Today we will talk about the favorite of Charles VII, King of France, successor and son of Charles the Mad. Her name is Agnes Sorel.
She was called the most beautiful woman of the 15th century, she was wasteful, but she helped the poor, she dressed provocatively, but she looked innocent. And Agnes Sorel went down in history as the first officially recognized mistress of the King of France, who was able to become not only the constant mistress of Charles VII, but also the friend of his wife, Queen Mary of Anjou.
Charles VII easily spoke about the power of a woman over herself, and this recognition, impossible, derogatory for any male, and even more so for a monarch's dignity, did not cause a scandal for only one reason. The entire male half of the court, from the archbishop to the hunter, agreed that the favors of the beautiful Agnes, if not superior, are quite comparable in importance with the royal regalia. Her breasts are heavier than a royal cup, her body is more majestic than a scepter, her curls are softer and softer than an ermine mantle. And the possession of all this splendor, together, is capable of fulfilling anyone with sovereign power and greatness. To the beauty's credit, it should be noted that none of the courtiers was honored to personally verify the validity of their assumptions. Only Karl knew for sure. The goose, Karl, who realized himself by the grace of the beautiful Agnes Charles VII The winner.
His mother called him a goose. Isabella of Bavaria, an intelligent woman, witty, but, alas, completely devoid of maternal instinct... Without giving birth to 12 children. Karl had a hopeless lot to be born as the eleventh child in the family. The Royal Genealogical Book dates this event to February 22, 1403.
The child was born frail, with an unreasonably long bluish neck and the Valois family nose, which looked rather strange on an infant's face. From weakness, the child could not scream, only made some strange hissing sounds in his throat. "Goose", - Isabella typed, and this nickname remained with Karl for many, many years.
As for his father, we talked about him in a previous post dedicated to Karl the Mad and his favorite Odette de Shamdiver. In short - he was insane and in fact the state was ruled by Queen Isabella.
Isabella Bavarian
For this reason, the acquaintance of the father with the son was postponed for a rather considerable period. It took place when the youngest Valois was already four years old. And although the doctors gave a conclusion that the king is in a state of enlightenment, the meeting with him scared the baby to hysteria. The goose was taken away and since then kept away from parental eyes. A vain, ugly, sullen boy did not indulge his parent's heart, and the king and queen had no other reason to care about his development and upbringing. The likelihood that the child would become a dauphin, that is, the heir to the throne, was negligible - here Karl was ahead of his older brothers. In a word, our hero had a difficult childhood and a very modest prospects for the future. The title of Duke of Poitiers given to him did not promise either fame or great wealth ...
Unexpectedly for everyone, Iolanta of Aragonskaya showed interest in the boy. The nominal queen of the four kingdoms - Aragon, Sicily, Jerusalem and Naples - the Duchess of Anjou was a distant relative of Charles, it seems, the great-niece of his grandfather Charles V. Perhaps this woman, whom the chronicler of the royal house of Bodigny called only "the wisest and most beautiful of all Christian princesses ", and indeed possessed extraordinary sagacity, or maybe she just felt sorry for the boy. But in 1413, when Karl was only 10 years old, Iolanta met with Isabella of Bavaria, whom, by the way, she could not stand, and signed an agreement with her, according to which their children, that is, Karl and Maria of Anjou, should marry ... Before the onset of marriageable age, the boy entered the care of Iolanta.
Isabeau was only glad of this turn of events. By that time, her husband had completely lost his mind, and for Isabella a very difficult, but at the same time unusually exciting life began. To understand how difficult and how fascinating it is, you need to have an idea of the political environment of the time. Against the backdrop of a permanent war with England, the origins of which go back as far as the XI-XII centuries, broke out in the French kingdom Civil War: the party of the Burguñons against the party of the ar-maniacs. Both sides wanted the same thing - power, that is, real power under a nominal and inactive king. Both were roughly equal in strength. Both were looking for an ally capable of providing them with an advantage. And both found him in the face of the English court. The British, meanwhile, had their own calculation. England, which at that time had significant possessions in France, dreamed of uniting both states under her crown. Therefore, the British alternately flirted with the Burgunians, then with the Armagnacs.
Isabella, as the person closest to the ruling king, was interesting to everyone. And she was interested in those, and others, and still others. Moreover, she was fond of not only political intrigues, but also love joys. Are there children here!
In a word, Karl moved to Anjou, to Iolanta. The future mother-in-law, unlike her own mother, paid much attention to the development and upbringing of the boy. Having discovered in him a penchant for the humanities and music, Iolanthe did everything to develop his talents.With the eradication of shortcomings, the situation was worse. The fact is that Karl was, as they would say now, an absolutely unsportsmanlike boy. He was awkward in the saddle, fenced not gracefully, walked even kosoboko. But Iolanthe did not back down. She seemed to have foreseen that very soon all this would be useful to him.
Although how could she have known that in 1415 Karl's older brother would suddenly die, and a year later he would be followed by a second Dauphin - both blooming youths. And now Isabella calls the heir to the court. But a 14-year-old teenager, even by the standards of the Middle Ages, is not quite a man yet, he still does not make independent decisions. The decision was taken by Iolanthe and expressed it directly and simply, disregarding the etiquette befitting in the correspondence of two noble persons. “A woman who has so many lovers doesn't need children. I didn’t feed and raise the boy so that you would now kill him under your tutelage, as you killed his older brothers, or make him an Englishman, as you did yourself, or drive him crazy, like his poor father. Try to take it from me and you will not be good, you shameless person. "
Iolanta of Aragon and little Charles VII
Isabella was even more shameless than Iolanthe could have imagined. So much so that she was not afraid to publicly declare that the Dauphin was not the king's son. Therefore, he has no right to the throne. Few people then believed Isabella. It was obvious that she was lying in the interests of the British, who had already finally decided on their sympathies and acted in concert with the bourguignons. As for Charles, it seemed to him that it was decidedly indifferent whether he became king or not. But his mother's betrayal offended him, once again reminded him that he was unloved, unnecessary.
Aunt Iolanta, meanwhile, sent the young man to Poitiers and ordered him to declare himself regent. On his behalf, she drew up a passionate appeal to the French people, which said that the ruling king was not himself, that Isabella, who had sold to the British, was leading his hand, and the mission of the legitimate regent of Valois was to free the fatherland from foreigners, to restore order in the kingdom and to provide his subjects with a decent life. The atrocities of the British on French soil were so bloody and ruinous that the conversion had an effect. The Armagnacs unanimously went over to the side of Charles.
However, as many as eleven years passed before the legal coronation in Reims. A lot has happened over the years. The enemy king Henry V died, the insane father Charles died, the leader of the Bourguignons died, Maria of Anjou became Charles's wife, and, finally, most importantly, God sent him Joan of Arc. 
The girl insisted that it was God who sent her, and he did it as if so that she, Jeanne, would help him do justice, that is, defeat the British and take Charles to Reims for a legal coronation. There is a version according to which this whole performance was directed by mother-in-law Iolanta. It is likely, if only because the nomadic court of Charles and his army were supported by her money. There is also an assumption that the legendary Jeanne dArc is Margarita Valois, the illegitimate daughter of Karl the Mad and his favorite Odette de Chamdiver.
But this is not the main thing. The main thing is that Zhanna succeeded in everything. On July 17, 1429, Charles was crowned at Reims. And the archbishop publicly called him "the Lord's anointed", "the son of the Most High", "the shepherd of the nations", " right hand church "," the first of all the kings of the Earth, superior in nobility and holiness of all the kings of the Old and New Testaments "and so on and so forth. And all the nobles and commoners, princes of the church and noble people of the kingdom knelt before him. What was Karl supposed to feel at that moment? A boy betrayed by his mother, who had just ascended the throne with a battle, did he feel triumph? Or maybe relief? Who knows. But, according to the chroniclers, Karl looked like an uncomfortable person. And, out of an unrelenting childhood habit, every now and then he stretched his neck like a goose. He had a large, forehead head, but the impression was that the crown was great for him. In a word, it did little to match the epithets that, according to the ceremony, “bestowed on the archbishop. The goose-cub Karl turned into Charles VII the Victorious, but, it seems, did not realize himself as such.
Ten years later, in the life of the monarch appeared true love... Charles, by the standards of the time, was already a middle-aged man; he already had five or six children, born to Maria of Anjou. The wife did not differ in beauty, intelligence, or pleasant disposition, and Karl visited her bedroom, presumably, solely out of gratitude to his mother-in-law. Of course, there were many lovely women at court. But Charles, even though the king, was awkward in dealing with the ladies. It is known that he was very shy of his appearance, not without reason, believing that the family traits of Valois in his appearance took on some completely caricatured embodiment. At the same time, his aesthetic criteria for women were too strict and were determined by the cult traditional for medieval chivalry "bel dam san merci", that is, "a lady who knows no indulgence." The medieval allegorical poem "The Novel of the Rose" gave quite clear instructions as to how this very lady should look. The eyes are blue or green, the pupils are excitedly dilated, the forehead is high, the hair is golden, hip-length, the skin is the color of lily petals, the nose is small, straight, the mouth is also small and puffy, the stature is thin, the chest is small but high. For the sake of such a woman, it was worth breaking spears, composing sonnets and committing other follies. But there was no such woman around Karl. At least none of them met the knightly standard exactly. There was something missing in the register of her charms.
The 15th century beauty ideal. 
The fateful meeting took place under unknown circumstances. But it is known for certain that it was organized by the mother-in-law Iolanta. It was she who was credited with the idea of creating a "flying squad", which was later adopted by other august persons. The idea turned out to be as simple as it was effective. Iolanta formed a brigade of beautiful, intelligent, and most importantly, girls who were completely devoted to her benefactress, arranged for them at court, and sooner or later they all ended up in the beds of noble nobles. The girls thus got the opportunity to arrange their fate, and Iolanthe got operational information. The women turned out to be excellent spies, even better than the Franciscan monks. Agnes Sorel stood out especially among them. Iolanthe noticed her in the retinue of her daughter-in-law Isabella of Lorraine, with whom Agnes was a maid of honor. The girl's parents had neither a significant position at court, nor wealth. Father, Jean Sorel, held a modest position of counselor at the court of the Count of Clermont, mother, Catherine de Menielay, owned a vast but low-income de Verneuil estate. The main capital of the family was the daughter. The adorable Agnes would surely be able to make a decent party, and in view of this perspective, the status of a maid of honor can be seen as a great start for a 15-year-old girl. However, Agnes disposed of the opportunities provided to her in her own way. She was in no hurry to get married. The four years spent in Isabella's palace became her universities. Agnes learned to speak expressively, sing, play the lute and harp, inflame the male imagination with graceful poses and gestures. Possessing a naturally developed imagination and good taste, she knew how to dress in such a way that much more noble ladies in their luxurious outfits seemed simpletons in comparison with her. At that time, the knights had already brought powder, blush and carmine from the Arab East. But few of the ladies of the world knew how to delicately use this. Agnes was skilled and, according to the chronicler Jean Chartier, even gave lessons to her patroness. By the age of twenty, she had developed into a perfect beauty with an incredibly thin waist and a high neck, on which, like a flower cup on a stem, sat a lovely head with high gold curls, shaved on her forehead and temples in the fashion of that time. Her face, with its babyishly rounded cheeks, seemed angelically innocent and vicious at the same time. So the artist Jean Fouquet, who captured Agnes in the image of the Madonna, was able to convey this characteristic feature her faces were even accused of a dangerous combination of religious feelings with erotic ones.
In short, Agnes was the perfect example of “la bel dame san merci”. And Karl, of course, could not help but pay attention to her. That was what Iolanthe was counting on. She had no need to spy on her son-in-law. But she wanted to influence the king. And her clumsy daughter was definitely not suitable for such a delicate mission.
So, Iolanthe arranged a meeting between the king and Agnes. Karl was so impressed that, contrary to custom, he immediately went into a seizure. But clever Agnes skillfully portrayed fear and, turning to Karl her disarmed femininity in the most spectacular pose, appealed to his knightly honor. I had to retreat. For nearly a month, the court discussed the swollen veins in the king's temples - a sign of extraordinary excitement. And then one day the king went out to the morning mass joyful. He smiled all day and all evening. He generously gifted jesters. I ordered some new outfits from the royal tailor. In a word, he behaved so unusual that this state of his was recorded by the court chronicler. Perhaps the chronicler thought that Karl went crazy like his father. And Karl just fell in love. Very soon, this connection became apparent to everyone. Karl, previously indifferent to luxury, suddenly became a real dandy. The royal treasurer, Jacques Coeur, wrote for him precious Utrecht velvet and Venetian purple silk. In those days, men wore short clothes. So - Karl's outfit almost did not cover his hips, which, as contemporaries noted more than once, with thin crooked legs decidedly did not suit his figure. But with the advent of Agnes, Karl seemed to have ceased to experience any complexes about his appearance. And in general I felt a taste for life and all kinds of entertainment for the soul and body. Every day there is new fun. Now a knightly tournament, now a feast with troubadours and minstrels. And the beautiful Agnes was invariably the main decoration, the center of every meeting. By the way, Agnes also managed to make friends with Queen Mary: Yolanda of Anjou advised her daughter to come to terms with the existing state of affairs ...
Maria of Anjou
The kind and condescending queen obeyed the advice and tried to establish friendly relations with her mistress. They even walked together, listened to music, and had small talk at dinner, which made Charles VII very happy, for whom there was no greater pleasure than seeing the complete agreement that reigned around ...
Agnes loved outfits and designed the styles of her dresses herself. One of them, with an asymmetrical neckline, completely exposing the left breast, went down in history as "Agnes's beautiful contrition about her sins."
And although the concept of fashion as such did not exist in the Middle Ages, Agnes, by her example, inspired ladies to imitate, and minstrels to create poetic introductions that glorify new styles:
If a woman is handsome
Her skin is white and soft,
Let him tell her tailor
I designed her neckline like this
That boldly opens his shoulders,
Breasts are exposed to the limit.
After all, if the chest is bare,
Then she is more attractive.
Agnes wore trains that were six meters long, although the queen herself was content with five. She adorned herself with diamonds, despite the fact that the palace protocol allowed such luxury only to the queen. But the protocol was revised due to the fact that, by the will of Karl, Agnes Sorel received the official status of a favorite. A favorite is more than a mistress. Vassals are obliged to give her royal honors, she takes part in the political life of the court, has the right to independently appeal to the royal treasurer to cover her needs, and the children born to her from her relationship with the king receive the generic name of the king. Indeed, all three daughters born to Agnes by Charles were named Valois. And Agnes herself received the royal castle of Bothe-sur-Marne ("Beauty on the Marne") and the title of Dame de Bothe, which is quite consistent with her captivating appearance, about which the Pope himself said that "this is the most beautiful face you can imagine." ...
However, there were people on whom the spell of the beautiful Agnes did not work. For example, Archbishop Jean Junevelle des Orsen. As the king's spiritual mentor, he repeatedly appealed to him, pointing out the extravagance and extravagance of his favorite and the courtiers imitating her. The pious des Orsen found that the ladies of the court, although they are of noble origin, now resemble in their appearance "painted donkeys put up for sale." He severely condemned "hellish windows through which their breasts peep out" and long trains, on which a lot of precious matter goes, and rightly noted that "all these excesses, now introduced at court, affect the increase of taxes and taxes from the poor by the seigneurs." For clarity, the archbishop cited excerpts from the Royal Book of Expenditures, in which every demand to the treasurer ended with a postscript "for the needs of France." A crystal service with gold leaves - for the needs of France, marten and ermine sling - for the needs of France, undershirts embroidered with gold - for the needs of France ... "What does France need for undershirts embroidered with gold?" - Vladyka reasonably asked. In response, Karl, not without a challenge, wrote to his spiritual mentor: "If Of the lovely lady there will be dresses embroidered with gold, she will have good mood... If she is in a good mood, I will also be in a good mood. If I am in a good mood, the whole of France will have a good mood. Therefore, France has a direct need for beautiful dresses. " Of course, Agnes received dresses with gold, and whatever she liked, but meanwhile France was not in a very good mood.
The British were still in charge of French soil. Quite vast, strategically important territories remained under their control. The people were catastrophically impoverished under the burden of unbearable taxes. And the generous alms given to Agnes for the needs of the church and the poor did not diminish the popular hatred of the royal mistress, who seduced the "most Christian king" from the true path. It is unlikely that Agnes was overcome by worries about the future of France, most likely, she acted at the instigation of Iolanta, but it was Agnes who forced Charles to change the surcoat embroidered in gold for armor and renew the war against the British. For this she used a certain trick, as reported by Brant in his book "The Life of Gallant Ladies": "Seeing that the king's heart is occupied only with love for her and he is not at all interested in the affairs of the kingdom, Agnes told him:" When I was little, an astrologer predicted to me that one of the bravest and most courageous kings would fall in love with me. When we met, I thought that you were the brave king: But it seems that I was mistaken: You are too pampered and almost do not do the affairs of your poor kingdom. It seems to me that this courageous king is not you, but English king, which creates such strong armies and captures such beautiful cities from you. Farewell! I go to him, apparently, the astrologer told me about him. "
The credibility of this legend can be questioned, but it is known for certain that the king nevertheless went to damned Normandy to launch an offensive against the British from there. And he did it solely for the sake of the beautiful eyes of Agnes. For the ruler of the Middle Ages, Karl was surprisingly not belligerent and preferred the harp to the sword. But Agnes had amazing power over him. She could inspire him for any deed, for any feat. And not at all because she had any special qualities. It was just his woman. For every man in this world there is a woman who is capable of raising his spirit, making him stronger. You just need to find her. Karl was lucky - he found it.
Something like Bella Hadid, no?))
Agnes did not get to celebrate the victorious end of the Hundred Years War. She died three years before this momentous event for France. Death came a few days after Agnes had her fourth child. The girl was born weak - and did not live a day, but as for her mother, it seemed that she did not die of her own death. Perhaps she was poisoned. At least Karl was convinced that this was the case. Why would a healthy blooming 28-year-old woman die like this, who had successfully given birth three times before. And after all, there is evidence that before her death the poor thing complained of a terrible fire devouring her from the inside, and her beautiful golden hair fell from her head like petals of a disturbed rose ... The royal treasurer Jacques Coeur and the eldest son of the king Dauphin Louis, the future Louis XI. The first was listed as her friend, the second as her enemy. But their guilt has not been proven.
Agnes Sorel was buried with honors worthy of royalty. The heart was buried in the Chapel of Notre Dame in Jumieges, where a splendid tombstone of black marble and a white marble statue depicting Agnes with folded hands, in which her heart is enclosed, was erected. The body was laid to rest in the collegiate church at the royal castle of Los.
Soon after the funeral, Karl brought his cousin Agnes Antoinette de Meunier-lai closer to him. She was very similar to his late lover, but could not replace her. According to the chroniclers, very soon half a dozen more beauties appeared, "ready to try for the king who tried so hard for France." So little by little, Charles gathered a harem that the Sultan himself could envy. Keeping a crowd of young libertines cost the treasury dearly. Charles was condemned for profligacy and extravagance. It is impossible to say for sure, but it seems that Karl was not driven by an irrepressible thirst for pleasure. He hoped in vain that many beautiful women would give him that feeling of strength, that greatness of spirit that Agnes had once endowed him with.
Computer simulation of the appearance of Agnes Sorel:
Updated 12/01/20 23:36:
The chronicler Jean Chartier considered her "the most beautiful in the world of all beauties". Olivier de La Marche confessed: "She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen" - and even Pope Pius II could not resist mentioning that "she has the most beautiful face you can see."
She was destined to remain in history as the first officially recognized royal mistress, benefactor of the unfortunate and disadvantaged and, finally, an example of tragic sacrificial love.
The life story is absolutely legendary. Some reproached her for extravagance, others saw in her the successor of Jeanne d'Arc. The quatrain of King Francis I is known, in which she is credited with perhaps the main merit in the liberation of France from the British. She had a beneficial influence on the king, fought against unworthy favorites and took care of the replacement of senior positions with deserved persons. From the king she had three daughters who received the title filles de France.
It is not known exactly when Agnes Sorel, an outstanding woman of her era, was born. Some call the year of her birth 1409, others argue that she was born much later, in 1422. Her father, close to the noble Count of Clermont, tried to make his daughter a maid of honor at the court, first of the Duchess Isabella of Lorraine, and then of Queen Mary of Anjou herself, the wife of King Charles VII of France. Agnes was in her early twenties. Her beauty was legendary.
Many noble persons, high-ranking officials fell in love with the girl, and even the king himself was no exception. Before meeting Agnes, the king had favorites. It was noted that Maria of Anzhuyskaya knew about the passionate and temperamental nature of her husband. Her husband was known as a windy, immoral, cowardly and cruel person, but he was well-read, educated and perceptive.
Once he saw the blonde-haired, blue-eyed Agnes, Karl was struck by her charm. She was so beautiful "that he longed to excite her and thought that his dreams could only come true in a dream."
On the same evening, the king tried to declare his feelings to Agnes, but the young girl ran away with a frightened look, which only inflamed the king's desire. For several days, his swollen veins at his temples were the subject of conversation at the royal court.
Like a shy gazelle, at first she avoided the king, but Charles, enchanted, was persistent.
But one morning the observant courtiers noticed that the king had a normal appearance, and everyone understood: the beautiful Agnes no longer spent the nights alone. Karl's wife Maria at this time was busy raising children - devout and with a face, in the words of Chastelier, "which even the English would have caught up with fear."
A few months later, the entire court knew about the love affair between the king and the lady from Fromanto. One queen was in the dark. But one evening, Maria of Anjou met the king's mistress, strolling along one of the corridors of the palace with her bare chest. This gave the queen food for thought. And Mary of Anjou set surveillance for the king. The king was very careful. The chronicler Jean Chartier reported that "no one ever saw Agnes kissing the king ..." Although no one doubted that there was a secret intimate relationship between them, for in 1445 the beauty felt that she was pregnant ...
To emphasize that this is not a passing fad, the king took the unprecedented act of declaring Agnes the official royal mistress. From now on, she was to be served like a princess, and she could wear the longest - after the queen - train.
On the day of the birth, the king was so worried that there could be no more doubts - adultery was evident. The angry and offended queen spent several days in tears, and then decided to calm down and ... become a friend of the reigning husband's mistress. The queen became so close to her rival that soon she already trusted her the most intimate secrets, gave Agnes jewelry and outfits. The women began to walk together, go hunting, and discuss matters in the country.
In 1445, Agnes gave birth to the king's daughter Charlotte, and then daughters Mary and Jeanne.
Charles VII decided to welcome the nobility to the mother of his illegitimate children. This splendid idea was the highest recognition a king could bestow on a charming mistress. Not far from Paris, at the edge of the Bois de Vincennes, on a hill overlooking the bend of the Marne, Charles had a small castle for a library. This area was called Bote-sur-Marne (translated as "beauty on the Marne"), and the king presented this estate to Agnes. She received the title of Dame de Baute (the title was consistent with her irresistible appearance).
Queen Mary
At the same time, they started talking about the extravagant outfits invented by the favorite herself. Agnes, abandoning loose tunics that hid forms, began to wear long dresses that tightly fit the body. She also came up with a cleavage that shocked Queen Mary. Shyly hiding one breast, she gracefully exposed the other. This new fashion outraged most of the ladies of the court, who did not dare to follow the example of Agnes.
She is credited with introducing such innovations as the wearing of diamonds by uncrowned persons, the invention of a long train, the wearing of very loose outfits that reveal one breast; her behavior and open admission of her connection with the king was often resentful, but much was forgiven for her thanks to the king's protection and her perfect beauty. But Karl did not seem to notice the antics of his mistress. He awarded her the titles of Lady Bothe-sur-Marne, Vernon, Rouquesezier.
But this woman's heart was even more beautiful than her face. When she learned about the deep poverty reigning in the kingdom (France languished at the end of the Hundred Years War), she began to donate huge sums to the poor, to help the sick and crippled. Realizing that even her unparalleled generosity could not correct all the evil in a country devastated by enemies, she subtly, in a feminine way, forced the weak, weak-willed king to remember her duties.
The poverty of ordinary Frenchmen, the incessant Hundred Years War, the inaction of the king - all this caused discontent among the people. But for some reason, the royal mistress was considered guilty of everything. And Madame Sorel decided to act. The king in love with her was ready to do anything for her favor and love. It was then, in 1429, that the name of the brave girl Jeanne d'Arc became known, who was introduced to the king by Madame Sorel.
Once, when the king was in Normandy, Madame Sorel came to him. Her condition was appalling: Agnes was in labor. Before that, she told the king about the conspiracy being prepared against him, but Karl considered her words to be the delirium of an agitated woman in labor. Whether this conspiracy took place or not, it is now impossible to say. However, the confidants believed that even if the conspirators wanted to kill the king, they were frightened when they learned that the brave favorite had brought this news to Charles.
A few days later, when Madame Sorel returned to Paris, she became ill. She died on February 9, 1450 and before her death she regretted only one thing, that in the last minutes she could not see her beloved man. The deceased was not shown to the king. Her face was disfigured with death throes.
Scientists are now confident that Sorel's death was a result of mercury poisoning. Mercury may have been added to Sorel's food by the killer, but it is also likely that mercury entered Sorel's body unintentionally, as it was often added to cosmetics at the time.
Karl could not come to his senses for a long time: he was sure that the lady of his heart had been poisoned. At first, suspicion fell on the Minister of Finance, over whom a speedy trial was carried out. For lack of evidence, the charge of killing the royal maid of honor was dropped from him, and was imprisoned for embezzlement of the treasury. Then the king became suspicious of his own son. Louis really did not like his father's favorite, and with Karl he did not have the most better relationship... However, as the courtiers said, he could hardly take such a step. The king gradually calmed down and ... chose to forget about the deceased mistress.
The Hundred Years War ended in 1453. The reforms that Sorel so dreamed of are also over. Everyone understood that they owed this to the beautiful Madame Botha, the blonde Agnes, the woman who changed the kingdom and inspired the king to make bold decisions.
But Charles VII was already having fun with another lady: Agnes's cousin Antoinette became the favorite. She did not have such an influence on Karl, as her cousin, but she turned out to be an excellent mistress and organizer of entertainment, parties, balls.
Falling in love with Antoinette and not wanting to part with her for a minute, the king married her to his friend and settled the spouses in the palace. Andre de Villekier knew about the intimate relationship between his wife and the king, but chose not to pay attention to his wife's betrayal.
Karl spent all the time with his favorite. Soon, Antoinette alone was not enough for him, and the shrewd mistress gathered around her adored friend several dozen of the most beautiful girls in Paris. The monarch indulged in amorous pleasures, and a rumor spread throughout France that Charles VII had gone mad and indulged in terrible debauchery. The courtiers were indignant and indignant, and the king traveled around the country and collected new mistresses in his "harem". The queen looked with bitterness at her husband's debauchery.
The ruler's bad example seduced his subjects. High-ranking officials, noble husbands, even confessors also fell into depravity and considered it an honor to have at least a couple of concubines with them. Paris collapsed into a maelstrom of passion and lust.
The king's exploits of love, his riotous life led to the fact that Charles VII went to bed with a serious illness. In the last months of his life, remembering the terrible death of Agnes, he refused food for fear of being poisoned. In the summer of 1461, the king died of exhaustion.
She was called the most beautiful woman of the 15th century, she was wasteful, but she helped the poor, she dressed provocatively, but she looked innocent. And Agnes Sorel went down in history as the first officially recognized mistress of the King of France, who was able to become not only the constant mistress of Charles VII, but also the friend of his wife, Queen Mary of Anjou ...
The meeting of Agnes Sorel with the king was organized, oddly enough, by his mother-in-law. She often arranged maids of honor at court, and when they became mistresses of noble nobles, Iolanthe received the necessary information and kept everything under her control. She did not succeed in influencing the king with the help of her daughter, and she found a more sophisticated way - she found a mistress for him for this purpose.
Charles VII, seeing the girl, immediately went to the attack, but she fled from him. The king was carried away in earnest, and his persistence was soon rewarded. Within a few months, everyone at court said that the king was in love.
Mistress of the French king Agnes Sorel
Charles VII lost his head so much that he was ready to fulfill any wish of Agnes Sorel. To prove the seriousness of his feelings, he proclaimed her the official favorite.
From now on, the vassals were obliged to give her royal honors, she took part in the political life of the court, the royal treasurer paid her the necessary sums, and their children with the king received the family titles of Valois. As a gift from King Agnes, she received the castle of Bote-sur-Marne and the title of Dame de Bote.
Jean Fouquet portrayed Agnes as Madonna and Child
Agnes quickly got used to living in a big way. She allowed herself bold experiments at that time with appearance... The trains of her dresses reached 5 meters, the priests called them “devil's tails”. She began to wear diamonds, although until then wearing them by uncrowned persons was unacceptable.
The courtiers were shocked by her extravagant figure-hugging dresses, with an asymmetrical neckline that completely bare one breast. The queen was angry, but quickly changed her anger to mercy, deciding to become a friend for her husband's mistress. Maria gave her rival jewelry and outfits, they walked together and went hunting.
King Charles VII of France
The insolent behavior of the favorite and her official status caused indignation among many. Thus, Archbishop des Ursen pointed out to the king the extravagance of his mistress and her revealing outfits, he said that the ladies at court began to resemble "painted donkeys put up for sale."
In response, Karl defiantly declared: “ If the Beautiful Lady has dresses embroidered with gold, she will be in a good mood. If she is in a good mood, I will also be in a good mood. If I am in a good mood, the whole of France will have a good mood. Therefore, France has a direct need for beautiful dresses.».
The first official favorite of the king in the history of France
Agnessa could not help but notice the growing resentment towards her. She began to help the sick and crippled, donate huge sums to the poor. The constant poverty, the British who dominated the French lands and the inaction of the king aroused the indignation of the people. And then Agnes, not without the influence of Iolanta, convinced Charles VII to renew the war against the British.
The cowardly and weak-willed king, nicknamed by his mother as a "goose" in childhood, the favorite was able to inspire the idea of his courage. So Karl became the Winner. The victorious end of the Hundred Years War was celebrated without her - Agnes had died 3 years earlier.
Tomb of Agnes Sorel
Karl was convinced that Agnes had been poisoned, and he was right. The examination carried out in our days has confirmed the high content of mercury in the remains of the favorite. Perhaps it was unintentional poisoning - in those days, mercury was added to cosmetics and medicines.
Agnes Sorel, as a model for caring for the interests of the country, was later set as an example to all influential favorites of the French kings, including Françoise d "Aubigne, the favorite and secret wife of Louis XIV.
Few have heard the name of Agnes Sorel, a contemporary of Jeanne dArc, who lived in France in the 15th century, but much more is known about the events associated with her.
“- First! - exclaimed Koroviev, - Monsieur Jacques with his wife.He became famous for having poisoned the royal mistress. " (M. Bulgakov "The Master and Margarita")
Yes, yes, at the ball at Satan's in the famous novel, Agnes Sorel was mentioned as the very poisoned royal mistress - but more on that later. In the meantime, let's talk about what else Agnes is famous for.
The first thing that historians and contemporaries mention is its amazing beauty. Yes, we know that in the past it was customary to praise a woman's appearance, even the most mediocre one, it was an element of gallantry and courtly play, but in this case it is pure truth. Even the Pope said that "She has the most beautiful face that you can see in this world." The chronicler Jean Chartier considered her "The most beautiful of all beauties in the world", and Olivier de la Marche said: "She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." So later, Agnes began to be called "The most beautiful woman 15th century ".
Here is how the writer Juliette Benzoni describes her in her series of novels "Catherine": “Catherine turned and looked with wide eyes. On the stone slabs, a creature slowly approached, as if emerged from a dream. A tall, thin, graceful young girl. Long, golden brown hair stood out from under a wreath of fawn roses and streamed down the shoulders of milky white, which the azure taffeta dress revealed as generously as two round snow-white breasts, which seemed to be ready to burst out of the blue silks. The large eyes under the thin eyebrows were of the same celestial color. The forehead was slightly arched, the cheeks rounded, the mouth small and cherry red. But the most striking was the skin, the whitest, thinnest and most transparent skin that only happens in the world. It was she who gave her whole appearance a special imprint of unreality. "
First of all, Agnes Sorel (sometimes called Agnes Sorel) is considered the continuer of the cause. True, in a completely different form. More on this later, but for now a couple of words about what else this amazing woman is known for:
1. Agnes was the beloved of King Charles VII - the one who was crowned only thanks to the efforts of Joan. At the same time, she became the first official favorite of the king in European history. Before that, the monarchs hid their mistresses and did not emphasize their status. Also Agnes was, perhaps, the only royal mistress who remained unmarried - usually, wanting to get a woman, kings and other noble aristocrats, the first thing they did was to look for her "suitable" husband, marriage with whom served as a cover for their relationship. But Agnes remained unmarried, and all her life she was called the maiden Froomante. Although she gave birth to three daughters to the king, and this was a well-known fact.
2. Agnes is considered the first who introduced the fashion for wearing diamonds - firstly, women, and secondly, persons of non-royal blood.
3. The king's favorite also greatly influenced fashion in principle. Women began to wear long trains and dresses with very low necklines or .. bare one breast. Look at the portrait of Agnes - on it you can clearly see this feature of the ladies' wardrobe. However, besides her, few who dared to walk like that - but Agnes's breasts were so beautiful and perfect that she tried in every possible way to emphasize this.
4. Agnes had a strong influence on the weak-willed king - fortunately in a positive way. She insisted on removing his greedy favorites from office, replacing them with more worthy people.
5. And finally, Agnes was a true patriot who longed for the complete liberation of France from the British - after all, the Hundred Years War was not over yet. Joan of Arc was no longer alive, and King Charles was quite content with the results achieved. Knowing about the feelings that he had for her, Agnes decided to use them for her own purposes. She told the king that she had learned about the prophecy that was forced to separate them. When asked by the king, Agnes said that it says that Agnes will have to belong to the most powerful monarch in Europe, and everyone knows that this is the king of England. Charles VII was so struck by these words that he resumed hostilities.
Agnes Sorel and "numerologically" was associated with Jeanne dArc. Both were born in 1412, and in 1431, when Jeanne was executed, Agnes became the king's favorite, symbolically raising the banner that Jeanne had dropped.
Before meeting the king, Agnes was the maid of honor of his mother-in-law, Iolanta of Aragon. It is possible that she specially presented beautiful girl her weak-willed son-in-law, so that she at least a little encouraged him to make strong-willed decisions. Subsequently, even the queen began to treat her husband's mistress favorably, seeing her beneficial influence. But the king's son, Prince Louis, hated Agnes. According to one version, he ordered the poisoning of his father's mistress. According to another, it was Jacques Coeur mentioned by Bulgakov. But, most likely, both of these versions are not reliable. Agnes died either from accidental poisoning with mercury, which was then often added to cosmetics. Or from the consequences of childbirth.
From the king, Agnes had 3 daughters - Charlotte, Jeanne and Maria - whom he recognized as his own and gave the title filles de France (daughter of France). Unfortunately, none of them lived to be 30 years old. The middle daughter of Agnes, Charlotte, was the grandmother of the legendary Diane de Poitiers, another famous beauty, the favorite of Kings Francis I and Henry II.
Her portraits now look a little strange: a pretty girl with a meek expression on her face and her breasts falling out of her dress. These are not the fantasies of artists, but the real fashion that Agnes Sorel introduced in France in the 15th century. The favorite of Charles VII is known almost as well as her contemporary Jeanne d'Arc. The reason for this is not only the frivolous images of Agnes, but also her influence on the fate of France.
Agness conquers the king
According to most well-known sources, Karl's mother-in-law Iolanta arranged the meeting with Agnes. By that time, the king had five or six children from his legal wife, Maria of Anjou. Karl's wife did not shine with either beauty or other talents.
Iolanthe reasoned this way: than waiting for Karl to find a mistress himself, it is better to set him up with someone whom the powerful mother-in-law can control. She created at the court a company of beautiful and loyal girls to Iolanta. They were perfect lovers and great spies.
Agness conquered the timid and not particularly experienced in matters of women Karl from the first meeting. She practically did not leave the king's chambers and very soon had an unprecedented title - the official mistress. Now her children received a royal name, and she - honors from the courtiers, participation in the political life of the country and the use of the royal treasury.
Maria of Anjou did not grieve for a long time about her husband's betrayal and decided that it would be wiser to make friends with the favorite - most likely, the queen's mother insisted on this. He and Agnes became very close, shared all the secrets, and Karl could not get enough of the fact that peace and order reigned in his house.
Fashion without decency
Agnessa loved to shock the audience with provocative outfits. For her sake, Karl changed the law according to which to wear gems only noble people could.
The favorite herself came up with the styles of her dresses. She wore a six-meter train - even the queen had it shorter. But the main innovation of Agnes is considered to be an outrageously bold neckline.
First, she introduces a dress that slightly restrains her breasts. Then he appears in public in an outfit where one breast is completely covered, and the other is completely bare. This is how she is depicted in her most famous portrait in the image of the Madonna. The ladies were horrified, but soon they repeated the same extravagant styles.
Bare breasts became a trend, later Sorel's followers will show the world dresses with a wandering neckline - exposing one or the other breast, and with a double neckline, exposing both breasts at once. Then there will be cosmetics not only for the face: powder for the breast and lipstick for the nipples.
How to get a man to get off the couch and win the war
While Agnes was buying up expensive fabrics and furs, the country was waging a century-long war with England. Karl was not very interested in state affairs and preferred to spend time drinking and amorous pleasures. The people blamed the favorite for seducing their king from the true path.
Sorel's generous donations don't save the day. To motivate the king to defend the state, Agnes goes for a trick, which French historian Brantom describes in his book The Life of Gallant Ladies.
Agnes told Karl that as a child, an astrologer predicted that one of the brave and courageous kings would fall in love with her.
When we met, I thought that you were the brave king: but it seems that I was mistaken: you are too pampered and hardly do the affairs of your poor kingdom. It seems to me that this courageous king is not you, but the English king, who creates such strong armies and captures such beautiful cities from you. Farewell! I go to him, apparently, the astrologer told me about him.
Karl, like any man, was enraged by such words, jumped into armor and went to drive the British out of French lands. As the historian Henri Martin wrote in 1855: "Sorel called on the king to overcome his laziness."
