Madame de Pompadour

Madame de Pompadour became King Louis XV's mistress in 1745 and remained his confidante until her death. Of middle-class origin, she owed her success mainly to her intelligence and capabilities. She was a devoted patron of the arts and was a tastemaker in matters of art and culture. However, she was less astute in the political arena, as exemplified by her encouragement of the French alliance with Austria that involved her country in the disastrous Seven Years' War. How did she die? More...

"First official mistress"? "Third official mistress"? How did the queen take it?

A Hummingbird's End

“Madame de Pompadour suffered from an embarrassing condition called leucorrhea, which left a smelly white vaginal discharge. It was euphemistically known as ‘white flowers,’ and it’s possible that the marquise developed it during the birth of her daughter. She also had the misfortune to have suffered at least three miscarriages by this time, and her greatest joy would have been to bear the king a child.

Sex was painful for Reinette as she suffered from a particular discharge that would cause her discomfort during sex. This is one of the reasons that she and King ceased sexual relations.

Her death was precipitated by her attempts to increase sexual desire. By taking several aphrodisiacs of the time, she ruined her health and never rested out of fear of losing the King.

By the late 1750s, Pompadour's famous looks were fading. And by the early 1760s, her health was failing as well. She had always been rather frail. Appearances notwithstanding, she had long suffered from chronic migraines and lung ailments, not to mention the gynecological troubles mentioned earlier. Pompadour died on Palm Sunday, April 15, 1764, at Versailles. The cause was either tuberculosis or congestive heart failure. She was just 41 years old.

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A historic mistress.