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 a real fashion that Agnes Sorel introduced in France in the 15th century. The favorite of Charles VII is almost as famous as her contemporary Joan of Arc. The reason for this is not only the frivolous images of Agnes, but also her influence on the fate of France.

Agnes conquers the king

According to most well-known sources, the meeting between Karl and Agnes was arranged by his mother-in-law Iolanta. By that time, the king had five or six children from his legal wife, Mary of Anjou. Karl's wife did not shine with either beauty or other talents.

Iolanta reasoned this way: rather than wait until Karl himself finds a mistress, it is better to set him up with someone whom the powerful mother-in-law can control. She created at court a company of beautiful and devoted girls to Iolanta. They were ideal lovers and excellent spies.

Agnes captivated Karl, who was timid and not particularly experienced in matters of women, from the first meeting. She practically never left the king’s chambers and very soon had an unprecedented title - official mistress. Now her children received the royal name, and she received honors from the courtiers, participation in the political life of the country and use of the royal treasury.

Maria of Anjou did not grieve for long about her husband’s betrayal and decided that it would be wiser to make friends with her favorite - most likely, the queen’s mother insisted on this. He and Agnes became very close, shared all their secrets, and Karl could not get enough of the fact that peace and order reigned in his house.

Fashion without decency

Agnes loved to shock the public with provocative outfits. For her sake, Charles changed the law according to which only noble persons could wear precious stones.

The favorite came up with the styles of her dresses herself. She wore a six-meter train - even the queen's was shorter. But Agnes’s main innovation is considered to be her blatantly daring neckline.

First, she introduces into fashion a dress that slightly contains the breasts. Then he appears in public in an outfit where one breast is completely covered and the other is completely exposed. This is exactly how she is depicted in her most famous portrait as the Madonna. The ladies were horrified, but soon repeated the same extravagant styles.

Bare breasts became a trend; later Sorel's followers would 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 cosmetics will appear not only for the face: powder for the chest and lipstick for the nipples.

How to make a man get off the couch and win the war

While Agnes was buying expensive fabrics and furs, the country was going through a hundred years of war with England. Karl was not very interested in government affairs and preferred to spend his time drinking and making love. The people blamed the favorite for seducing their king from the true path.

Sorel's generous donations do not help the situation. To motivate the king to defend the state, Agnes uses a trick, which the French historian Brantome describes in his book “The Lives of Gallant Ladies.”

Agnes told Charles 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 that same brave king: but it seems that I was mistaken: you are too pampered and almost not involved in 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 furious at such words, jumped into his armor and set off to drive the British out of French lands. As the historian Henri Martin wrote in 1855: “Sorel urged the king to overcome his laziness.”

- (Sorel or Soreau, 1409 1450) beloved of the French king Charles XII, born into a noble family in the village of Fromenteau in Touraine (which is why she was called demoiselle de Fromenteau), was a maid of honor to Isabella of Lorraine, Duchess of Anjou, in 1431 ... encyclopedic Dictionary F. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

- ... Wikipedia

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- ... Wikipedia

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Agnes Sorel is the first official favorite. Kept woman is a woman who is fully supported, who (usually secretly) is provided for by a man, most often married... Wikipedia

This term has other meanings, see Maid of Orleans. Opera The Maid of Orleans Composer P. I. Tchaikovsky Author(s) libretto P. I. Tchaikovsky East ... Wikipedia

- “Heritage Floor” is a composition that forms a single object with the installation “Dinner Party” by Judy Chicago, paying tribute to the achievements and hardships of women’s work and having the shape of a triangular banquet table for 39... ... Wikipedia

Marquise de Pompadour is the famous favorite of Louis XV. Pastel Latour, 1755 (Louvre) The list of favorites of the kings of France proposed here is more with ... Wikipedia

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Books

• Great Mistresses, Claude Dufresne. Agnes Sorel, Françoise de Chateaubriand, Anne de Pisslet, Diane de Poitiers, Gabriella d'Estrée, Louise de La Valliere, Antoinette de Pompadour, Jeanne Dubarry, Zoë Duqueila, Maria Walewska - here they are...
• Great lovers, Dufresne K.. Agnes Sorel, Françoise de Chateaubriand, Anne de Pisslet, Diane de Poitiers, Gabriella d'Estrée, Louise de La Vallière, Antoinette de Pompadour, Jeanne Dubarry, Zoë Duqueila, Maria Walewska - here they are...

“I am Agnes. Long live France and love!”

Visit the grave of Agnes Sorel (1422-1450), the first French history official mistress of the monarch, has always been sought after by many tourists visiting the province of Touraine. The tomb - above a black marble base - an angelic young face in serene calm, alabaster angels bending over it - is located in the French town of Loches.
The death of the young royal favorite in 1450 was perceived as nothing less than a mystery.

Agnes Sorel was 20 years old when she was noticed by Charles VII, twice her senior, in the retinue of Queen Isabella (wife of René II).

They say that the French monarch was not Don Juan, but she transformed everything around her - the melancholic king, secretive and unsightly, fashion and morals. Agnes received the place of maid of honor under the patronage of relatives in 1440-41 at the court of Isabella of Lorraine, wife of King René of Anjou, but Duchess Isabella went on a long trip to Italy, leaving Agnes under the tutelage of her mother Queen Yolande, mother-in-law of King Charles VII. Yolanda, who noticed the girl’s tenacious mind and unusual beauty, probably planned to use her for her own purposes, to influence her weak-willed son-in-law, and it is also very likely that it was with Yolanda’s patronage that Agnes was introduced to royal court, apparently in 1443, shortly before the death of the queen herself.
Agnes “resisted” the royal will for a long time, because the king was married to Mary of Anjou (portrait attached). But....couldn't resist...

Oddly enough, the relationship between the queen and the favorite was good, and Mary even gave Agnes gifts

The lover was so generous that he caused a murmur among the people. He gave her castles and estates, including Beauthe-sur-Marne, for which the favorite was called “The Lady of Beauthe.” In French it had another meaning - “Lady of Beauty”. Agnes Sorel remains in history. She also received from Charles the titles of Dame Issoudin, Vernon and Rouquesiere.

Agnes's influence on King Charles was limitless; it was she who convinced him to resume military operations against the British, which ended with the liberation of Normandy.
The favorite wanted to understand why the people, whose opinions she usually ignored, despised and hated her. And she suddenly found out in what deep poverty ordinary French people lived, while the court was bathed in luxury. Agnes decided to remind the king of his duty and responsibilities. For this purpose, she used a certain cunning, as reported by Brantome in his book “The Lives of Gallant Ladies”: “Seeing that the king’s heart was occupied only with love for her and that he was not at all interested in the affairs of the kingdom, Agnes told him: “When I was little, the 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 that brave king: But, it seems, I was mistaken: You are too pampered and almost not involved in 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’m going to him, apparently the astrologer told me about him.”
These words pierced the king straight to the heart, he even cried. Charles VII abandoned hunting, gardens, forgot about entertainment, gathered all his strength and courage, which allowed him to quickly expel the English from his kingdom.
Indeed, some time after this conversation, Charles VII, with the help of his famous decrees, reorganized the troops and in 1449, breaking the truce with England, again began military operations. The king, driven by his love for Agnes, put an end to the Hundred Years' War in a few months, returning all the captured lands to France. Agnes, who had previously mockingly called him Charles the Indifferent, began to call him Charles the Victorious.
Alas! Fate decreed that the favorite did not get to see the crown of her efforts
She and the king had four children, whom the king unconditionally legitimized and they bore the family name Valois (Marie-Marguerite (1444-1473), Charlotte (1446-1477), Jeanne (1448-1467) and an unnamed daughter who died as an infant in 1450.
In fact, Agnes Sorel is the first woman to hold the almost official title of royal mistress.
Francois Clouet. Portrait of Agnes Sorel

Agnes Sorel died in Normandy, where she, expecting her fourth child, went to her lover, the king, who was expelling the British. Exhausted by the journey, she gave birth prematurely. After giving birth, Agnes felt ill and was tormented by endless pain in her stomach. Anticipating her death, Agnes donated a lot of money to the church and constantly repented of her sinful life. She died on February 9, 1450 in agony, and the king did not dare show her body, as it was disfigured by illness.

It was rumored that she knew of a conspiracy against Charles VII, and Agnes tried to warn him, and therefore went on the road. The people did not like the favorite from the minor nobility. Luxurious outfits, trimmed with marten and sable, jewelry (among them the first known carved diamond - and it was with her that the “fashion” of wearing diamonds began - before it, this was allowed only to high ranks of the male sex), dresses with a provocative neckline and completely bare breasts as well did not like her, nor did she like her influence on the king, whose advisers her people became. By the way, it was she who brought into fashion the well-known train, which the clergy nicknamed the “devil’s tail.” She was the first to pluck her eyebrows and shave her blond hair to emphasize her high, convex forehead and huge almond-shaped blue eyes.
And the royal son, the Dauphin and future Louis XI, generally hated her, because the Queen Mother was in the shadows, while Agnes became a titled mistress, whose daughters were legitimized by the king.

Actually, already in the 15th century. An investigation began into the death of Agnes Sorel - first the rich man Jacques Kerr was accused of it (he was acquitted), then a shadow fell on the royal son, but the truth never emerged.

The body of the faded Agnes was taken to Loches. She was buried without decorations. The king soon indulged in love affairs and gave them to others. Despite the fact that Agnes Sorel was a believer and made many donations, the churchmen did not want to hold a prayer service in honor of the scandalous person, and they decided to move the luxurious tomb away from the altar.
Oddly enough, Louis XI, who disliked Agnes Sorel, did not allow her to be touched. Louis XV was just as categorical, but his replacement, XVI in succession, granted the Church’s request. The worst thing happened during the Revolution: in 1793 the tomb was broken and the urn was thrown into the cemetery. A certain Poshol collected its contents.

The prefect of the region, General Pomerel, sent the monument for restoration and then placed it in a dungeon at the foot of the donjon in Loches. By his order, very bold words from Voltaire’s poems then decorated the pediment: “I am Agnes. Long live France and love! In 1970, for safety reasons, the tombstone was placed in the royal castle, and it returned to Saint-Ours almost two centuries later.
Detail of the tombstone of Agnes Sorel, made of white marble in the 15th century

Stained glass with coats of arms and initials of the "Beautiful Lady" - Agnes Sorel

The mystery of the death of Agnès Sorel is revealed

Was Jacques Coeur guilty? Definitely not. For the simple reason that Agnès Sorel was not poisoned. For a long time, irrefutable proof of this was at least the fact that her daughter managed to live for six months. By the way, among doctors who paid attention to the symptoms of the disease described by the doctor who performed the autopsy, for a very long time there was an opinion that the beauty of beauties died as a result of dysentery, and the weakening of the body associated with the hardships of the grueling journey from Loches to Jumièges prevented her from gaining the upper hand over her illness. Thus, Agnès Sorel died of natural causes, wanting to save her lover. A completely normal, noble and quite convenient version for everyone.

It would seem that's it. We can put an end to this. But in history, as we know, a period can very quickly turn into a comma...

This is what happened in 2004, when French scientists managed to lift the veil of secrecy from the circumstances of the death of Agnès Sorel. In any case, now the reasons for her death have become completely clear. To do this, a group of experts led by Philippe Charlier, a pathologist from the University Hospital of Lille, had to exhume the body of the famous Frenchwoman. This operation took place in the town of Saint-Ours-des-Loches, where the body of the king’s former favorite rested in the local church. The ceremony took place in the presence of numerous eminent descendants of Agnès Sorel, in particular the Duke of Orleans, Prince Jacques de France and Prince Charles-Emmanuel de Bourbon-Parma.

On September 28, 2004, the tomb of Agnès Sorel was opened, and researchers found her hair, seven teeth, a skull and fragments of skin. For about six months, they were studied by twenty-two specialists in eighteen laboratories: in Lille, Strasbourg, Paris and Reims. The unique experiment was led by Philippe Charlier himself.

The analysis clearly showed the presence in the remains of Agnès Sorel of a large amount of mercury, which has been used as a poison since ancient times. Philippe Charlier said that it was mercury that caused the rapid death that struck this woman in less than three days.

However, Philippe Charlier himself had no doubt about deliberate poisoning with a deadly poison: its content exceeded reasonable doses by ten thousand times, and there could be no error in the dosage of drugs.

Having had the opportunity to study the remains of Agnès Sorel in detail over the course of six months, scientists made many clarifications to the biography of this woman. First of all, it became clear that the year of her birth was between 1422 and 1426 (the year 1409 was definitely dropped). Consequently, the death of the king's favorite followed in the age interval between twenty-three years nine months and twenty-seven years nine months.

Forensic scientists tried to recreate the face of Agnes, whose captivating beauty, as even her enemies noted, became a legend. Research confirmed that she was indeed blonde and gave birth to four children. A facial reconstruction carried out on a well-preserved skull also revealed clear similarities with existing images of the woman, in particular with the image created by the 16th-century artist Jean Fouquet.

The fate of Agnès Sorel's burial was also restored. Her body was taken to Loches, where it was buried without any decoration (the king soon indulged in love affairs and preferred to give them to others). Despite the fact that Agnes was a believer and made many donations, the churchmen did not want to conduct a prayer service in honor of the scandalous person, and they decided to move the tomb away from the altar.

Oddly enough, Louis XI, who hated Agnes, did not allow her to be touched. Louis XV was just as categorical, but Louis XVI, who replaced him, granted the Church’s request. The worst thing happened after the Revolution: in 1793, the tomb was broken and the urn was thrown into the cemetery. A certain Poshol collected and preserved its contents. Then the prefect of the region, General Pommerel, sent the monument for restoration, and then placed it in a dungeon at the foot of the donjon in Loches. By his order, very bold words from Voltaire’s poems then decorated the pediment: “I am Agnes. Long live France and love! In 1970, for preservation purposes, the tombstone was placed in the royal castle of Loches.

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1 Agnes Sorel, the first of these ladies Some of the royal favorites had to be the first to make this “position” official. This is a long, almost historical tradition - forty French kings had favorites! - this chain of women for pleasure,

The Melun Diptych was painted by Jean Fouquet in the mid-15th century, but many are ready to believe that this is a modern work when they see the right side with the Virgin.

Jean Fouquet - Melun Diptych, 1450-1452

The frozen forms, the somewhat unnatural pose of the baby and the unusual skin tone of the characters and, of course, the bare chest immediately knock us out of our usual memories of the image of the Madonna and Christ. And the red and blue angels around create a stunning contrast to the luxurious skin tone of the mother and baby, enhancing the feeling of conventionality and non-standardity of the image. It's like this fantasy in the 15th century?

Lively, rich and very unusual shades reflect the coat of arms of the French king: red, blue and white.

By the way, back in 1919, the famous researcher Johan Huizinga called this work decadence of the late Middle Ages. He considered that such permissiveness in the image testifies to the decline of morals and spirituality at that time.

Many researchers agree that in the face of the Mother of God the features of the adored mistress of Charles VII, Agnes Sorel, are visible. I’ll talk about it in detail a little later, but for now I’ll answer a popular question:

“Naked breasts! How so?”

The belief has firmly taken root in society that the further we go into history, the more chastely ladies dressed. Renaissance fashion is a partial refutation of this.

In the 15th century, Agnes Sorel introduced the fashion for a deep neckline dress, slightlyholding back the chest. Later e appears in public in a more interesting dress - one breast is chastely covered, and the other is completely exposed. Following fashion trends, Lucrezia Borgia sets the trend for the “wandering neckline”- so loose that when moving it exposes first one breast, then the other. And Queen of France Catherine de Medici went even further and introduced the fashion for 2 round necklines on the dress and completely bare breasts.

High and snow-white breasts were most valued. They even called her poetically “sugarloaf delights” . Ladies not gifted with curves resorted to lifting corsets and bodices. And on dressing tables there are cosmetics not only for the face, but also for the chest - powder for the skin and lipstick for the nipples.

In the 16th century, the fashion for bare breasts acquired not only an aesthetic, but also a practical aspect. Young girls of marriageable age show off their charms, and modesty and reluctance to expose their breasts cause ridicule “If you are ashamed, then you have nothing to brag about”. Touching and kissing a woman's breasts is also considered quite decent.

At first, the depiction of fully exposed breasts was approved only in ancient or religious contexts. Therefore, in Renaissance portraits in the images of Diana, Venus or Madonna, contemporaries recognized the first fashionistas, wives and mistresses of eminent persons. In the portrait Madame Sorel as Madonna just displayed fashion trend on one open breast. Only Madonna’s dress was made according to the latest French fashion of the time, and the associations that arise are not at all religious.

Baring your ankles was considered indecent.

Simon Verelst - Nell Gwyn
Bartolomeo Veneto - Flora

The fashion for bare breasts lasted until the 18th century, albeit in more restrained incarnations. There is an opinion-fable that they even made mold for a glass. But it is refuted by experts who claim that such a glass was invented a century earlier in England :)

Agnes Sorel, Lady of Beauty

And now - The amazing story of Agnes Sorel. She became the monarch's first officially recognized mistress. The main beauty of the 15th century, who influenced the fate of not just one man, but the whole of France.

Agnes Sorel and Charles VII

There is an opinion that King Charles VII and Agnes were introduced, oddly enough, by his mother-in-law. She often brought pretty ladies-in-waiting to the court in order to have influence through them on high officials and treasurers. Through her daughter, Maria of Anjou, the noble lady had no influence on the king.

On the very first day of their acquaintance, Charles VII was captivated by the beauty of Agnes Sorel. Soon the court was already discussing the king's new mistress with all their might; only Maria of Anjou seemed to have no idea about anything.

Doubts about her husband’s fidelity appeared when she saw Agnes in the halls of the palace, walking with one bare breast. The highly moral Maria was hurt and offended by this behavior of the court lady.

Maria of Anjou

Her fears were confirmed when Madame Sorel became pregnant. On the day of his birth, Charles VII could not find a place for himself and was terribly worried about his beloved. Mary of Anjou retired to her chambers and wept for several days. After which she calmed down and decided to make friends with her husband’s mistress.

After a while, the queen generously presented Agnes Sorel with jewelry and furs, they went hunting together, trusted each other with their deepest secrets and even discussed state affairs. Charles VII, I believe, was delighted :).

Several years passed, the king still could not live even an hour without his favorite. He presented her with jewelry, clothes and castles. And finally awarded the titleDame de Beauté - Lady of Beauty , which was forever assigned to Agnes Sorel. In return, Madame Sorel thanked the king with three daughters, to whom he, despite the protests of relatives, gave family titles.

As for innovation, Agnessa did not limit herself to fashion for daring outfits. She made wearing diamonds possible all women who can afford it.
⠀
The fact is that before the appearance of the Lady of Beauty, only men from the royal family were allowed to wear diamonds.

In addition, Agnes first introduced the fashion for long train dress. The Church immediately branded him"devil's tail" and forbade ladies of noble birth to wear it. This did not bother Madame Sorel at all, and the train of her dress sometimes reached five meters.
⠀
She was called a reckless woman of easy virtue, and the court ladies-in-waiting refused to be in the same company with such a dissolute lady.
⠀
Meanwhile, Agnes Sorel bought the most expensive fabrics and furs, ordered dresses so tightly fitting to the figure and so boldly revealing the breasts that the aristocrats could not contain their indignation. But, unable to fight the interested glances of their husbands towards the charms of Madame Sorel, the ladies were forced to update their wardrobes following the example of the royal favorite. So Agnes Sorel won the battle against the church and decency.

Agnes Sorel and Charles VII

Those close to Charles VII were in vain telling him about the enormous costs of fabrics and jewelry. The king was more concerned about the mood of his beloved than about state problems:

"If Beautiful Lady there will be dresses embroidered with gold, she will be in a good mood. If she is in a good mood, I will be in a good mood too. If I'm in a good mood, the whole of France will be in a good mood. Therefore, France has a direct need for beautiful dresses!”

The queen's lifestyle and the king's boundless adoration, however, did not make Agnes Sorel happy. Knowing that she was blamed for the poverty of the country and for the endless war with England, she began to spend fabulous amounts of money on donations to the poor and gifts to monasteries. But in vain - the people saw in her only the embodiment of greed and the reason why the king forgot about his country.

Diseases, huge taxes and a hundred years of war with England - the people blamed Agnes Sorel for all this. Meanwhile, England captured the northern part of the country, including Paris, and the people were dissatisfied with the cowardice and inaction of the king. Agnes herself was unhappy, feeling responsible for the fate of France.
⠀
Good luck came briefly in the form of the Maid of Orleans - Joan of Arc - a truce was concluded, but most of the possessions of Charles VII remained in the hands of the British.
⠀
Then Agnes Sorel showed greatest trick(or wisdom?) and told Charles VII that, allegedly according to the prediction of astronomers the bravest and wisest ruler in the world will love her. And since luck is on England’s side, she is forced to leave the court and go as a trophy to the English king. This statement seriously angered and upset Charles VII.
⠀
Within a few months, the king returned to France all the lands captured by the British and put an end to hundred years war. So the weak-willed ruler, whom his mother christened in childhood“little gosling”, went down in history asKarl the Winner.
⠀
But Agnes Sorel did not see her lover’s triumph. She, being seven months pregnant, came to Charles VII on the front line to report on the plot being prepared against him. But labor had already begun, and she was in such bad condition that the king took it for the delirium of a dying woman. And there really was a conspiracy, but they were afraid to put it into practice after the brave act of the royal mistress.

Madame Sorel gave Charles VII a fourth daughter and soon died at the age of 25.

In 2004, scientists from France examined the remains of Agnes Sorel and found in her hair high mercury content. According to one version, she was poisoned by Louis XI, the son of Charles VII. During his lifetime, he did not like his father’s favorite and did not understand why his mother should put up with such a situation. But no evidence of this was found. In addition, mercury at that time was contained in cosmetics, which court ladies enjoyed using, and in drugs to facilitate childbirth.

Tomb of Agnes Sorel

How do you like the story? What is your attitude towards Madame Sorel?

Well, I can’t help but return to painting, despite the fascinating stories :)