The Rivals of Versailles

The Rivals of Versailles picks up the story of the mistresses of Louis XV from the first book in this trilogy The Sisters of Versailles.

After Louis XV recovered from an illness he found himself without a mistress. He soon met a bourgeois girl from Paris, Jeanne Poisson, and fell in love. Jeanne, not being royal, needed a name worthy of Versailles and was granted a title that was held by someone else. She became the Marquise de Pompadour and was given a large apartment formerly occupied by Louis' last mistress Marie Anne Mailly Nesle. The newly minted Marquise redecorated the space to distinguish herself from her predecessor and for four years captivated the king. After suffering two miscarriages with Louis her doctor said she must abstain from sex if she wanted to live.

The Marquise told Louis that their sex life was over and he began to stray. However, he needed her company and political advise but found that he could no longer physically climb the stairs to her apartment. Louis ordered a new and much larger apartment for her that was closer to his bedroom even though he had found a new lover, which astonished her enemies.

The Marquise found ways to get Louis girls but in a way where she retained control over the situation. When the girls began to ask for treasures, or her banishment, they were sent home. Louis, now 50, still loved the Marquise and made her a Duchesse while he continued to have sex with many other women, proving her power in the Empire.

After I finished the book my first thought was how well did Louis govern when he was with a mistress every afternoon, evening and most weekends? This does not count the number of weeks he spent holidaying at various chateaux each year.  He seemed to me to be a party animal but it also appeared that this socializing was required by the French Court. How could Louis possibly have spent enough time on governing his nation?

Louis' loyalty to the Marquise/Duchesse was interesting to say the least. Why stay loyal to her but cheat on her with other women? Note that his wife, the Queen, was still alive and living at Versailles while all of his sexual affairs were happening.

The Marquise/Duchesse certainly had a hold on Louis' heart. Her path to power was no different than those of the mistresses in Part 1 of this Trilogy.  Was he in love? It seems so but he had been in love with his Queen too and stayed loyal to her long past the time expected by his Court.

I am looking forward to the third and final installment in this trilogy.

5 of of 5 stars.