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September 1649 (Britanny) - 14 November 1739 (Paris). Full name: Louise Renée de Penancoët de Quérouaille/Kérouaille/Kéroualle. Duchess of Portsmouth, Countess of Fareham and Lady Petersfield. Mistress of [[Charles II]] of England. <br> | September 1649 (Britanny) - 14 November 1739 (Paris). Full name: Louise Renée de Penancoët de Quérouaille/Kérouaille/Kéroualle. Duchess of Portsmouth, Countess of Fareham and Lady Petersfield (Ferguson 31). Mistress of [[Charles II]] of England. <br> | ||
=== French Origin === | === French Origin === | ||
Louise was born in France, daughter of Guillaume de Penancoët, Sieur de Kéroualle. Because of this, she was later | Louise was born in France, the daughter of Guillaume de Penancoët, Sieur de Kéroualle. Because of this, she was later rumoured to be a French spy. Although [[Louis XIV]] might have thought of her as a weapon, she didn’t fulfil her task of being a Trojan horse (Fraser 313). | ||
Overall, the French authorities supported the affair with [[Charles II]]. She had a great Francophile influence at the English court. By becoming a mistress to Charles II, the duchess established the | Overall, the French authorities supported the affair with [[Charles II]]. She had a great Francophile influence at the English court. By becoming a mistress to Charles II, the duchess intensified the established future of the Anglo-French alliance (Melo 63). At the French court, she was named “La Belle Bretonne” (Fraser 311). <br> | ||
=== Mistress to Charles II === | === Mistress to Charles II === | ||
Louise was a maid in the household of Henriette Anne Stuart, the King's sister, in 1668. She had accompanied her to England in 1670. She arrived at court in England in 1670 and lost her virginity to the king | Louise was a maid in the household of Henriette Anne Stuart, the King's sister, in 1668. She had accompanied her to England in 1670 and she first met Charles at Dover. She arrived at court in England in 1670 and lost her virginity to the king (Fraser 311). She gave birth to a son in July 1672 after the seduction in October 1671 at Euston Hall (ibid., 313). When his sister died, the king made Louise de Quérouaille “lady-in-waiting” of his wife [[Catherine of Braganza]] (Ferguson 15). Charles called her “Fubbs” which means plump or chubby (Fraser 224). She is described as “very classically beautiful” (Ferguson 18). <br> | ||
The son of de | The son of de Quérouaille and Charles was named Charles Lennox (("Louise-Renée de Kéroualle, duchess of Portsmouth"). He was made [[Duke of Richmond]] (Ferguson 31). Since she grew up with poor parents, she recognized the importance of money (Fraser 312). Louise even manipulated [[Danby]] to sign documents to make her son gain precedence over another mistress, [[Barbara Palmer]]. She had a rather large income (ibid. 327), and it was rumoured that she made more than £10,000 per year ("Louise-Renée de Kéroualle, duchess of Portsmouth"). Additionally, she was given a total of 24 rooms and 16 garrets. (Fraser 313) <br> | ||
Louise wanted to marry the king to make her son the heir of the king, but he was not interested | Louise wanted to marry the king to make her son the heir of the king, but he was not interested (ibid. 311). She was associated with tears and hysterics and called “weeping willow” or “Squintabella” by [[Nell Gwyn]] who happened to be her rival (ibid. 312). The Duchess of Portsmouth was a manipulator: she threatened suicide to avoid losing the King's favour (ibid. 311). She was different from other mistresses because of her finesse and domesticity meaning that her company was pleasant for others (Ferguson 22). Charles was also amused by “[her] aura of charming domesticity” (Fraser 313). | ||
Charles II was not a romantic, he was rather looking for a confidante which is the reason why she failed | Charles II was not a romantic, he was rather looking for a confidante which is the reason why she failed to be a Trojan horse to [[Louis XIV]] (Fraser 313). She stayed with him until his death, consequently, she is described as the “mistress of his declining years” (ibid. 273) After the King's death on 6 February 1685, she went back to France (ibid. 456). <br> | ||
In contrast to Barbara Palmer, the Duchess was purposefully very respectful to the Queen. Hence, Catherine of Braganza protected her from the Test Act of 1678. The Queen put her name on a list of people who should not be harmed. <br> | In contrast to Barbara Palmer, the Duchess was purposefully very respectful to the Queen (Ferguson 25). Hence, Catherine of Braganza protected her from the Test Act of 1678. The Queen put her name on a list of people who should not be harmed (Fraser 410). <br> | ||
=== '''References''' === | === '''References''' === | ||
* Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Louise-Renée de Kéroualle, duchess of Portsmouth". Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Nov. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Louise-Renee-de-Keroualle-Duchess-of-Portsmouth. Accessed 21 Nov. 2022. | |||
* Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Louise-Renée de Kéroualle, duchess of Portsmouth". Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Nov. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Louise-Renee-de-Keroualle-Duchess-of-Portsmouth. Accessed 21 | * Ferguson, Abbey. “The Power of Erotic Capital in the Courts of Charles II and Louis XIV.” 2016. Accessed 21 Nov. 2022. | ||
* Ferguson, Abbey. | |||
* Fraser, Antonia. King Charles II. Hachette UK, 2011. | * Fraser, Antonia. King Charles II. Hachette UK, 2011. | ||
* Melo, João Vicente. “Catherine of Braganza (1638–1705).” Lives in Transit in Early Modern England: Identity and Belonging, edited by Nandini Das, Amsterdam University Press, 2022, pp. 61–68. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv2fzkpnj.12. Accessed 21 Nov. 2022. | * Melo, João Vicente. “Catherine of Braganza (1638–1705).” Lives in Transit in Early Modern England: Identity and Belonging, edited by Nandini Das, Amsterdam University Press, 2022, pp. 61–68. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv2fzkpnj.12. Accessed 21 Nov. 2022. | ||
Latest revision as of 11:40, 14 January 2023
September 1649 (Britanny) - 14 November 1739 (Paris). Full name: Louise Renée de Penancoët de Quérouaille/Kérouaille/Kéroualle. Duchess of Portsmouth, Countess of Fareham and Lady Petersfield (Ferguson 31). Mistress of Charles II of England.
French Origin
Louise was born in France, the daughter of Guillaume de Penancoët, Sieur de Kéroualle. Because of this, she was later rumoured to be a French spy. Although Louis XIV might have thought of her as a weapon, she didn’t fulfil her task of being a Trojan horse (Fraser 313).
Overall, the French authorities supported the affair with Charles II. She had a great Francophile influence at the English court. By becoming a mistress to Charles II, the duchess intensified the established future of the Anglo-French alliance (Melo 63). At the French court, she was named “La Belle Bretonne” (Fraser 311).
Mistress to Charles II
Louise was a maid in the household of Henriette Anne Stuart, the King's sister, in 1668. She had accompanied her to England in 1670 and she first met Charles at Dover. She arrived at court in England in 1670 and lost her virginity to the king (Fraser 311). She gave birth to a son in July 1672 after the seduction in October 1671 at Euston Hall (ibid., 313). When his sister died, the king made Louise de Quérouaille “lady-in-waiting” of his wife Catherine of Braganza (Ferguson 15). Charles called her “Fubbs” which means plump or chubby (Fraser 224). She is described as “very classically beautiful” (Ferguson 18).
The son of de Quérouaille and Charles was named Charles Lennox (("Louise-Renée de Kéroualle, duchess of Portsmouth"). He was made Duke of Richmond (Ferguson 31). Since she grew up with poor parents, she recognized the importance of money (Fraser 312). Louise even manipulated Danby to sign documents to make her son gain precedence over another mistress, Barbara Palmer. She had a rather large income (ibid. 327), and it was rumoured that she made more than £10,000 per year ("Louise-Renée de Kéroualle, duchess of Portsmouth"). Additionally, she was given a total of 24 rooms and 16 garrets. (Fraser 313)
Louise wanted to marry the king to make her son the heir of the king, but he was not interested (ibid. 311). She was associated with tears and hysterics and called “weeping willow” or “Squintabella” by Nell Gwyn who happened to be her rival (ibid. 312). The Duchess of Portsmouth was a manipulator: she threatened suicide to avoid losing the King's favour (ibid. 311). She was different from other mistresses because of her finesse and domesticity meaning that her company was pleasant for others (Ferguson 22). Charles was also amused by “[her] aura of charming domesticity” (Fraser 313).
Charles II was not a romantic, he was rather looking for a confidante which is the reason why she failed to be a Trojan horse to Louis XIV (Fraser 313). She stayed with him until his death, consequently, she is described as the “mistress of his declining years” (ibid. 273) After the King's death on 6 February 1685, she went back to France (ibid. 456).
In contrast to Barbara Palmer, the Duchess was purposefully very respectful to the Queen (Ferguson 25). Hence, Catherine of Braganza protected her from the Test Act of 1678. The Queen put her name on a list of people who should not be harmed (Fraser 410).
References
- Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Louise-Renée de Kéroualle, duchess of Portsmouth". Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Nov. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Louise-Renee-de-Keroualle-Duchess-of-Portsmouth. Accessed 21 Nov. 2022.
- Ferguson, Abbey. “The Power of Erotic Capital in the Courts of Charles II and Louis XIV.” 2016. Accessed 21 Nov. 2022.
- Fraser, Antonia. King Charles II. Hachette UK, 2011.
- Melo, João Vicente. “Catherine of Braganza (1638–1705).” Lives in Transit in Early Modern England: Identity and Belonging, edited by Nandini Das, Amsterdam University Press, 2022, pp. 61–68. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv2fzkpnj.12. Accessed 21 Nov. 2022.