Why did Catholic Kings have mistresses?

In other words, most popes were perfectly willing to tolerate a king having an affair if doing so prevented something worse from happening: they believed God could always punish the king after he died, but a king having a mistress was a small price to pay to prevent a war.

Can Kings still have mistresses?

It was pretty common for kings to have a mistress in those days, in part because marriages were arranged for political gain and not personal companionship. Adultery was still frowned upon, and kings could be deposed if they appeared to act too immorally, but people mostly tolerated a king having one mistress at a time.

Why did French kings have mistresses?

The purpose of royal mistresses emerged due to the fact that a king’s marriage was for political purposes only. However, many kings defied this expectation by marrying their mistresses. Usually, this was done as a morganatic marriage, which meant that the woman couldn’t acquire the title of Queen Consort.

Was there ever a woman pope?

Pope Joan, legendary female pontiff who supposedly reigned, under the title of John VIII, for slightly more than 25 months, from 855 to 858, between the pontificates of St. Leo IV (847–855) and Benedict III (855–858).

Can a queen have a lover?

Many queens or empresses had lovers when they were in a position to do so without consequences, i.e when they were queens in their own right rather than queens consort. Some of them even remained officially single, such as Christina of Sweden (who was reportedly a lesbian) or Elisabeth of Russia.

Why Were Kings allowed to have mistresses but not Queens?

However, many kings defied this expectation by marrying their mistresses. Usually, this was done as a morganatic marriage, which meant that the woman couldn’t acquire the title of Queen Consort. This was seen with the marriage of Louis XIV of France and Madame de Maintenon.

Which French King had the most mistresses?

Louis XIV’s love of women is well-known. Throughout his life, he had a number of mistresses including the Marquise de Montespan and the Duchess of La Vallière, both of whom bore him several legitimated children. Louis XIV had a real eye for the ladies.

What is the definition of mistresses?

Definition of mistress 1 : a woman who has power, authority, or ownership: such as. a : the female head of a household the mistress of the house. b : a woman who employs or supervises servants The servants were required to do their mistress’s bidding without question.

Do they check the Pope’s balls?

A cardinal would have the task of putting his hand up the hole to check whether the pope had testicles, or doing a visual examination. This procedure is not taken seriously by most historians, and there is no documented instance.

Which King had the most mistresses?

King Charles II was famous for his womanising, having more mistresses than any other monarch during his reign. While the most famous was the actress Nell Gwynn, the most powerful was undoubtedly the strikingly beautiful Barbara Villiers, later the Countess of Castlemaine.

Why were there so many rivalries between the mistresses of Charles?

This inevitably caused many rivalries between the mistresses as they competed to be the king’s favorite. King Charles II of England was notorious for keeping many mistresses at a time. He fathered around 14 children with several women (none were with his wife).

Were there ever any royal mistresses?

Author Eleanor Herman, who has spent years researching royal mistresses for her book, Sex With Kings, says as long as there have been kings, there have probably been mistresses. But their heyday was in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, when having one became almost a requirement for a French, English or German king.

What was the punishment for adultery in the Middle Ages?

In the conservative Christian times of Medieval Europe, adultery was often frowned upon and Royal mistresses were often the objects of scorn. When no longer under the protection of the king, many royal mistresses faced cruel punishments. One such mistress was Elizabeth ‘Jane’ Shore who was the mistress of King Edward IV of England.

What were the successful mistresses of the Renaissance like?

Successful mistresses became fabulously wealthy, securing the future prosperity of their families. Some also gained great political power. In the 1540s and 50s, the French King Henri II’s mistress, Diane de Poitiers, imposed taxes, appointed ministers and made laws.