Extraordinarily beautiful, eloquent, and well-read. She was passionate about art and culture. Many admired her, but many also criticized her. Such was the Marquise de Pompadour. She made King Louis XV fall in love with her, but he appreciated not only her appearance, but above all her intelligence. Their romance lasted only a few years, but the Marquise de Pompadour remained by his side until her death.
An Ordinary Girl from a Bourgeois Family
At the beginning of Jeanne de Pompadour’s life, nothing indicated that she would find herself at the royal court in the future. She was born into a bourgeois family.
They did not have a good financial situation. Her mother traded in leather, and her father fled the country due to financial embezzlement. They could not afford to provide their daughter with a proper education, but even this was achieved.
Jeanne’s mother entered into an affair with the French ambassador. It was this relationship that allowed her to pay for her daughter’s education. Jeanne developed artistic, musical, and dance abilities. She learned foreign languages and read extensively. Already as a very young girl, she learned the manners of a lady, and additionally, she was exceptionally beautiful.
Interestingly, although initially no one could have guessed how the girl’s career would unfold, at the age of nine she heard from a fortune teller that she would be the king’s mistress in the future. This prophecy came true, but many coincidences still had to happen along the way.
Marriage and Romance with the King
Her „stepfather,” or rather her mother’s lover, provided Jeanne not only with a good education but also found her a suitable husband, who was his nephew. The wedding took place in 1741, and the girl was then 19 years old.
The young couple did not have to wait long for offspring, and two children were born from this marriage. Unfortunately, the boy lived only one year, and the girl 10 years.
The marriage enabled her to gain access to the royal court, because in 1745 they received an invitation to a ball organized by the king. Most likely, it was then that the first closer meeting between Louis XV and Jeanne de Pompadour took place. The young and beautiful girl enchanted all the guests. There was no one who did not notice her beauty.
It is no wonder that the king also noticed Jeanne. Louis XV desired to find new love, because at the end of 1744 his mistress had died. Officially, a girl from a bourgeois family could not become the king’s mistress, so he decided to grant her a title, and thus Jeanne became the Marquise de Pompadour.
Pompadour left her husband, and Louis XV offered her a place in Versailles and presented her at court. The Marquise de Pompadour had much to do at the royal court. She organized balls, festivals, and theatrical performances. She loved renovating palaces, which had an impact on the creation of the style characteristic of the times of Louis XV. Initially, she could not find her place at court, but friendly people quickly helped her, mainly Father de Bernis.
The End of Romance, the Beginning of Friendship
Around 1750, the relationship between the king and his mistress changed. Nothing remained of the love affair, but their friendship blossomed even more. Most likely, the romance ended due to the Marquise de Pompadour’s health problems, but there was also talk of „amorous coldness.” However, she remained by the king’s side and had an enormous influence on him, including politically.
The Marquise de Pompadour also had to do something to not lose her position. She decided to organize entertainment for the king, and she was excellent at it. She brought him new mistresses, but only those who could not threaten her position. She also organized the Deer Park, which, under the guise of educating girls, was actually a „brothel” for Louis XV.
The existence of this place outraged many people, and it is hard to blame them. The Marquise de Pompadour lost image-wise, but so did King Louis XV. She herself repeated that one should live merrily and lavishly, and the king was under her strong influence. He derived many benefits from this relationship, and their friendship grew stronger and stronger.
By the King’s Side Until Death
The Marquise de Pompadour lived by the king’s side until her death and throughout that time had an enormous influence on him. Her position was firmly established, which she herself ensured.
She died on April 15, 1765, in Versailles. This was an extraordinary privilege for her, because only family members could die in the royal residence. This situation also shows how important she was to Louis XV.
The king accompanied her until her death, and during her illness, he visited her daily. He watched her funeral from his terrace. The Marquise de Pompadour permanently inscribed herself in history, although she was not always remembered kindly. Her life became an inspiration for poets, and several films were also made about her.
Selected Bibliography:
„Madame Pompadour: historia najbardziej znanej kochanki w Europie,” https://www.focus.pl/artykul/madame-pompadour-historia-najbardziej-znanej-kochanki-w-europie?page=1
Anna Winkler, „Najsłynniejsza kochanka Europy. Kariera markizy de Pompadour,” https://ciekawostkihistoryczne.pl/2019/03/31/najslynniejsza-kochanka-europy-kariera-markizy-de-pompadour/
Wykład dr Agnieszki Rosales Rodriguez, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6dOV9DWjnE&t=1720s
Autor
Margot Cleverly
Margot's journey into women's history began with a box of forgotten letters in a Cambridge archive – suffragettes whose voices had been silenced for over a century. Since then, she's been on a mission to uncover the stories history overlooked.
What she writes about: Queens who ruled from the shadows. Scientists whose male colleagues took credit. Revolutionaries who risked everything. But also ordinary women – those who survived wars, raised families through upheaval, and shaped their communities in ways no one bothered to record.
Margot turns historical figures into real people. She writes with warmth and detail, making centuries-old stories feel surprisingly relevant. Rigorous research meets accessible storytelling – no dusty academic jargon, just compelling narratives backed by solid facts.
When she's not writing, you'll find her in regional archives, collecting oral histories, or visiting sites connected to the women she writes about.