Madame de Pompadour: Mistress of FranceThis biography of the legendary mistress of King Louis XV offers dramatic insight into the life of one of the most enchanting, powerful, and feared women to grace the world's stage. Groomed from an early age to assume the role of a rich man's mistress, Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson underwent several transformations before she caught the heart of the king himself. Although accustomed to the king's extramarital relationships, the court was shocked at the sudden ascension of the low-born Mademoiselle Poisson. The newcomer, however, wasted no time in establishing herself as the king's sole confidante and, ultimately, his indispensable partner in affairs of state. The critically acclaimed author of Philippe, Duc d'Orleans, Christine Pevitt Algrant traces Madame de Pompadour from her modest beginnings in early-eighteenth-century Paris to her reign as the undisputed mistress of Versailles. Filled with photographs, and evocative and insightful in its telling, Madame de Pompadour is a seductive portrait of one of the most fascinating and influential women of the age. |
Contents
List of Illustrations | |
Preface | |
17211745 She was born with good sense and a good heart | 1 |
7451 757 Sincere and tender Pompadour | 47 |
175117 Louis XV is letting himself be guided by her advice | 113 |
17561759 The marquise is Prime Minister | 185 |
17591764 What miseries are attached to ambition | 245 |
Afterword | 293 |
Epilogue | 299 |
Acknowledgments | 303 |
Source Notes | 305 |
| 323 | |
| 329 | |
Other editions - View all
Madame de Pompadour: Mistress of France Christine Pevitt,Christine Pevitt Algrant No preview available - 2003 |
Madame de Pompadour: Mistress of France Christine Pevitt,Christine Pevitt Algrant No preview available - 2004 |
Common terms and phrases
abbé de Bernis Abel affairs army asked Austria Barbier believe Belle-Isle Bellevue Berryer British Broglie charming château Choisy Compiègne comte d'Argenson comtesse court courtiers Crécy Croÿ dame daughter dauphin Du Hausset duc de Choiseul duc de Luynes duchesse Duclos Duverney Encyclopédie Etioles everything Fontainebleau France François Poisson Frederick French girl Hausset husband Ibid Jeanne-Antoinette Kaunitz king king's knew Lenormand letter livres Louis XV Lutzelbourg Machault Madame d'Estrades Madame d'Etioles Madame de Châteauroux Madame de Choiseul Madame de Mailly Madame de Pom Madame de Pompadour Madame Poisson magistrates maréchal Maria-Theresa Marmontel marquise's Maurepas Mémoires Michel minister mistress Mme de Pompadour Monsieur Montmartel never padour painted Paris Pâris brothers Pâris-Duverney Parisian parlement peace petits cabinets Piépape play Poulet-Malassis prince de Conti Prussia queen Richelieu rooms royal salon seemed Soubise Stainville theatre told took Tournehem Trianon Versailles Voltaire wish woman wrote young