise de Pompadour in dressing table - Francois Boucher oil painting...

In politics, as in love, the Marquise showed wisdom and truly feminine intuition, which never let her down. And, despite the protests of the court and the Paris restored against her by court circles, pouring out all her anger on her in a whole series of songs called “poissonades” by her maiden name, the marquise is firmly moving towards her goal.

Maurice Quentin de La Tour (1704-1788)

The Marquise loved books, and her colossal library served her more than just for show. There were books on history, civil law, political economy, philosophy - in them she drew knowledge for the role that she wanted to occupy in France.

Under the guidance of the architect Landureau, the artists Bush, Vanloo and the gardener Delisle, on a picturesque hill, like in a fairy tale, the Belle Vue Palace grows. Pictures, marble, porcelain... Marquise understood and loved everything beautiful. On the day of the King's first visit to Belle Vue, after the performance, the Marchioness took the King to winter Garden. Many fires burned, thousands of flowers streamed their fragrance. The king was surprised that the marquise, as usual, did not pick flowers for him and decided to do it himself. But it was impossible to pick the flowers - they were from Sevres porcelain, and their cups were filled with perfumes corresponding to each.

Porcelain sculpture Madame Pompadour

In general, none of the undertakings seems too expensive to the Marquise, and she, without hesitation, buys everything that she would like to see as her own.

So, the marquise has reached the pinnacle of fame and fortune? Nothing like this! In the midst of splendor, at the height of her power, the Marquise was very lonely. She had to expend a lot of strength, both mental and physical, in order to stay at a decent height.

Having seized power over France, the marquise forever renounced a quiet life. And many times at home, left alone with her maid, Madame José, she complained about her fate and the need to wage an “eternal battle,” as she called her life. She faced the hardest fight of her life. A fight with no winners.
For the marquise had to fight with nature, which generously endowed her with all sorts of talents, but gave her a too fragile body and a cold temperament.

Louis, whose appetites grew with years of maturity, could no longer be content with a woman who was often ill and little disposed to love pleasures. But he still loved her, so he acted not like a king, but like the most ordinary mortal: he began to start light intrigues on the side. This struggle continued for four years, in which the Marquise was doomed to defeat. The day came when the Marquise had to give up hope of keeping her lover king.

And now she decides on an act that has branded her for centuries. With her permission, the so-called "Deer Park" appears, something like a small harem for the king. Although, according to French historians, these pure fictions that reduce the marquise to the level of a dirty bawd have no basis.

From time to time he returned to the Marchioness. His constant companion, a participant in all his affairs, she became indispensable to him not only because she alone owned the secret to entertain him and save him from boredom. The king could talk to her about the most insignificant matters and count on practical advice in any situation. Louis XV was definitely lucky for smart women.

Her role as a woman and mistress continued for six years, and her role as an adviser, involved in royal politics and directing it, will continue for another thirteen years - until the death of the marquise. And while she was alive, Louis did not have a permanent lover, that is, a woman who could manage to keep his affection for more than a year. Exhausted by internal and external struggles, exhausting and the most unhealthy way of life, she could not bear it, and her poor health was shaken.

Marquise de Pompadour (marquise de Pompadour), birth name Jeanne-Antoine ..

Already in 1756, the Marquise began to feel very ill, she developed consumption. But she hard hides her illness from the king. A cheerful smile and skillful make-up masked her sickly appearance from prying eyes. The artist Drouet left us a portrait of her from that period. This is already a mature woman sitting at the embroidery. Still living eyes. The Marquise is forty-one years old and does not look older.

Madame de Pompadour at her Tambour Frame (The National Gallery, London).

The last lifetime portrait of the Marchioness

In 1764, after one pleasure walk in Choisy, she fell ill. Around her are several friends and Prince Soubise, the most devoted person to her. Louis XV came every day from Versailles to spend some time with his friend. He loved her dearly and retained a deep affection for her.

Marquise de Pompadour. Versailles.

A few days before death, there was an unexpected improvement. The Marquise was transferred to the Palace of Versailles. Here, in the palace, where, according to etiquette, only princes of the blood could die, on April 15, 1764, the Marquise of Pompadour died. She died calm, and still beautiful, despite her illness. When the priest of St. Magdalene was about to leave, she said to him with a smile: "Wait a minute, holy father, we will leave together." She died a few minutes later.

It rained heavily on the day of the funeral. The king, along with his valet, stood on the balcony with his head uncovered, watching her funeral procession pass by the palace.

When she disappeared around the corner, his eyes were full of tears: "The only way I could pay her last debt." Voltaire wrote: "I owe her a lot, I mourn her!". The marquise was buried in a crypt in Place Vendôme, next to her mother. She was 42 years old and ruled France for twenty years.

The deceased, however, was immediately forgotten, and the only funeral mass in her memory was ordered by ... the wife of the king, abandoned by him, Maria Leshchinskaya, who said: “They say so little about her, as if she did not exist at all. Such is the world. Is he worthy of love?

Anything is possible if you have a goal and a strong desire to achieve it! The story of the uncrowned queen of France who lived during the time of Louis XV tells us about the unconditional female victory! No obstacles could stop this legendary marquise on her way to her success. But even her origin did not contribute to this at all.

fateful prediction

Jeanne Antoinette Poisson was born into a family whose status did not allow her to be on the lists of French high society. Her official father, a lackey who rose to the status of quartermaster, soon stole and fled France, leaving his wife and children. The mother's reputation was even worse.

Before her marriage, Madame Poisson was supported by men, and even after she married, her life was not distinguished by piety. Jeanne's mother continued to date Le Norman de Tournam's longtime lover. Who actually was the father of Jeanne, remained unknown.

When the girl was nine years old, her mother decided to take her to a fortuneteller known at that time, Madame Lebon. It was imperative to find out if Jeanne could get married. After all, it is successful marriage could provide a comfortable life. Just looking at the angular girl, the fortune teller exclaimed: “It can’t be…! Before me is the future favorite of the king!

Indeed, the prediction was absolutely absurd. Little Jeanne could not become the king's favorite. And it wasn't about her looks or her age. The king by that time was already an adult man and had a wife and children. The most important condition that could make it possible to claim such an honorary role was to be given to a lady from birth.

Only aristocratic women could become favorites. The family of Jeanne Antoinette was far from an aristocratic society. Of course, the king could afford an affair with a woman of non-aristocratic blood, but the etiquette of the French court would not allow her to be given the status of favorite. In addition, King Louis XV loved his wife and was faithful to her. In general, there was so much to say - "Impossible because ...".

Faith gives rise to an idea. Idea begets action.

Another woman would not have paid attention to such an incredible prediction. But Madame Poisson believed the fortune-teller and inspired this belief in her daughter. And what about little Jeanne? How did she react to this prophecy?

Will the king love me? Jeanne asked. This question worried her the most.

“What nonsense is contained in the thoughts of my girl,” Madame Poisson thought, “Is love the main thing ?! Become the king's favorite! This is an honor, and an opportunity that many dream of. She did not answer her daughter, but decided to act.

At that time, Jeanne studied at the monastery of the Ursulines. Such an education would allow her to become an exemplary wife. But for the future favorite of the king, completely different knowledge is needed. Madame Poisson thought - where to get money for a better education? To be able to charm the king, the girl must be comprehensively developed.

Be able to dance, play music, keep up small talk and much more. How to be? Madame Poisson really wanted the fortuneteller's prediction to come true. And then she decided to convince her lover that it was he who was the father of Jeanne. Le Norman, who had no children before, was very pleased with the sudden appearance of his daughter and allocated the necessary funds for the education of his favorite.

And Zhanna in her youth, like probably any of us, dreamed ... She dreamed of a KING! I dreamed of meeting with HIM, of love! She confidently mastered all the wisdom of learning. She tried so hard!!! After all, this is what will lead her to her dream - to become the beloved of the king!

What naivete! Such an education at that time was received by aristocrats, but she was not such!

Jeanne grew up and gradually turned from an ugly duckling into a pretty girl. But far from beautiful. She was not tall, slightly plump, and only large eyes of an incomprehensible color distinguished her from others. Those eyes were neither blue nor gray nor green.

They seemed to hold some kind of secret. Jeanne Antoinette carried this secret through her whole life. The secret of how to charm the king and not just charm, but to be able to achieve such influence at court that allowed her to take part in the political affairs of France, become a trendsetter, and the most influential favorite.

But that's all in the future. In the meantime, Jeanne was 19 years old, and she was very far not only from the king, but even from Parisian society. In the salons of Paris in those days, representatives of the bourgeoisie and the petty aristocracy met. Only those lucky ones who were allowed access to the walls of Versailles could classify themselves as high society. In order to get there, one had to be born into seven aristocrats.

What a woman wants, God wants! And if two women passionately go to the same goal? What is God to do?!

Madame Poisson and her lover decide to marry Jeanne to Le Norman's nephew. This marriage allowed the young girl to have prosperity and acquire a more worthy name - Madame D Etiol. Jeanne began to appear in Parisian salons. With her charm, sense of humor and tact, she managed to charm many.

Zhanna had a beautiful, though not deep, voice, knew how to passionately recite poetry, and besides, she was an interesting conversationalist. Soon, the gentlemen began to actively court Jeanne, offering her their love. But what about the husband? Then betrayal, both on the part of the husband and on the part of the wife, was a common phenomenon. And male attention in this matter only confirmed the female solvency. O times! Oh manners! But Jeanne confidently declared to all admirers: “I will change my husband only with the king!”. Her phrase was perceived by everyone as a successful trick or a joke that allows you to remain faithful to your husband.

What was the king doing at that time? He was no longer so pious and managed to acquire more than one official favorite. Queen Maria Leszczynska miscalculated by denying closeness to the king more than once. Louis XV was a very temperamental man and could not do without carnal pleasures for a long time.

Oh those men! All the de Mailly-Nel sisters managed to visit his bed. The fourth - the Countess de Chateauroux was the most thoughtful. Having seen enough of the mistakes of the sisters, she abruptly took the king into circulation, not allowing any beauty to approach his majesty.

Jeanne learned about the details of the king's personal life from secular gossips. And she continued to hope and believe that someday she would become his lover. She had a lucky break. The king with his retinue, and his companion Madame de Châteauroux, who invariably accompanied him everywhere, went to rest in the Choiseul castle, which was located not far from the estate of d'Etiol.

The Sinar forest, where the king hunted, became the stage for Madame d'Etiol. Every day, going hunting, the king invariably met a beautiful nymph on his way. The stranger was dressed in dresses of delicate shades of either lilac or pink, and seated in an open carriage, she was carried away from the king's motorcade.

The king was intrigued. But Madame de Châteauroux noticed the interest of the king in time, and immediately sent a message forbidding her impudent rival to appear in front of the king.

It was impossible to disobey the king's favorite. Jeanne suffered, because now her dream was not just a fantasy, she saw the KING with her own eyes. He was tall and very handsome! No wonder they called him Louis the Handsome! Madame D'Etiol fell in love and began to dream of the king even more. Dreamed, suffered and hoped!

Who among us has not experienced such feelings? To see her beloved and another woman next to him ... Jealousy, the greatness of the king and the understanding of how unattainable her dream is - all this only strengthened her feelings.

Some time passed, and the king's heart became free again - his favorite, Madame de Chateauroux, died.

An actress or a woman in love with self-respect?

Madame d'Etiool understood - you need to act! While the king is mourning, he is surrounded by many beautiful ladies, each of whom only dreams of taking the vacant place of the favorite. And they are not idle! But how can she get the attention of her beloved? After all, Jeanne did not even have the opportunity to see the king!

Many sources report that the first meeting of the King and Madame d'Etiol took place at a masquerade ball in the Paris City Hall, where Jeanne appeared in the costume of Diana the huntress and managed to attract the attention of Louis. In the fiction book of Natalia Pavlishcheva, the events of the first meeting of the king and Madame d'Etiol are described in a slightly different interpretation.

How to know is possible fiction closer to real events… In any case, their meeting could not have taken place without the participation of influential people. Intrigues, intrigues of the Parisian court, I think, they could not do without them! Someone made a bet on Madame d'Etiol.

But getting to know the king and even sleeping with him is only the first step. In this step, perhaps someone helped Jeanne. But the rest of the performance was played by her! It was played so masterfully that the king simply did not have a chance to fall in love with this woman without memory!

Giving herself to the king, Jeanne disappears from his field of vision. Ludovic is at a loss - how is it - is it possible that HE is so beautiful and majestic, who has won more than one heart of a beauty, this Madame did not like? He thought that having enjoyed the affair, he himself would stop this fleeting hobby.

Prior to this, all the women who surrounded Louis, having only entered into a love affair with him, sought to protect the king from the attention of other women. Jeanne's unexpected behavior intrigued the king. What was Madame d'Etiol's explanation?

Ah, Sir - you won my heart! I didn't run from you! I ran from myself! Smart Jeanne!!! Now the king had to catch up. He felt like a hunter, not prey. Was it a virtuoso game or a sincere impulse of a woman in love? Who knows ... Maybe both.

This game allowed Zhana to keep Louis' interest, but did not bring her closer to the status of a favorite. To obtain this status, an official presentation to the court was necessary. Even a king in love could not imagine a woman of non-aristocratic blood as his favorite. Madame d'Etiol understood that the king would catch up with her sooner or later, and what next? Then the woman takes the next step:

Having bribed the courtiers, Jeanne sneaks into the king's chambers. Already intriguing! And he informs Louis that her husband, having learned about his wife's vicious connection, threatens with reprisal! He will exile Jeanne and deprive her of communication with her daughter. The only man who can save Madame d'Etiol from her husband's reprisals is the King!

Now Louis was offered the noble mission of a knight saving his beautiful lady of the heart! How could he resist?! Louis performs an unheard-of act that goes against all the rules of etiquette of that time. Jeanne is given the title of "Marquise de Pompadour" and left to live in Versailles. And that is not all! The king intends, despite all the opponents of the “arrogant rootless girl”, to present her to the court as his favorite.

Zhanna tries not to let her beloved down - she teaches the rules of etiquette. What to say, how to walk, who to smile and who not. This is a whole science that the Marquise masters brilliantly.

The Marquise de Pompadour was the king's mistress for 5 years. But her temperament did not meet the needs of Louis. What Jeanne did not do to be more sexy. A special menu with aphrodisiacs, various drugs. But nature took its toll. Soon, Jeanne did not begin to arrange the king as a mistress. Louis began to look at other women. And not just to look.

What follows the decline of the King's interest as a man? Usually the favorite is removed from the court, sent to hell. But the legendary marquise, even in this situation, was able to emerge victorious. She played the game in such a way that not only was she not expelled, but she also received a new title - the duchess.


For another 15 years, De Pompadour was next to the king already as his friend, mentor and adviser. The king could not do without the smart, always cheerful Pompadour. So that the king would not be bored, she organized a chamber theater, which could only be visited by those close to the royal person.

She herself played various roles in this theater. Pompadour even went so far as to pick up girls for the king's fun. On her advice, state affairs were managed, and more than one castle was built. She was engaged in the manufacture of porcelain and patronized the poets and philosophers of that time. The Marquise de Pompadour was the only favorite who managed to win over the queen - her rival!

Not crowned queen - so called De Pampadour. At that time, everyone understood who rules the French ball! Even last way the legendary marquise resembled a scene from a play she had thought out and staged.

Only kings and members of their families were allowed to die at Versailles. For Pompadour, Louis made an exception. She died in the royal chambers. And when her body was carried out, it was pouring rain. It seemed even nature mourned the loss of this mysterious and influential woman.

Marquise's Mystery

The influence and honors that the Marquise de Pompadour was awarded is an unconditional female victory! To remain always cheerful and interesting for a man is a titanic work. She managed to achieve such great heights, without having for this either an exceptionally beautiful appearance, or the necessary origin, or a passionate temperament, which is so valued by men.

In addition, Jeanne was in very poor health. She suffered from consumption and died at the age of 43, while leaving an indelible mark on the history of France. And if you imagine the fact that when communicating with Louis, in addition to female charms, she also had to combine respectful communication with the king.

There was no question of any equality between women and men!

Was Pompadour a virtuoso actress or loving woman ready for anything in order to be able to communicate with her Ludovic?

Who knows ... She took this riddle with her.

The story of the Marquise de Pompadour tells us that for a woman there are no boundaries - everything is possible! What is needed for this?

Love and faith, or maybe acting talent?

Maybe in this story leading role played by a gypsy

by Notes of the Wild Mistress

The main life achievement and secret of Jeanne Poisson, whom the king made the Marquise de Pompadour, was her amazing and at first glance inexplicable "longevity" at court. After all, the favorites of the century are short-lived - a rapid rise was usually followed by an equally quick oblivion. And the marquise did not leave Versailles for twenty years, remaining the closest friend and adviser of the king until her death.

Fortune-telling predicts happiness in life ...

Jeanne Antoinette Poisson was born in 1721. She didn't have noble roots. The girl's mother, Louise Madeleine, was known as a lady of rather specific behavior, so doubts arise who was Jeanne's real father: Francois Poisson, who at one time served as a footman, then as a supplier of the food department, who stole and fled from justice, leaving his family, or the financier Norman de Turnnam, who kept Jeanne and her mother.

Despite the humble origin, the girl was given a good upbringing and education, since Monsieur Turnham had the funds for this. Jeanne was distinguished by nature with a lively mind and was gifted with extraordinary abilities: she played great music, drew, had a clear voice and a passion for poetry, which she recited beautifully.

She was very fond of books, learned knowledge well, studied for several years at the Poissy monastery. In addition, the girl was pretty. Her contemporary Leroy, Chief Jägermeister of the forests and parks of Versailles, described Jeanne with great sympathy: “... short, slender, with soft, relaxed manners, elegant. Face of an impeccable oval shape. Fine, brown hair, rather large eyes of indeterminate color, beautiful long eyelashes. Straight, perfectly shaped nose, sensual mouth, very beautiful teeth. Charming laugh."

... When Jeanne was 9 years old, her mother took her to one of the most famous fortune-tellers of that time - Mrs. Lebon. The fortune-teller carefully looked at the fragile girl and uttered a prophecy: “This little one will one day become the king’s favorite!”

But no matter what the fortuneteller came up with, the king was far away, and Jeanne Antoinette was 19 years old. On March 9, 1741, in the church of Sainte-Ostache, she was married to Charles Le Norman d'Etiol, nephew of Monsieur de Tournam. It was not a marriage for love, however, their marriage was quite successful. The husband bowed before Jeanne and was ready to fulfill her every desire. She said that she would never leave him, except for the sake of the king himself ...

Diana the Huntress

Jeanne knew how to brilliantly present herself in high society, and soon they started talking about her. However, this charming girl was not enough to remain in the center of attention of high society. She tried to attract the attention of the king, who at that time was under the spell of the ambitious Duchess de Châteauroux.

The girl began to constantly catch the eye of Louis in the Senar forest, where he hunted, in flirtatious and refined toilets: either in a sky-blue dress and in a pink phaeton, then in all pink and in a sky-blue carriage - in the end, she was lucky to be noticed by him, especially since the king had already heard something about “little Etiol” and she aroused his curiosity. However, the favorite of Louis quickly put an end to the claims of the nee Jeanne Poisson, simply forbidding her to appear in the hunting grounds of the king. And only when Madame de Chateauroux died suddenly, Madame d'Etiol realized that the path to the heart of the king was free.

During a grand masquerade ball, which was given on February 25, 1745 in the Paris City Hall on the occasion of the marriage of the Dauphin to the Spanish princess Maria Theresa, Jeanne had the opportunity to approach the king. At the ball, Louis became interested in a charming lady in the costume of Diana the Huntress. The mask intrigued the king. At his request, the stranger opened her face. She had clearly dropped her scented handkerchief on purpose. The king immediately rushed to pick it up, returned it to her, and this was the beginning of their love affair, which they maintained through the trusted valet Louis Binet.

Soon Madame d'Etiol appeared at Versailles at the performance of the Italian comedy in a box that was near the stage very close to the king's box, and when Louis ordered dinner to be served directly to his study, the whole court had no doubt that his only companion would be "little Etiol". Here she gave herself to him, but after this meeting, Louis's interest in her decreased.

The king told Binet that he liked Madame d'Etiol very much, but it seemed to him that she was driven in many ways by ambition and selfish interest. The valet began to assure the king that Jeanne was madly in love with him, but she was in despair, as she was torn between love for the king and duty to her husband, who was full of suspicion and idolized her.

At next date with Louis, Madame d'Etiol behaved more carefully and acted in the role of just a charming and virtuous woman, which the king wanted to see in her. As if in a well-played performance, she spoke with horror about her husband's revenge that awaited her and managed to convince Louis to leave her at Versailles. She also managed to remove her husband from Paris without much difficulty: as a companion of his uncle, he was sent by his representative to the province.

While apartments were being prepared at Versailles for de Châteauroux's successor, Jeanne remained at Etiol. The king often wrote her affectionate letters, usually ending with the words "Loving and devoted", and she immediately answered in the same spirit. Finally, in one of the letters she read: "Marquise de Pompadour." Louis issued a decree conferring on her this title, which had previously belonged to a extinct family from Limousin.

At the throne of the king

On September 14, 1745, she was presented at court. Oddly enough, but the best attitude to the new favorite was ... the wife of Louis - Maria Leshchinskaya - the daughter of the Polish king Stanislav. The queen was seven years older than her husband, extremely pious, boring and unattractive. During the first 12 years of marriage, she gave birth to ten children to the king and was completely absorbed in caring for offspring ...

The obvious superiority of the Marquise de Pompadour over the past favorites of the king in every possible way strengthened the position of Jeanne, both at court and under Louis. And she took advantage of this, not being afraid to pass for immodest. Both in the external and in the private, hidden from prying eyes, life, Madame Pompadour ruled her ball.

Jeanne carried Louis into the world of magnificent architecture, quaint palaces, under the vaults of alleys of hundred-year-old trees, where, however, everything was arranged in accordance with common sense, and each house bore the imprint of a fashionable pastoral. The marquise again and again conquered Louis with her ability to appear before him every time new and unexpected. Exquisite makeup and costumes helped her in this, a whole kaleidoscope of costumes! Either she changed into the dress of a sultana from the Vanloo paintings, or she appeared in the costume of a peasant woman ...

Especially for the king, she came up with another unusual outfit, it was called “neglije a la Pompadour”: something like a Turkish vest that hugged the neck, fastened with buttons on the forearm and fitted the back to the hips. In it, the marquise could show everything she wanted, and only hint at everything she wanted to hide.

However, the position of the Marquise at court was not so stable. Until now, the king chose his favorite from the upper strata of society. The née Poisson broke this rule. Thousands of hostile eyes followed her, and thousands of evil tongues immediately set in motion at the slightest forgetfulness, at the slightest errors in etiquette, at errors in the court language of this Grisette, as the newly-made marquise was contemptuously called behind her back.

First of all, Jeanne had to think about how, in this situation fraught with unforeseen dangers, to obtain the full support of the king in order to strengthen her position. It was the most difficult and extremely important task.

Versailles Scheherazade

Of all the mistresses of Louis, only the Marquise de Pompadour had the ability to dispel his boredom. She tried every time to be attractive in a new way and every time she came up with new entertainments for him. She sang and played especially for the king or told new jokes with her characteristic piquancy. And when some minister bothered Louis with reports, which naturally annoyed the king, she tried to send the speaker out as quickly as possible. For example, if it was Morepa: “In your presence, the king turns yellow directly. Farewell, Mr. Morepa!”

She walked with Louis through the luxurious gardens of summer castles and constantly accompanied him from Versailles to Crescy, and from there to La Selle, and from there to Bellevue, and then to Compiègne and Fontainebleau. On Holy Week, she entertained him with sacred music concerts and liturgies, in which she herself participated. And when she played on stage in the theater of Étiol or Chantemerle with Madame de Villemour, she managed to captivate Louis with her performing arts, and she even created a small theater in Versailles in one of the galleries adjacent to the Medallion Cabinet, called the “Chamber Theater”.

Over time, her position was strengthened so much that she began to receive ministers and ambassadors with condescending arrogance. Now she lived in Versailles, in apartments that once belonged to the once powerful mistress of Louis XIV, the Marquise de Montespan. In the room of the Marquise de Pompadour, where she received visitors, there was only one chair - everyone had to stand in the presence of the sitting favorite.

She listened to Mass in the Chapel of Versailles on a platform specially arranged for her on the balcony of the sacristy, where she appeared alone during big holidays. Her life was furnished with unprecedented luxury. A young nobleman from an old family carried her train, at her sign offered her a chair, and waited for her to come out in the hallway. She achieved the award of her chamberlain Collin with the Order of St. Louis. Her carriage bore the ducal coat of arms.

The Marquise owned such huge real estate, which neither before nor after her in France was owned by any royal favorite. She bought the Cressy estate in Dreux for 650,000 livres, built a luxurious castle here - construction was generally her strong point - and also re-arranged a huge park. She bought Montreton, but immediately resold it at a profit, bought the Selle a mile from Versailles on the road to Marly, and here, too, rebuilt everything that she did not like in accordance with her tastes. Each such event in itself required huge funds.

Amusements, buildings, dresses of the Marquise de Pompadour absorbed a lot of money: 1 million 300 thousand livres were worth her outfits, 3.5 million - cosmetics, 4 million - theater, 3 million - horses, 2 million - jewelry, about 1 .5 million livres - her servants; She allocated 12,000 francs for books.

“Godmother” of Voltaire, Rousseau, Napoleon…

Louis XV encouraged the development of the cultural life of France, so the Marquise de Pompadour tried to surround herself with poets, scientists and philosophers. Out of competition among them was Voltaire, an old friend of the marquise. Pompadour gave him a clear preference, made him an academician, chief historian of France, chief chamberlain. In turn, he wrote “Princess of Navarre”, “Temple of Glory” for court holidays, dedicated the Marquise “Tancreda” and glorified her in poetry and prose. “Pompadour, you decorate with your special court, Parnassus and the island of Geter!” he exclaimed with admiration and gratitude.

She did a lot for Rousseau, especially when he could not protect his own interests. The Marquise staged his "Siberian Soothsayer" on the stage and had big success in the male role of Colpen. However, Jean-Jacques considered her not attentive enough to him, since he was not introduced to the king and did not receive a pension. On the other hand, the Marquise arranged a pension for old Crebillon, who once gave her lessons in recitation, which was now poor and abandoned by everyone. Pompadour staged his play Catelina, contributed to the monumental publication of his tragedies in the royal printing house, and after Crebillon's death, the construction of a mausoleum for him.

Her friends were Buffon and Montesquieu. The Marquise also helped the encyclopedists - d'Alembert (for him she secured a pension) and Diderot, whom she repeatedly called for moderation and caution.

Pompadour contributed to the opening of a military school for the sons of war veterans and impoverished nobles. When the money allocated for the construction ran out, the marquise contributed the missing amount. In October 1781, student Napoleon Bonaparte arrived at this school to study ...

Reformer in a skirt

Other equally glorious deeds are associated with the name Pompadour. She actively interfered in the domestic and foreign policy of France, was engaged in patronage, fought with her political opponents, and most often, successfully, because the king was always on her side.

Wanting to create serious competition for the famous and expensive Saxon porcelain, Pompadour moved factories from Vincennes to Sevres, tirelessly experimented, invited skilled artisans and talented artists, sculptors, arranged exhibitions in Versailles and publicly announced: “If someone who has money does not buys this porcelain, he is a bad citizen of his country.”

Pompadour has made an invaluable contribution to the cultural heritage of mankind.

Diamonds, cut which is called “marquise” (oval stones), in their shape resemble the mouth of a favorite.

Champagne is bottled either in narrow tulip glasses, or in cone-shaped glasses that appeared during the reign of Louis XV - this is exactly the shape of Madame de Pompadour's chest.

A small reticule bag made of soft leather is also her invention. She brought high heels and high hair into fashion because she was small.

Beautiful delicate roses, her favorite flower, which the Marquise planted wherever she could, were eventually called “Pompadour roses”.

The marquise held the throne for twenty years, although her position was often in danger. She was not a cheerful person, although she wanted to seem like one. In fact, Pompadour had a cold mind, an ambitious character and, moreover, an iron will, which was surprisingly combined with her weak body, tired of a serious illness ...

Last walk

On one of her trips to Choiseul, the marquise fainted, but found the strength to recover, contrary to the expectations of others. Then came a relapse, and there was no more hope. Louis ordered her to be transported to Versailles, although until now, as Lacretel wrote, only princes were allowed to die in the royal palace.

Pompadour died at 43. However, one can only be surprised that with such an anxious life, she lasted so long. In her early youth, she was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis.

When the funeral procession turned towards Paris, Louis, standing on the balcony of the palace in the pouring rain, said: “What disgusting weather you have chosen for your last walk, madam!” Behind this seemingly completely inappropriate joke, true sadness was hidden.

The Marquise de Pompadour was buried in the tomb of the Capuchin monastery. Now, at the place of her burial, there is Rue de la Paix, passing through the territory of the monastery demolished at the beginning of the 19th century. Historian Henri Matrin called Pompadour "the first female prime minister."