Madame De Pompadour: Mistress Of France

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Description

the compelling new biography of the legendary mistress of King Louis XV of France offers a dramatic insight into the life of one of the most enchanting, powerful, and feared women to grace the world's stage. At the age of 10 she was told by a fortune-teller that she would become the king\'9291s mistress, and was thereafter groomed for the role. Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson underwent a number of transformations before she captivated the king and was officially recognised as his matresse declaree. the court was shocked at her sudden ascension, but the newcomer wasted no time, quickly establishing herself as the king\'9291s sole confidante and, ultimately, his indispensable partner in affairs of state. Algrant looks at the influence of this favourite of the king on the artistic and political spectrum of the day, examining her relationships with the leaders of the French Enlightenment: Voltaire, Rousseau, and Diderot. Evocative and insightful, Madame de Pompadour is a seductive portrait of a fascinating woman.

Author Bio

Christine Pevitt Algrant studied classics at Cambridge University and has worked as a television reporter and publisher in London and New York. Her previous book was Philippe, duc d'Orl'ans, a New York Times Notable Book of the year. She has been fascinated by Madame de Pompadour since reading Nancy Mitford's biography of Pompadour as a teenager.