Diane de Poitiers was one of the most famous and powerful French mistresses of all time. The mistress of King Henry II of France, Diane was years older than the king, but fully had his love. Being a royal mistress made Diane a major player in the French court and caused her to have rivalries with everyone from former mistresses in Anne de Pisseleu, mistress of King Francis I of France and her lover's wife, Catherine de' Medici. Diane de Poitiers was the definition of a controversial royal mistress.
Born on September 3, 1499 to Jean de Poitiers, Seigneur de Saint Vallier and Jeanne de Batarnay, she briefly served as a maid-of-honour to Anne de Beaujeu, sister of King Charles VIII of France. Diane was educated, intelligent, poised, and graceful.
Diane married Louis de Breze, Seigneur d'Anet. He was 54 years old and she was only 15 years old. Louis was the grandson of King Charles VII of France. They had two daughters together. She served as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Claude.
Diane's father was accused of treason in 1524, but he was spared execution by King Francis I. Diane's husband died in 1531 leaving her a widow. Diane would spend the rest of her life wearing black and white, colors of mourning.
Diane caught the eye of the young Henry when he was sent with his brother to be hostages during the Battle of Pavia in Spain. Diane gave the motherless Henry a farewell kiss before he left. When he returned, she became a sort of mentor or mother figure to him, but he fell in love with the older woman.
Henry married Catherine de' Medici in 1533, but he was now deeply in love with Diane. Catherine loathed Diane and the power she had over Henry, but Diane tried to help the royal couple whether it be convincing Henry to go to Catherine's bed to conceive a child or being in charge of the royal children.
Diane reportedly became Henry's mistress in 1538 and held quite an influence over him. Everyone in the French court and around the world knew the influence Diane had. The Pope once sent Queen Catherine a present and also sent Diane one as well.
Diane and Catherine's rivalry was great. They battled over the Chateau d'Anet. King Henry gave it to his mistress much to Catherine's disgust. They also battled in Henry's final days after he was critically wounded in a jousting accident, Catherine refused Diane access to Henry's side. Catherine banished Diane from the court. Catherine had finally beaten her husband's beloved mistress.
Diane de Poitiers spent her final days at the Chateau d'Anet. She died on April 25, 1566 at the age of 66. She has been portrayed in historical fiction in "Courtesan" by Diane Haeger and various novels on Catherine de' Medici including "The Confessions of Catherine de' Medici" by C.W. Gorter and "The Devil's Queen" by Jeanne Kalogridis. Alexander Dumas wrote "The Two Dianas" about Diane and her daughter also named Diane. Diane de Poitiers will always be regarded as one of the most well-known royal mistresses.
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