Royal mistress
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A royal mistress is the historical position of a mistress to a monarch or senior Royal. Some mistresses have had considerable power. These powerful mistresses have been usually dubbed as,The "Power behind the throne." The prevalence of the institution can be attributed to the fact that royal marriages were until recent times conducted solely on the basis of political and dynastic considerations, leaving little space for the monarch's personal preferences in the choice of a mate.
In European history the children of mistresses were not normally included in the line of succession, except perhaps when secret marriages were alleged. Hence the Monmouth Rebellion when James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth claimed the thrones of England and Scotland on the grounds that his mother had been the wife, rather than a mistress of Charles II.
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[edit] Royal mistresses in English history
- Edith Swanneck, mistress to King Harold II
- Rosamund Clifford, mistress to Henry II
- Alice Perrers, mistress to Edward III
- Jane Shore, mistress to Edward IV
- Bessie Blount, mistress to Henry VIII
- Mary Boleyn, mistress to Henry VIII
- Anne Boleyn, mistress to Henry VIII
[edit] Royal mistresses in Scottish history
- Margaret Erskine, mistress to James V
[edit] Royal mistresses in British history
- Jane Popincourt, mistress to Henry VIII
- Lucy Walter, mistress to Charles II
- Barbara Villiers, 1st Duchess of Cleveland, mistress to Charles II
- Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth, mistress to Charles II
- Nell Gwynne, mistress to Charles II
- Moll Davis, mistress to Charles II
- Arabella Churchill, mistress to James II
- Catherine Sedley, Countess of Dorchester, mistress to James II
- Elizabeth Villiers, mistress to William III
- Ehrengard Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal and Munster, mistress to George I
- Henrietta Howard, Countess of Suffolk, mistress to George II
- Mary Scott, Countess of Deloraine (1703–44), mistress to George II[1]
- Amalie von Wallmoden, Countess of Yarmouth, mistress to George II
- Hannah Lightfoot, mistress to George III
- Maria Anne Fitzherbert, mistress to George IV
- Elizabeth Conyngham, Marchioness Conyngham, mistress to George IV
- Frances Villiers, Countess of Jersey, mistress to George IV
- Grace Elliot, mistress to George IV
- Mary Robinson, mistress to George IV
- Marchioness of Hertford mistress to George IV
- Marchioness Conyngham mistress to George IV
- Dorothy Jordan, mistress to Prince William who later became William IV
- Sarah Bernhardt mistress to Edward VII
- Jennie Jerome, mistress to Edward VII
- Lillie Langtry, mistress to Edward VII
- Daisy Greville, Countess of Warwick, mistress to Edward VII
- Alice Keppel, mistress to Edward VII
- Agnes Keyser, mistress to Edward VII
- Freda Dudley Ward, mistress to Edward VIII
- Lady Furness, mistress to Edward VIII
- Wallis Simpson, mistress to Edward VIII
- Camilla Parker-Bowles, mistress to Charles, Prince of Wales
[edit] Royal mistresses in European history
- Anna Mons (Russia)
- Anna Lopukhina (Russia)
- Lola Montez (Bavaria)
- Madame de Pompadour (France)
- Magda Lupescu (Romania)
- Maria Naryshkina (Russia)
- Maria Peres de Enxara (Portugal)
- Marie, Countess Walewski (France)
- Caroline Lacroix (Belgium)
- Baroness Mary Vetsera (Austria)
- Katharina Schratt (Austria)
- Joséphine de Beauharnais (France)
[edit] See also
- English royal mistress
- List of French royal mistresses
- Favourite, a term sometimes used for mistresses, although also used for court favourites of the monarch with no sexual element in the relationship, often serving as ministers.
[edit] References
- ^ "Mary Scott". Oxford dictionary of national biography. Oxford University Press. http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/101068126/. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
- Herman, E. Sex with Kings: 500 years of adultery, power, rivalry, and revenge ISBN 0-06-058543-9
- In His Majesty's, Ahem, Service
- MacIntyre, Ben Farewell to the last royal mistress: Nell Gwyn, Madame de Pompadour and Camilla Parker Bowles; they all uphold a distinguished tradition
[edit] Further reading
- Cawthorne, Nigel (1994) The Sex Lives of the Kings and Queens of England: from Henry VIII to the present day. London: Prion ISBN 185371391
