Special Sub-Topic: Madame de Pompadour: Mistress of Louis XV Click Here To Play: Madame de Pompadour: Mistress of Louis XV

When did Madame de Pompadour become the official mistress of Louis XV?

1745. She met Louis XV in 1744 but before he would announce her as his mistress he groomed her for the court.

What was unusual about Madame de Pompadour?

She was the first royal mistress from the middle class. All previous royal mistresses had come from the nobility.

What did the Dauphin call Madame de Pompadour?

Mama Putain. "Putain" means "whore". Obviously, the Dauphin did not like her that much.

At the age of nine a fortune teller told the the young (and untitled) Madame de Pompadour that one day she would be the king's mistress.

t. Because she was told this she received an education that would make her acceptable at Versailles and she also moved to Choisy which was near where Louis XV spent his summers.

Eventually the sexual relationship of Louis XV and Madame de Pompadour stopped. When?

1750. Though they stopped having a sexual relationship they still stayed good friends and she was still very much his entertainment.

What was her name before she received the title of Madame de Pompadour?

Jeanne-Antionette Poisson. The kings often gave their mistresses titles by buying them an estate that conferred a title.

Madame de Pompadour became so influential that foreign diplomats often put their requests to her instead of using the regular channels.

t. She helped influence the Diplomatic Revolution, that is the abandonment of Prussia as a French ally and the realignment of France with Austria (and Russia) in 1755-56. As a result, Prussia and Britain became allies. In 1752, Louis XV made her a duchess.

What was the "Stag Park" that Madame de Pompadour created for Louis XV in 1753?

A place where women were kept for Louis XV. She did not want women around who wanted power so she helped pick the mistresses of Louis XV.

In what year did Madame de Pompadour move to the same floor as Louis XV?

1752. This was highly irregular! It showed how close her relationship with Louis XV had become.

What year did Madame de Pompadour die?

1764. The apartments she occupied at Versailles can still be seen today. Louis' official mistress after her was Madame du Barry, who was from the much humbler origins (lower class) and later became notorious for her hatred of Marie-Antoinette.