Podcasts about mistresses the liberated lives

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Best podcasts about mistresses the liberated lives

Latest podcast episodes about mistresses the liberated lives

Stuff You Missed in History Class
Hortense and Marie Mancini

Stuff You Missed in History Class

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2022 46:55


Hortense and Marie Mancini tried to make a place for themselves in 17th-century Europe, defying all kinds of conventions along the way. Their lives were full of adventure and daring, but they were also both stuck in abusive marriages.   Research: "Jules Mazarin." Historic World Leaders, edited by Anne Commire, Gale, 1994. Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/K1616000407/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=68d5e2f8. Accessed 11 Oct. 2022. "When lesbian passions stirred at court." Times [London, England], 7 Feb. 2019, p. 3. Gale In Context: Global Issues, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A572957931/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=8ab9535e. Accessed 11 Oct. 2022. Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Mancini sisters". Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Dec. 2015, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mancini-sisters. Accessed 12 October 2022. Esslemont, Chloe. “Keeping up with the Mazarinettes.” Art UK. 1/17/2019. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/keeping-up-with-the-mazarinettes Ferguson, Donna. “Restoration influencer: how Charles II's clever mistress set trends ahead of her time." The Guardian.2/28/2021. https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/feb/28/restoration-influencer-how-charles-iis-clever-mistress-set-trends-ahead-of-her-time Folger Library. “The Fabulous Mancini Sisters.” 3/13/2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sX30o5FX0Y Folgerpedia. “The Mancini Sisters.” https://folgerpedia.folger.edu/The_Mancini_Sisters:_Mistresses_and_Memoirists Goldsmith, Elizabeth C. “The Kings' Mistresses: The Liberated Lives of Marie Mancini, Princess Colonna, and Her Sister Hortense, Duchess Mazarin.” Public Affairs. 2012. Latour, Therese Louis. “Princesses Ladies And Adventuresses of the Reign of Louis XIV.” London. Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co. 1924. O'Rourke, John. “17th-Century Sisters the Kardashians Might Admire.” BU Today. 8/27/2012. https://www.bu.edu/articles/2012/17th-century-sisters-the-kardashians-might-admire/ Porter, Linda. “Charles II's last mistress.” Historia: Magazine of the Historical Writers' Association. 4/16/2020. https://www.historiamag.com/charles-iis-last-mistress/ Richard, Kristen. “How Italy's ‘Runaway Duchess' Changed How We Drink Champagne.” Wine Enthusiast. 2/11/2022. https://www.winemag.com/2022/02/11/hortense-mancini-runaway-duchess-champagne/ Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts. “The Manuscripts of His Grace the Duke of Rutland: Letters and papers, 1440-1797 (v.3 mainly correspondence of the fourth Duke of Rutland). v.4. Charters, cartularies, &c. Letters and papers, supplementary. Extracts from household accounts.” Jan. 1889. https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=IgoRAAAAYAAJ&rdid=book-IgoRAAAAYAAJ&rdot=1 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vulgar History
Keeping Up With Les Mazarinettes

Vulgar History

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2022 51:25


We all know by now how iconic Hortense Mancini was. Is it any wonder that the other Mazarinettes were just as cool? This week, we tie up the Hortense saga with a look at the stories of Anna Marie Martinozzi, Laura Martinozzi, Laura Mancini, Olympe Mancini, Marie Mancini, and Marianne Mancini along with Boy Mazarinette Philippe Mancini.Between these seven we have: one musketeer, two accused poisoners, one iconic courthouse strut, one nighttime fleeing from the law, at least one pretty cool husband, at least one escape from a convent, and more!References:WikipediaThe Affair of the Poisons by Anne Somerset Love and Louis XIV by Antonia Fraser https://bookshop.org/a/1419/9781400033744The Kings' Mistresses: The Liberated Lives of Marie Mancini, Princess Colonna, and Her Sister Hortense, Duchess Mazarin by Elizabeth C. Goldsmith https://bookshop.org/a/1419/9781586488895https://partylike1660.com/marie-mancini-princesse-colonna/Info about how to take action after the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs Wade is at http://podvoices.helpSupport Vulgar History on Patreon at patreon.com/annfosterwriterGet merch at http://vulgarhistory.store - use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOU10 for 10% off your orderVulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History: bookshop.org/shop/vulgarhistory Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vulgar History
Keeping Up With Les Mazarinettes

Vulgar History

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2022 51:25


We all know by now how iconic Hortense Mancini was. Is it any wonder that the other Mazarinettes were just as cool? This week, we tie up the Hortense saga with a look at the stories of Anna Marie Martinozzi, Laura Martinozzi, Laura Mancini, Olympe Mancini, Marie Mancini, and Marianne Mancini along with Boy Mazarinette Philippe Mancini. Between these seven we have: one musketeer, two accused poisoners, one iconic courthouse strut, one nighttime fleeing from the law, at least one pretty cool husband, at least one escape from a convent, and more! References: Wikipedia The Affair of the Poisons by Anne Somerset Love and Louis XIV by Antonia Fraser https://bookshop.org/a/1419/9781400033744 The Kings' Mistresses: The Liberated Lives of Marie Mancini, Princess Colonna, and Her Sister Hortense, Duchess Mazarin by Elizabeth C. Goldsmith https://bookshop.org/a/1419/9781586488895 https://partylike1660.com/marie-mancini-princesse-colonna/ Info about how to take action after the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs Wade is at http://podvoices.help Support Vulgar History on Patreon at patreon.com/annfosterwriter Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store - use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOU10 for 10% off your order Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History: bookshop.org/shop/vulgarhistory

Vulgar History
Hortense Mancini, Duchess du Mazarin: part five

Vulgar History

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2022 66:20


This episode gets into Hortense's final years, which involve: two mother-daughter reunions, how she dealt with three rapid changes in who the monarch is, CM continuing to be the best best friend to ever friend, and of course, her scandilicious score!! Content warning: discussion of suicide starts at 47:01. If you want to skip ahead to the scoring, that starts at 57:31. References: Annalisa Nicholson's page at The Queen's College, University of Oxford https://www.queens.ox.ac.uk/people/annalisa-nicholson Mistresses: Sex and Scandal at the Court of Charles II by Linda Porter The Kings' Mistresses: The Liberated Lives of Marie Mancini, Princess Colonna, and her Sister Hortense, Duchess Mazarin by Elizabeth C. Goldsmith https://bookshop.org/a/1419/9781586488895 https://www.thecambridgelanguagecollective.com/arts-and-culture/annalisa-nicholson https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/feb/28/restoration-influencer-how-charles-iis-clever-mistress-set-trends-ahead-of-her-time Info about how to take action after the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs Wade is at http://podvoices.help Support Vulgar History on Patreon at patreon.com/annfosterwriter Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store - use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOU10 for 10% off your order Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History: bookshop.org/shop/vulgarhistory

Vulgar History
Hortense Mancini, Duchess de Mazarin: part five

Vulgar History

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2022 66:20


This episode gets into Hortense's final years, which involve: two mother-daughter reunions, how she dealt with three rapid changes in who the monarch is, CM continuing to be the best best friend to ever friend, and of course, her scandilicious score!!Content warning: discussion of suicide starts at 47:01. If you want to skip ahead to the scoring, that starts at 57:31.References:Annalisa Nicholson's page at The Queen's College, University of Oxford https://www.queens.ox.ac.uk/people/annalisa-nicholsonMistresses: Sex and Scandal at the Court of Charles II by Linda PorterThe Kings' Mistresses: The Liberated Lives of Marie Mancini, Princess Colonna, and her Sister Hortense, Duchess Mazarin by Elizabeth C. Goldsmith https://bookshop.org/a/1419/9781586488895https://www.thecambridgelanguagecollective.com/arts-and-culture/annalisa-nicholsonhttps://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/feb/28/restoration-influencer-how-charles-iis-clever-mistress-set-trends-ahead-of-her-timeInfo about how to take action after the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs Wade is at http://podvoices.helpSupport Vulgar History on Patreon at patreon.com/annfosterwriterGet merch at http://vulgarhistory.store - use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOU10 for 10% off your orderVulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History: bookshop.org/shop/vulgarhistory Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vulgar History
Hortense Mancini, Duchess de Mazarin: part 4

Vulgar History

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2022 61:01


Bonjour and welcome to Hortense's Salon Internationale! In this week's episode, we learn more about Hortense Mancini's time as Charles II's maitresse-en-titre, her relationship with Charles's daughter Anne Lennerd, her love of swordfighting, her self-sabotaging affair with Louis I of Monaco, and her platonic life partner Charles de Marguetel de Saint-Denis, seigneur de Saint-Évremond aka CM, and overall her new era as Renaissance Influencer. And the story doesn't end here! Next week we'll wrap up the Hortense Saga with her post-post Charles era, and finally see how she scores on the Fredegund memorial scale. References: Mistresses: Sex and Scandal at the Court of Charles II by Linda Porter The Kings' Mistresses: The Liberated Lives of Marie Mancini, Princess Colonna, and her Sister Hortense, Duchess Mazarin by Elizabeth C. Goldsmith https://bookshop.org/a/1419/9781586488895 https://www.winemag.com/2022/02/11/hortense-mancini-runaway-duchess-champagne/ https://www.thecambridgelanguagecollective.com/arts-and-culture/annalisa-nicholson https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/feb/28/restoration-influencer-how-charles-iis-clever-mistress-set-trends-ahead-of-her-time Info about how to take action after the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs Wade is at http://podvoices.help Support Vulgar History on Patreon at patreon.com/annfosterwriter Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store - use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOU10 for 10% off your order Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History: bookshop.org/shop/vulgarhistory

Vulgar History
Hortense Mancini, Duchess de Mazarin: part three

Vulgar History

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2022 58:43


So in 1675, Hortense Mancini fled France to hang out in London during the Restoration era. She truly took the city by storm with her superpowered beauty and scandalous ways. But in order to appreciate just what an effect she had, we need to talk for a minute about what London was like P.H. (Pre-Hortense). This week we learn about what Charles II had been up to since he unsuccessfully tried to marry teen Hortense (like being a volunteer firefighter, sexy Captain Hook impersonator, and oh yeah being the literal King) as well as info about his mistresses Moll Davis, Nell Gwyn, Barbara Villiers, and Louise de Carouelle AND also the jewel heist saga of Thomas Blood. References: Mistresses: Sex and Scandal at the Court of Charles II by Linda Porter The Kings' Mistresses: The Liberated Lives of Marie Mancini, Princess Colonna, and her Sister Hortense, Duchess Mazarin by Elizabeth C. Goldsmith https://bookshop.org/a/1419/9781586488895 https://www.historyextra.com/period/stuart/sex-scandals-and-betrayals-charles-ii-and-his-court/ article by RE Pritchard Leading Ladies: the many mistresses of Charles II wielded real political power by Annalisa Nicholson (History Extra magazine) Rex Factor podcast about Charles II https://play.acast.com/s/rexfactor/44.charlesii-restoration- Info about how to take action after the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs Wade is at http://podvoices.help Support Vulgar History on Patreon at patreon.com/annfosterwriter Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store - use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOU10 for 10% off your order Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History: bookshop.org/shop/vulgarhistory

Vulgar History
Hortense Mancini, Duchess de Mazarin: part two

Vulgar History

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2022 49:38


In the next thrilling installment of the saga of Hortense Mancini, our heroine escapes from her awful husband with the help of her brother and sister, becomes the most popular muse in Rome/Europe, has a not-so-secret sexy affair with a servant, and writes her memoirs (all before age 29). And she's just getting started! Featuring special guest narrative: what her sister Marie had been up to since being forced to consciously uncouple from Louis XIV. References: Mistresses: Sex and Scandal at the Court of Charles II by Linda Porter The Kings' Mistresses: The Liberated Lives of Marie Mancini, Princess Colonna, and her Sister Hortense, Duchess Mazarin by Elizabeth C. Goldsmith https://bookshop.org/a/1419/9781586488895 Marie Mancini: writing for her life, by Sarah Nelson https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/20563035.2021.1898863 Info about how to take action after the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs Wade is at http://podvoices.help Support Vulgar History on Patreon at patreon.com/annfosterwriter Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store - use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOU10 for 10% off your order Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History: bookshop.org/shop/vulgarhistory

Vulgar History
Hortense Mancini, Duchess de Mazarin: part one

Vulgar History

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2022 67:54


Hortense Mancini appeared one day with Sailor Moon buns and such a fascinating Wikipedia entry I had to make room for her in this internationale season. Her story is like if you did a Frankenstein thing of putting together all the most scandilicious bits of every story ever on Vulgar History ever before into one story, because it's all here! Wearing a pants disguise! Breaking new ground for women in publishing! Putting on plays in which she plays the main part! A terrible husband! Lovers! Outfits! Here in part one we learn about Hortense (incl how to pronounce her name), her sisters, brother, and cousins, her terrible husband, and set the scene with some important people who will show up in later episodes. Content warning: discussion of the details of her abusive husband and marriage begin at around 37:30. You can skip that and still listen to future bits of Hortense's story! References: Mistresses: Sex and Scandal at the Court of Charles II by Linda Porter The Kings' Mistresses: The Liberated Lives of Marie Mancini, Princess Colonna, and her Sister Hortense, Duchess Mazarin by Elizabeth C. Goldsmith https://bookshop.org/a/1419/9781586488895 Info about how to take action after the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs Wade is at http://podvoices.help Support Vulgar History on Patreon at patreon.com/annfosterwriter Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store - use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOU10 for 10% off your order Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History: bookshop.org/shop/vulgarhistory

New Books in Early Modern History
Elizabeth Goldsmith, “The King's Mistresses” (PublicAffairs, 2012)

New Books in Early Modern History

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2012 43:12


As Elizabeth Goldsmith writes in The King's Mistresses: The Liberated Lives of Marie Mancini, Princess Colonna, and Her Sister Hortense, Duchess Mazarin (PublicAffairs, 2012), the Mazarin sisters were “arguably the first media celebrities.” Upon their arrival at Louis XIV's Court of Versailles, the sisters made a splash when Marie and the young King promptly fell in love. Ultimately, the couple's relationship– which climaxed with a forced separation and Marie's confinement in a convent– reads like something out of Shakespeare. Forced into advantageous mismatches that were, at turns, oppressive and abusive, the sisters jumped back into public view when Hortense, donning men's clothing and making use of the new post coach service, left her husband and took to the road. Marie promptly joined her. At a time when it was borderline scandalous for women to travel unaccompanied by men, much less divorce them, the sisters darted about Europe, seeking refuge from the husbands who actively pursued them. The story of their escape seemed like something out of a novel and, for years, the whole of Europe was riveted. As Goldsmith writes, the sisters were “admired by libertines, feminists and free-thinkers but viewed by others as frivolous at best and threats to civil society at worst.” Both women penned memoirs, with that of Hortense being the first memoir written to which a woman signed her name. What is perhaps most striking about the sisters now is how brazenly unapologetic they were. As Hortense writes: “I know that a woman's glory lies in her not giving rise to gossip, but one cannot always choose the kind of life one would like to lead.” She and her sister landed lives of adventure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Books in Women's History
Elizabeth Goldsmith, “The King's Mistresses” (PublicAffairs, 2012)

New Books in Women's History

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2012 43:12


As Elizabeth Goldsmith writes in The King's Mistresses: The Liberated Lives of Marie Mancini, Princess Colonna, and Her Sister Hortense, Duchess Mazarin (PublicAffairs, 2012), the Mazarin sisters were “arguably the first media celebrities.” Upon their arrival at Louis XIV's Court of Versailles, the sisters made a splash when Marie and the young King promptly fell in love. Ultimately, the couple's relationship– which climaxed with a forced separation and Marie's confinement in a convent– reads like something out of Shakespeare. Forced into advantageous mismatches that were, at turns, oppressive and abusive, the sisters jumped back into public view when Hortense, donning men's clothing and making use of the new post coach service, left her husband and took to the road. Marie promptly joined her. At a time when it was borderline scandalous for women to travel unaccompanied by men, much less divorce them, the sisters darted about Europe, seeking refuge from the husbands who actively pursued them. The story of their escape seemed like something out of a novel and, for years, the whole of Europe was riveted. As Goldsmith writes, the sisters were “admired by libertines, feminists and free-thinkers but viewed by others as frivolous at best and threats to civil society at worst.” Both women penned memoirs, with that of Hortense being the first memoir written to which a woman signed her name. What is perhaps most striking about the sisters now is how brazenly unapologetic they were. As Hortense writes: “I know that a woman's glory lies in her not giving rise to gossip, but one cannot always choose the kind of life one would like to lead.” She and her sister landed lives of adventure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Books in History
Elizabeth Goldsmith, “The King’s Mistresses” (PublicAffairs, 2012)

New Books in History

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2012 42:46


As Elizabeth Goldsmith writes in The King’s Mistresses: The Liberated Lives of Marie Mancini, Princess Colonna, and Her Sister Hortense, Duchess Mazarin (PublicAffairs, 2012), the Mazarin sisters were “arguably the first media celebrities.” Upon their arrival at Louis XIV’s Court of Versailles, the sisters made a splash when Marie and the young King promptly fell in love. Ultimately, the couple’s relationship– which climaxed with a forced separation and Marie’s confinement in a convent– reads like something out of Shakespeare. Forced into advantageous mismatches that were, at turns, oppressive and abusive, the sisters jumped back into public view when Hortense, donning men’s clothing and making use of the new post coach service, left her husband and took to the road. Marie promptly joined her. At a time when it was borderline scandalous for women to travel unaccompanied by men, much less divorce them, the sisters darted about Europe, seeking refuge from the husbands who actively pursued them. The story of their escape seemed like something out of a novel and, for years, the whole of Europe was riveted. As Goldsmith writes, the sisters were “admired by libertines, feminists and free-thinkers but viewed by others as frivolous at best and threats to civil society at worst.” Both women penned memoirs, with that of Hortense being the first memoir written to which a woman signed her name. What is perhaps most striking about the sisters now is how brazenly unapologetic they were. As Hortense writes: “I know that a woman’s glory lies in her not giving rise to gossip, but one cannot always choose the kind of life one would like to lead.” She and her sister landed lives of adventure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Books in European Studies
Elizabeth Goldsmith, “The King’s Mistresses” (PublicAffairs, 2012)

New Books in European Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2012 42:46


As Elizabeth Goldsmith writes in The King’s Mistresses: The Liberated Lives of Marie Mancini, Princess Colonna, and Her Sister Hortense, Duchess Mazarin (PublicAffairs, 2012), the Mazarin sisters were “arguably the first media celebrities.” Upon their arrival at Louis XIV’s Court of Versailles, the sisters made a splash when Marie and the young King promptly fell in love. Ultimately, the couple’s relationship– which climaxed with a forced separation and Marie’s confinement in a convent– reads like something out of Shakespeare. Forced into advantageous mismatches that were, at turns, oppressive and abusive, the sisters jumped back into public view when Hortense, donning men’s clothing and making use of the new post coach service, left her husband and took to the road. Marie promptly joined her. At a time when it was borderline scandalous for women to travel unaccompanied by men, much less divorce them, the sisters darted about Europe, seeking refuge from the husbands who actively pursued them. The story of their escape seemed like something out of a novel and, for years, the whole of Europe was riveted. As Goldsmith writes, the sisters were “admired by libertines, feminists and free-thinkers but viewed by others as frivolous at best and threats to civil society at worst.” Both women penned memoirs, with that of Hortense being the first memoir written to which a woman signed her name. What is perhaps most striking about the sisters now is how brazenly unapologetic they were. As Hortense writes: “I know that a woman’s glory lies in her not giving rise to gossip, but one cannot always choose the kind of life one would like to lead.” She and her sister landed lives of adventure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Books in Biography
Elizabeth Goldsmith, “The King’s Mistresses” (PublicAffairs, 2012)

New Books in Biography

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2012 43:12


As Elizabeth Goldsmith writes in The King’s Mistresses: The Liberated Lives of Marie Mancini, Princess Colonna, and Her Sister Hortense, Duchess Mazarin (PublicAffairs, 2012), the Mazarin sisters were “arguably the first media celebrities.” Upon their arrival at Louis XIV’s Court of Versailles, the sisters made a splash when Marie and the young King promptly fell in love. Ultimately, the couple’s relationship– which climaxed with a forced separation and Marie’s confinement in a convent– reads like something out of Shakespeare. Forced into advantageous mismatches that were, at turns, oppressive and abusive, the sisters jumped back into public view when Hortense, donning men’s clothing and making use of the new post coach service, left her husband and took to the road. Marie promptly joined her. At a time when it was borderline scandalous for women to travel unaccompanied by men, much less divorce them, the sisters darted about Europe, seeking refuge from the husbands who actively pursued them. The story of their escape seemed like something out of a novel and, for years, the whole of Europe was riveted. As Goldsmith writes, the sisters were “admired by libertines, feminists and free-thinkers but viewed by others as frivolous at best and threats to civil society at worst.” Both women penned memoirs, with that of Hortense being the first memoir written to which a woman signed her name. What is perhaps most striking about the sisters now is how brazenly unapologetic they were. As Hortense writes: “I know that a woman’s glory lies in her not giving rise to gossip, but one cannot always choose the kind of life one would like to lead.” She and her sister landed lives of adventure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Books Network
Elizabeth Goldsmith, “The King’s Mistresses” (PublicAffairs, 2012)

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2012 42:59


As Elizabeth Goldsmith writes in The King’s Mistresses: The Liberated Lives of Marie Mancini, Princess Colonna, and Her Sister Hortense, Duchess Mazarin (PublicAffairs, 2012), the Mazarin sisters were “arguably the first media celebrities.” Upon their arrival at Louis XIV’s Court of Versailles, the sisters made a splash when Marie and the young King promptly fell in love. Ultimately, the couple’s relationship– which climaxed with a forced separation and Marie’s confinement in a convent– reads like something out of Shakespeare. Forced into advantageous mismatches that were, at turns, oppressive and abusive, the sisters jumped back into public view when Hortense, donning men’s clothing and making use of the new post coach service, left her husband and took to the road. Marie promptly joined her. At a time when it was borderline scandalous for women to travel unaccompanied by men, much less divorce them, the sisters darted about Europe, seeking refuge from the husbands who actively pursued them. The story of their escape seemed like something out of a novel and, for years, the whole of Europe was riveted. As Goldsmith writes, the sisters were “admired by libertines, feminists and free-thinkers but viewed by others as frivolous at best and threats to civil society at worst.” Both women penned memoirs, with that of Hortense being the first memoir written to which a woman signed her name. What is perhaps most striking about the sisters now is how brazenly unapologetic they were. As Hortense writes: “I know that a woman’s glory lies in her not giving rise to gossip, but one cannot always choose the kind of life one would like to lead.” She and her sister landed lives of adventure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices