This will examine, through existing works, the lives of the men and women who were in a relationship with royal and noble persons throughout history.
Research of current Internet materials will focus on the following:
Personal and Family Background:
First Encounter: How they first met and when the sparks started.
Physical Traits and Personal Qualities:
Character or Persona: Why him or her?
Achievements and Honours
Benefits - What was the windfall to the lucky lover?
Beneficiaries and Patronages: Who benefited from his/her relationship with the royal/noble and how.
Keeping Up Appearances: Marrying off mistress or lover for appearance's sake.
Offspring: Children and descendants and what became of them.
Aftermath - Whatever happened to...?
Effects on Other People and Society- How royal or noble and his/her family affected by relationship
In addition, quotes from existing books and other materials available on the Internet will be featured here (with appropriate citations) which expound on the dynamic and impact of "royal favourites" on the individuals, families, friends and society of the men and women involved in the relationship.
Royal Mistresses in the Middle Ages
"Most of the women who became royal mistresses in the Middle Ages were form one of two backgrounds: either they were the wives or daughters of the lesser landowning class -- those who later came to be known as the country gentry -- or they were sprung form the civic bourgeaosie...." (Given-Wilson and Curteis, p. 13)
The 'value' of a mistress
"In the 1700s, wealthy and powerful men kept wives for appearances and mistresses for amusement. Society tolerated, even expected, such arrangements as long as the men were discreet. A mistress was an amusing plaything, a creature to be cosseted as long as she distracted her man from his cares and made him look good in the eyes of the world. The sexier the mistress, the more envious the man's friends. The man who sported a fair young temptress on his arm was demonstrating to his friends that he was a man of power and influence. She might wink at them, but she belonged to him. Mistresses who lost the bloom of youth or no longer excited the ardor of their gentlemen were often discarded---sometimes with small living allowances or parting presents, and sometimes without." (Billinghurst, 2004, pp. 58-59)
The role of the favourite
"The role of favorite was an unofficial position of a close friend or lover (thought not necessarily) with direct access to the ruler. The ruler bestowed positions, titles, and great wealth on the favorite to legitimize the favorite's access and official duties; the favorite's family benefited enormously...." (Catherine II & Cruse, 2005, p. lix)
"A husband who bears the name, another who performs the duties"
"...'Men look upon their wives' galants as favorably as upon deputies that take the troublesome part of their business off their hands,' Lady Mary Wortley Montagu had written during the reign of Maria Theresa's father, 'though they have not the less to do, for they are generally deputies in another place themselves. In short, 'tis the established custom for every lady to have two husbands, one who bears the name, and another who performs the duties.' The extramarital liaisons were usually of long duration, and were sealed with agreements under whose terms the woman received a 'pension' from her lover. Without such a pension, and a lover, no woman could be regarded as genteel, Lady Mary noted; securing the pension was considered an essential part of the bargain. So well established were these arrangements that hostesses reguarly invited both a woman's husband and her lover to dinner, seating her equitably between the," (Erickson, 2004, p. 29)
