Diane de Poitiers (fr. Diane de Poitiers; September 3, 1499
(according to other sources, January 9, 1500) - April 26, 1566)
beloved and Royal mistress of King Henry II of France.
Almost thirteen years she was the uncrowned queen of France.
Courtier sang of this middle-aged woman as the ideal of goodness and beauty. She really was beautiful, and in addition, power-hungry, wise and prudent. But all this, as happens in history, forgotten, there was only a legend of the love that lives up to now, many centuries after the death of Diane de Poitiers, Duchesse de Valentinois.
The fateful duel
June 30, 1559 all Paris rushed outside Saint-Antoine.
On the occasion of the conclusion of peace with Spain, King Henry II decided to make a joust and personally participate in it. To do this on a narrow street bridge was dismantled and built a platform for notable fans. Now they were filled with courtiers and gilded dresses ladies dress, and the rope fence heaving gray mass of common people. The crowd whispered anxiously, wondering why it took the king to revive half-forgotten fun. With the advent of firearms century knights is gone. Cease and tournaments, although at times they are satisfied out of reverence for antiquity. But Henry did not differ in this respect: everyone knew that he prefers Ratna amusements very different classes. Eyes involuntarily Parisians flock to the plush box where sat the old monarch's mistress Diane de Poitiers. Recently she turned sixty, but her face and lithe figure remained spotless. It was even said that she bathed in the blood of infants to preserve youth.
Queen Catherine de Medici, sitting on a nearby podium was only forty, but she looked almost older than his rival. Full, dark, liquid hair and bulging eyes, slightly reminiscent of Italian toad. From time to time she threw at Diana leer, which she tried to ignore. Parisians are not loved and pitied both his good king, forced constantly unimat absurd quarrels bab. No wonder that he seeks solace in others, only recently gave birth to another baby maid of honor, as two drops of water like a king. Before that, he seduced his governess sister Mary Stuart, and the very young Scot, rumored to uneven breathing test - because her husband, silly Prince François, was indifferent to love joys.
Blew the horn herald, and the Knights rushed into battle. As expected, opponents knock off at full gallop, trying to knock each other off their horses with heavy spears. Blows fell on the chest, shoulders, and even in the face, but it reliably protects armor and spear were specifically blunted, so deaths in tournaments almost was not. After enduring battle with the Duke of Savoy, and de Guise, the king wished to fight a new enemy and ordered the 30-year-old Scottish captain Gabriel Montgomery take a fighting position. At this time, the servant handed him the request of his wife, out of love for her to stop dangerous game. "Tell the queen that for the love of it I will win this fight!" - Exclaimed the king. Upon hearing this, the queen turned pale: she remembered the predictions of astrologers Gorik that threatened the king's death from a wound in the head at the age of forty-one years. Forty years turned to Henry exactly three months ago. In another prophecy of a Nostradamus said that the young lion will beat out the old eyes in a golden cage, and the royal hat just been gilded ... Henry heard these predictions, but now forgotten them. What caution when looking at you so many lovely ladies! And above all that, under whose sign has passed his whole life - Diane de Poitiers. No wonder the tournament, he wore her colors - white and black.
Opponents knocked, and on the tournament field swept vociferous cry. From the blow landed in the face, took the king's spear opened and entered into his right eye. Bloodthirsty Henry raced another 10-15 meters and slid from his horse at the hands of the courtiers surrounding him. "I'm dying," - he whispered. All eyes were on him, and no one noticed the other participants in the game, suddenly grew into a tragedy. Using this, Captain Montgomery and turned his horse at full gallop rushed to his castle Lorzh, hoping later to justify. It did not help - five years later, he was lured to Paris and beheaded, and did not believe that the fatal blow was accidental. While Henry was dragged on a stretcher to a nearby castle Turnel queen lay in a swoon. Diana has not lost consciousness, just stood there and watched as her lover rushes past.
Recovering, Catherine threw herself into the castle, and the first thing told me not to let go rival. Then he brought the famous surgeon Ambroise Pare and asked to do everything to save the king. Doctor examined the wound and made a disappointing conclusion: the spear struck the brain, which were fragments of bones. Hope not. Upon hearing this, the queen sent a messenger to Diana, who retired to the castle of Anet. She demanded that the mistress to return all donated her king values and ownership. Oddly enough, she agreed. In a response letter, she wrote: "My grief is so great that no harassment and insults will not be able to distract me from it." Henry died July 10 after a long agony, and on the same day Catherine received heavy casket with jewelry and keys from the magnificent castle of Chenonceau. All other property, Diana retained by putting one condition - never to appear at court. Fate let her seven years of life that have become dreary epilogue of her fairy tale.
Sentimental Education
It all started in March 1526 on the banks of the river Bidasoa, separating France and Spain. On the French side to the shore drove cavalcade led by a beautiful bearded man - King Francis I. Most recently, he appeared in a Spanish prisoner and was forced to sign a humiliating and extremely disadvantageous contract. Hostages of his execution became a royal sons - nine-seven-year-François and Henry. Now they were brought to the border and seated in a boat to take away to a foreign hostile country. The younger of the princes, just a kid, barely holding back tears. Noticing this, a beautiful lady of the royal entourage came up to him and kissed his cheek. The boat sailed away, and for many years this kiss was for Henry the most sweet memories of home.
He did not know that the lady who turned 27 years old, was the daughter of Baron Jean de Poitiers. Even as a child she lost her mother, and a couple of years ago, her father was sentenced to death for participating in the conspiracy. Trying to save his father, Diana then rushed to the Louvre to King Francis Lovelace known that at the first meeting appreciated the beautiful: tall, slender, with full lips and thick mane of brown hair. King knew that in fifteen years of her married to 56-year-old Baron Louis de Breze, Grand Seneschal of Normandy. Gloomy Baron hardly pays attention to his young wife, spending time in the military campaigns. Diana gave birth to two daughters and led a normal life provincial noblewoman - the household chores, sewing, many Masses on Sundays. True, there were in her behavior and strangeness. Justifying its name, taken from the goddess-huntress, she loved to race at full speed on a horse, driving game. A morning bathed in ice water source - and this in an era when even know washing considered redundant.
Rumor called Diana a faithful wife, but Francis was not accustomed to retreat and led a systematic siege. He appointed his daughter conspirator one audience after another, the clear implication that the father can only save its pliability. Further views of historians disagree. Some believe that the beauty of the monarch gave way to harassment, which is why he pardoned Jean de Poitiers, when he stepped on the chopping block. Others are convinced that Diana remained the same unassailable as its divine namesake. Otherwise - why Francis ordered the court painter of her portrait with the caption "Unavailable seduction"?
One thing is certain: since the king was respected Diana and repeatedly asked her for advice. Soon Seneschal de Breese died and left his young widow Anet dark castle by climbing on the invitation of the king to the Louvre. Royal mistress but she did not become, the place took young Duchess d'Etampes, strongly attacked for heart Francis. Diana missed, not forgetting to look after themselves, because her beauty was the main weapon in the fight for a place under the sun.
In the summer of 1530 the king paid a huge ransom to the Spaniards, and his sons returned home. Long separation from the homeland has not gone to their advantage - Francois soon died of consumption, and Henry became withdrawn and silent. He eagerly studied fencing and riding, won peers in any competitions, but never smiled and avoided contact. Prince showed warm feelings to only one person - a lady once kissed his cheek. On his first tournament on the same ill-fated rue Saint-Antoine, he walked over to Diana and all confessed his love for her. Seeing this, the king asked the widow to be accommodating with his son - in fact become his mentor in love affairs, which was necessary as soon Henry was to marry and continue the royal family. In 1533 in Paris came the bride - the successor of the Florentine Medici bankers. After the wedding Francisco, which was necessary alliance with the Pope, personally saw to it that his son played the conjugal duty.
It was really a debt that Henry avoided under any pretext. His heart was given to Diana, and a plump little Italian could not get him excited. Catherine, who had an outstanding mind, honestly trying to please the prince, knowing that she had beautiful legs, she was the first to ride like a man in a flirtatious pants who received the Italian name 'pants. "All to no avail - the coveted heir not born. The courtiers, led by the Duchess d'Etampes accused Catherine infertility that was sufficient grounds for divorce. But Diana tried to defend the princess and she decided to do sexual education of young spouses. Perhaps ogling Henry melted her heart. But a significant role was played by the desire to be closer to the throne, pushing him hated d'Etampes. Whatever it was, but in the spring of 1534, Henry and Diana went hunting together in the castle EQUAL. Prince came back so happy and refreshed, that Catherine exclaimed: "Oh, your highness, you should spend more time in nature!" Henry diligently followed this advice, and then, forgetting caution, began to visit Diana in her chambers.
The secret of beauty
Lessons wonderful mentor were not in vain: Catherine de Medici soon became pregnant and has since given birth properly heirs. Diana whenever present at birth, personally picking up babes midwives and nurses. Moreover, it has appointed Prince days in which he had to share a bed with his wife, which he still does not really want. But with Diana, he was inseparable, despite twenty years of difference in age. Poor Catherine went out of their trying to find out what this "old" so attracted her husband. Famous gossip writer Brant transmits the story, according to which she once told me to break into the bedroom ceiling rival hole for observation. "She saw the beauty of a lady very, white-skinned, delicate and very fresh, clad only in a short shirt. She caressed his beloved, they were laughing and joking, and answered her lover just as fervently, so that in the end they rolled out of bed and, as they were, in their shirts, lay down on the shaggy carpet next to the bed ... So princess, seeing all with frustration began to cry, moan and mourn, saying that her husband never allows himself to her follies such as this woman. "
Jealousy has done its job, the warm feelings of Princess Diana soon escalated into a cold hatred. Many years later, she wrote to her daughter, the famous Queen Margot, "I cordially welcomed Madame de Valentinois, for the king had forced me to it, and in doing so I always gave her feel that I was doing so to utter his regret for never a wife who loves her husband not love him a whore, otherwise it will not name, would especially like our situation may be painful to utter such words. "According to rumors, Catherine even keep the bottle in the boudoir of nitric acid, when the opportunity to splash her face razluchnitse. But never splashed must have realized that losing the beauty, Diana hardly lose the love of a prince.
In the spring of 1547, died, as they say, from syphilis, not yet old Francis and Henry II came to the throne. At Diana immediately poured real golden rain: it is entirely given tax "for confirmation of authority", which pays all the officials at the change of the monarch, as well as part of the tax, which were taxed all the bells of Paris. Wise mistress gave all the estate of the Duchess d'Etampes and defeated her jewelry, including a huge diamond.
Castle of Chenonceau in the Loire
And three months later, she got even more precious treasure - the castle of Chenonceau in the Loire. On top of it made the Duchess of Valentinois - first ducal title went to a woman not by right of inheritance.
Diana became a true queen. Together with Henry she accepted after substituting him at meetings of the royal council, sent on a trip around the country. At this time Catherine was sitting locked up in designated her rest, surrounded by many children. Her husband visited her only to conceive of another heir. But with Diana, he was inseparable and infrequent partings slept her letters. Here's what he wrote the king learned of her unimportant state of health:
"Mistress of my soul, humbly thank you for the work that you have taken on yourself, so send me news about our news, because she was for me naipriyatneyshim event. I can not live without you ... I remain forever your worthless servant. "Foreign ambassadors complained that they could not get an audience with the King, because he spent all his time at Madame de Poitiers.
The diplomat, who was lucky enough to break through to the mistress, describes what he saw the picture: "He sits down to her with a zither in hand, plays, often asks the constable and Omalya, beautiful I still Diana, and occasionally touches her breasts."
However, as time went on. Mistress turned fifty, and it takes all the measures to keep leaving youth. Of course, no makeup and wigs - the same cold baths, exercise and a cup of goat milk in the morning. To refute the rumors about his aging, Diana told to paint his portrait in the nude u unprecedented audacity! - Put it on public display. Yet she tried to surround himself with beautiful objects only, which underlines its attractiveness. One of the first in Paris, she began to collect antiques and paintings, turning their quarters at the Louvre Museum. In Chenonceau at her command was defeated Brave "Garden of Delights", which had been brought from all light rare varieties of apples, peaches, plums. In the center of the garden was located "Flower Garden of Diana", where there were mixed white lilies and red roses king, who considered her the mistress of the castle mascot - the flower of love.
Rosa is a lovely lady
Diana was engaged not only themselves - the lion's share of her time was devoted Management. Royal bounty she got two dozen castles with extensive grounds, and it is constantly visited them, scolded negligent managers and peasant meticulous counting supplies. The castle Etoile she arranged the office where personally pored over books. Affairs of the kingdom, too, did not remain without attention: Diana hosted ministers and give them a very sensible guidance. Unlike other mistresses she did not have a big greedy relatives. But countless gifts which showered her lover King manages to treasury dearly. As a result, taxes grew, and the people, as a consequence, blamed the uncrowned queen. Then the rumors of witchcraft and black magic of her power over the king.
Renaissance interiors of the castle of Chenonceau
But she was not to blame for the turmoil sweeping the country. The long-standing feud between Catholics and Protestants have increasingly poured into armed clashes. In Paris, the opponents of the Catholic faith were hanged and burned at the stake. Hearted Henry never visited penalty, although properly signed death sentences. And Diana looked at the flour convicted with curiosity and even laughed. Today it is difficult to say what caused this behavior - general "roughness era" or the desire to demonstrate loyalty to the king. But this will only increase the number of opponents and emboldened mistress Catherine de Medici. In late 1558 the Queen for the first time dared to protest her opponent on some issue. King rudely interrupted her and buried her in Italian offended book. "What do you read, madam?" - Inquired Diana, trying to smooth over the situation. "The history of France! - Catherine rapped. - It says that the affairs of the kingdom always ruled sluts! "Diana burst into tears, and announced that he was leaving the yard.
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