The maîtresse-en-titre () was the official royal mistress of the King of France. The title was vaguely defined and used in the Middle Ages but finally became an acknowledged, if informal, position during the reign of Henry IV (), and continued through the reign of Louis XV (). It was a semi-official position which came with its own apartments, estates and a title if the woman did not have any.
Some individuals having this position acquired significant power and more influence than the Queen of France, as some mistresses were known to advise the King of France in state affairs, broker favors for clients, elevate others in social mobility, forge alliances and negotiate with foreign diplomats.
In contrast, the title petite maîtresse was the title of a mistress who was not officially acknowledged.
French royal mistresses with the position of Maîtresse-en-titre
While the king may have had many mistresses, there was normally only one official Maîtresse-en-titre. Below are examples of those with this position. For a full list of all the mistresses of a French king, regardless of their position as official or not, please see List of French royal mistresses.
Charles V (1338 – 1380) Biette de Cassinel (c. 1340 – c. 1380)
Charles VI (1368 – 1422) Odette de Champdivers (c. 1384–1424)
Charles VII (1403 – 1461) Agnès Sorel (c. 1422–1450) Antoinette de Maignelais (c. 1430 – c. 1461)
Louis XI (1423 – 1483) Phélise Regnard (1424–1474) Marguerite de Sassenage (c. 1449–1471)
Francis I (1494 – 1547) Françoise de Foix (1495–1537), countess of Châteaubriant Anne de Pisseleu d'Heilly (1508–1580), duchess of Étampes
Henry II (1519 – 1559) Diane de Poitiers (1499–1566)
Henry III (1551 – 1589) Louise de La Béraudière du Rouhet (1530–1611) Renée de Rieux de Châteauneuf (fl. 16th C.) Marie of Cleves, Princess of Condé (1553–1574)
Henry IV (1553 – 1610) Diane d'Andoins "La Belle Corisandre" (1554–1621) Françoise de Montmorency (1562–1614) Esther Imbert (1570 – c. 1593) Antoinette de Pons (1570–1632) Gabrielle d'Estrées (c. 1571–1599) Catherine Henriette de Balzac d'Entragues (1579–1633), marquise de Verneuil Jacqueline de Bueil (c. 1580–1651) Charlotte des Essarts (c. 1580–1651)
Louis XIV (1638 – 1715) Louise Françoise de la Baume le Blanc de la Vallière (1644–1710), duchesse de la Vallière and duchesse de Vaujours Françoise-Athénaïs de Rochechouart de Mortemart, marquise de Montespan (1640–1707) Françoise d'Aubigné, marquise de Maintenon (1635–1719), married the King in 1683 Isabelle de Ludres (1647–1722) Marie Angélique de Scoraille de Roussille (1661–1681), duchess of Fontanges
Louis XV (1710 – 1774) Louise Julie de Mailly (1710–1751), comtesse de Mailly Pauline-Félicité de Mailly (1712–1741), marquise de Vintimille Diane-Adélaïde de Mailly (1713–1760), duchess de Lauraguais Marie-Anne de Mailly (1717–1744), duchess de Châteauroux Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson (better known as Madame de Pompadour) (1721–1764), marquise de Pompadour Marie-Jeanne Bécu (better known as Madame du Barry) (1743–1793), comtesse de Barry
Louis XVIII (1755 – 1824) Zoé Talon, comtesse du Cayla (1785–1852)
See also Henry IV of France's wives and mistresses Favourite
References
External links List of maîtresses du Roi-Soleil (French)