Madame de Pompadour

Madame de Pompadour was one of the mistresses of Louis XV. She was not born as nobility, nor was she in the clergy, but she still had enormous power and influence through being a mistress to the king. She began as an illegitimate daughter of a butcher and through marriage and ambition, became one of the most influential women under the Queen. She made a marriage to her mother’s ex-lover’s grandson. Her relationship with the King didn’t start until well after her original marriage. There are several different accounts as to how she first encountered the King. Soon after she became the accepted mistress of the king, she divorced her previously loved husband. She entertained the king for many years before her death at the age of 42, of tuberculosis. Her power was so vast that some say a snub by the ruler of Prussia was one of the sparks that got France into the 7 years war, although that cannot be confirmed. People often tried to take away from her power by pointing out her non-nobility heritage, but she had enough power that she didn’t have to take it. One courtier who was openly rude to her and embarrassed her in public was exiled for 20 years. Even after her youth left her and she was no longer the mistress of the king, she still remained a friend of his and kept a hold on her power.