The Enigmatic Mistress of Louis XIV: Tales of Intrigue and Witchcraft
Françoise Athénaïs de Rochechouart, the Marquise de Montespan, was one of the most famous mistresses of King Louis XIV of France. In her efforts to maintain the monarch’s love and eliminate her competitors, she turned to aphrodisiacs, poisons, and allegedly even black masses.
6 min readApr 3, 2024
When the Marquise de Montespan became the king’s mistress, she occupied the most beautiful apartments in Versailles. She filled them with countless flowers and… animals. The chambers of the royal favorite were inhabited by goats, lambs, pigs, and even mice, which she lovingly arranged around herself. Françoise Athénaïs even received a special gallery from the monarch to proudly display paintings from her family’s collection.
Who was the Marquise de Montespan?
Françoise Athénaïs de Rochechouart was born on October 5, 1640, at the Chateau de…
