THE DUCHESS D’ETAMPES
Anne was from a noble family but had been one of more than thirty children her father had with three wives. She was very intelligent and it is claimed that the family had been pragmatic enough to invest in her future as a potential royal mistress, knowing there was no money for the dowry normally required for a regular noble marriage.
Thanks to Francois’ mother Louise, Anne had been on hand on the French border when François returned from captivity in Spain. The royal train started heading north and by the time they reached Bordeaux, François was a new man and possibly already involved with Anne by the time Françoise arrived to stake her claim on her royal lover.
François liked smart women. His mother and sister were both highly intelligent and François enjoyed conversation on a wide range of topics. Even though she was young, Anne was an ideal partner for the king, being described as “the most learned of the beauties and the most beautiful of the learned.” She was also calculating and ambitious and more than a match for any other contenders.
As time went on, François realised he needed to do something to put a cloak of respectability on his mistress. He found her a “straw” husband – a young nobleman who was the Count de Penthièvre.
Part of the deal was the return of the Count’s family lands, which were lost during a dispute with the previous king. He was also made a Duke, so Anne became the Duchess d’Etampes.
It was the custom for the King to visit the mistress in her bed chamber, never the other way around. The room was decorated by Primaticcio with large statues and frescoes representing the love stories of Alexander the Great.
Two hundred years later, King Louis XV transformed the bedroom into a staircase. However, a large section of the original décor remains, as incongruous as that may seem to visitors today.
The Duchess d’Etampes remained the King’s mistress for the rest of his life. In February 1547 he had
been with her at Limours, about 40 kilometers south east of Paris, in one of the chateaux she had
built. He was unwell and had to stop in the royal residence at Rambouillet. He knew he was dying.
At the end of March he received the last rites and sent the Duchess home. He died two days later at
the age of 52. It was his son’s 28th birthday when he became King Henri II.
It was all over for François’ long reigning mistress.
Her mortal enemy, Diane de Poitiers, was the mistress of the new King Henri II.