She was called the most beautiful woman of the 15th century, she was wasteful, but helped the poor, dressed defiantly, but looked innocent. And in history Agnes Sorel entered as the first officially recognized mistress of the king of France who was able to become not only a constant mistress Charles VII, but also a friend of his wife, Queen Mary of Anjou.

The meeting of Agnes Sorel with the king was organized, oddly enough, by his mother-in-law. She often arranged for ladies-in-waiting at court, and when they became mistresses of noble nobles, Iolanthe received the necessary information and kept everything under her control. She did not succeed in influencing the king with the help of her daughter, and she found a more sophisticated way - she found a mistress for this purpose.

Charles VII, seeing the girl, immediately went on the attack, but she ran away from him. The king was carried away in earnest, and his perseverance was soon rewarded. Within a few months, everyone at court was saying that the king was in love.

Charles VII lost his head so much that he was ready to fulfill any desire of Agnes Sorel. To prove the seriousness of his feelings, he proclaimed her the official favorite. From now on, the vassals were obliged to give her royal honors, she took part in political life court, the royal treasurer paid her the necessary amounts, and their children with the king received the family titles of Valois. As a gift from the king, Agnes received the castle of Bote-sur-Marne and the title of Dame de Beaute.

Agnes quickly got used to living in a big way. She allowed herself bold experiments with appearance for those times. The trains of her dresses reached 5 meters, the priests called them "devil's tails". She began to wear diamonds, although until then wearing them by the uncrowned was unacceptable. The courtiers were shocked by her extravagant, figure-hugging dresses with an asymmetrical neckline that completely exposed one breast. The queen was angry, but quickly changed her anger to mercy, deciding to become a friend for her husband's mistress. Maria gave jewelry and outfits to her rival, they walked together and went hunting.

The daring behavior of the favorite and her official status aroused indignation among many. So, the Archbishop des Ursen pointed out to the king the extravagance of his mistress and her frank outfits, he said that the ladies at court began to resemble “painted donkeys put up for sale.” In response, Karl defiantly declared: “If beautiful lady there will be dresses embroidered with gold, she will be in a good mood. If she is in a good mood, I will also be in a good mood. If I am in a good mood, the whole of France will be in a good mood. Therefore, France has a direct need for beautiful dresses.

Agnes could not help noticing the growing resentment against her. She began to help the sick and crippled, to donate huge sums to the poor. Constant poverty, the British who ruled the French lands and the inaction of the king aroused the indignation of the people. And then Agnes, not without the influence of Iolanthe, persuaded Charles VII to resume the war against the British. The cowardly and weak-willed king, nicknamed "the gosling" by his mother in childhood, the favorite was able to inspire the idea of ​​​​his courage. So Karl became the Winner. The victorious end of the Hundred Years' War was already celebrated without her - Agnes died 3 years before.

Karl was convinced that Agnes had been poisoned, and he was right. The examination carried out today confirmed high content mercury in the remains of a favorite. Perhaps it was unintentional poisoning - in those days, mercury was added to cosmetics and medicines.

Agnes Sorel, as a model of concern for the interests of the country, was later set as an example to all the influential mistresses of the French kings, including Francoise d "Aubigne -

- (Sorel or Soreau, 1409 1450) beloved of the French king Charles XII, was born into a noble family in the village of Fromento in Touraine (which is why it was called demoiselle de Fromenteau), was the maid of honor of Isabella of Lorraine, Duchess of Anjou, in 1431 ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

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Sorel, Stanislav French inventor of magnesian cement (1867); Sorel, Agnes courtesan of the 15th century; mistress of the French king Charles VII; Sorel, Gustav Belgian painter (1905 1981); Sorel, Georges ... ... Wikipedia

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This list lists unsolved murders, as well as deaths whose naturalness is being questioned by researchers. The list is based on chronological order. Contents 1 Unsolved murders 1.1 1700 1800 1.2 1800 1900 ... Wikipedia

Agnes Sorel the first official favorite A kept woman who is fully supported, who (usually secretly) is provided by a man, most often married ... Wikipedia

This term has other meanings, see Maid of Orleans. Opera Maid of Orleans Composer P. I. Tchaikovsky Libretto author(s) P. I. Tchaikovsky East ... Wikipedia

- “Heritage Floor” (Eng. Heritage Floor) a composition that forms a single object with the installation “Dinner Party” by Judy Chicago, which pays tribute to the achievements and hardships of women's work and has the shape of a triangular banquet table for 39 ... ... Wikipedia

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Books

• Great mistresses, Claude Dufresne. Agnes Sorel, Francoise de Chateaubriand, Anna de Pisslet, Diane de Poitiers, Gabriella d'Estre, Louise de Lavaliere, Antoinette de Pompadour, Jeanne Dubarry, Zoë Ducayla, Maria Valevskaya - here they are, ...
• Great mistresses, Dufresne K.. Agnes Sorel, Françoise de Chateaubriand, Anna de Pisslet, Diane de Poitiers, Gabriella d'Estre, Louise de La Vallière, Antoinette de Pompadour, Jeanne Dubarry, Zoë Ducayla, Maria Valevskaya - here they are, ...

Few have heard the name of Agnes Sorel, a contemporary of Joan of Arc who lived in France in the 15th century, but much more is known about the events associated with her.

“− First! - exclaimed Koroviev, - Mr. Jacques with his wife.Notorious for poisoning the royal mistress." (M.A. Bulgakov "The Master and Margarita")

Yes, yes, at Satan's ball famous novel it was Agnes Sorel who was mentioned as the very poisoned royal mistress - but more on that later. In the meantime, let's talk about what else Agnes became famous for.

The first thing historians and contemporaries mention is its amazing beauty. Yes, we know that it used to be customary to praise a woman's appearance, even the most mediocre one, it was an element of gallantry and courtly play, but in this case it's true. Even the Pope said that "She has the most beautiful face that can be seen in this world." The chronicler Jean Chartier considered her "The most beautiful of all beauties in the world", and Olivier de la Marche said: "She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." So subsequently Agnes began to be called "The Most beautiful woman 15th century".

Here is how the writer Juliette Benzoni describes her in her series of novels "Catherine": "Catherine turned around and looked wide-eyed. On the stone slabs, a creature slowly approached, as if emerging from a dream. Tall, thin, graceful young girl. Long, golden chestnut hair fell out from under a wreath of fawn roses and flowed over the shoulders of milky whiteness, which the dress of azure taffeta opened as generously as two round snow-white breasts, which seemed ready to burst out of the blue at any second. silks. The large eyes under thin brows were of the same heavenly color. The forehead was slightly convex, the cheeks were rounded, the mouth was small and red, like a cherry. But most of all, the skin was striking, the whitest, thinnest and most transparent, which only exists in the world. It was she who gave her whole appearance a special imprint of unreality.

First of all, Agnes Sorel (sometimes called Agnès Sorel) is considered the successor of the case. True, in a completely different way. More on this later, but for now a few words about what else this amazing woman is known for:

1. Agnes was the beloved of King Charles VII - the very one who was crowned only thanks to the efforts of Joan. In doing so, she became the first European history official favorite of the king. Prior to this, the monarchs hid their mistresses and did not emphasize their status. Agnes was also, perhaps, the only royal favorite who remained unmarried - usually, wanting to get a woman, kings and other noble aristocrats, first of all, they looked for a “suitable” husband for her, the marriage with which served as a cover for their connection. But Agnes remained unmarried, and all her life she was called Maiden Fromante. Although she gave birth to the king of three daughters and this was a well-known fact.

2. Agnes is considered the first to introduce the fashion for wearing diamonds - firstly, by women, and secondly, by persons of non-royal blood.

3. The king's favorite also greatly influenced fashion in general. Women began to wear long trains and dresses with a very low neckline or .. exposing one breast. Look at the portrait of Agnes - on it you will quite clearly see this feature of the ladies' wardrobe. However, besides her, few who dared to walk like that - but Agnes' breasts were so beautiful and perfect that she tried her best to emphasize this.

4. Agnes had a strong influence on the weak-willed king - fortunately, in positive side. She insisted on the dismissal of his greedy favorites, replacing them with more worthy people.

5. And finally, Agnes was a true patriot who craved full release France from the British - after all, the Hundred Years War was not over yet. Joan of Arc was no longer alive, and King Charles was quite content with the results achieved. Knowing about the feelings that he had for her, Agnes decided to use them for her own purposes. She told the king what she had learned about the prophecy that had forced them apart. When asked by the king, Agnes said that it says that Agnes will have to belong to the most powerful monarch in Europe, and everyone knows that this is the king of England. Charles VII was so struck by these words that he resumed hostilities.

Agnes Sorel and "numerologically" was connected with Joan of Arc. Both of them were born in 1412, and in 1431, when Jeanne was executed, Agnes became the favorite of the king, symbolically raising the banner that Jeanne had dropped.

Before meeting the king, Agnes was the maid of honor of his mother-in-law, Iolanthe of Aragon. It is possible that she specially introduced beautiful girl to her weak-willed son-in-law, so that she at least a little spurred him to strong-willed decisions. Subsequently, even the queen began to treat her husband's mistress favorably, seeing her beneficial influence. But the son of the king, Prince Louis, hated Agnes. According to one version, he ordered to poison his father's mistress. According to another, it was Jacques Coeur mentioned by Bulgakov. But, most likely, both of these versions are not reliable. Agnes died either as a result of accidental mercury poisoning, which was then often added to cosmetics. Or from the consequences of childbirth.

From the king, Agnes had 3 daughters - Charlotte, Jeanne and Maria - whom he recognized as his own and gave the title filles de France (daughters of France). Unfortunately, none of them lived to be 30 years old. The middle daughter of Agnes, Charlotte, was the grandmother of the legendary Diane de Poitiers, another famous beauty, favorite of Kings Francis I and Henry II.

Official favorite - the status that the King of France could give one of his beloved. The difference between the official favorite and all the others was that she had the opportunity to influence the course of political events, actively intervene in the life of the royal court and even in the intra-family relationships of the ruling family.

Medieval France was a country with patriarchal foundations, in which a woman was assigned the modest role of the guardian of the hearth. Until the 15th century, the king's entourage consisted mainly of knights, to satisfy the sexual needs of which a brothel was kept at the court. Only under Anne of Brittany did the institution of ladies-in-waiting arise, under subsequent queens the ladies' court increased in size and there was an increasing feminization of the royal court.

From now on, the king and his courtiers were content not with corrupt girls from the lower strata of the population, but with a society of sophisticated ladies. Not least of all for sanitary reasons (at that time an epidemic of syphilis broke out in France), the courtiers picked up the king's only beloved from among the ladies of the court.

In the era of absolutism, the marriages of members royal family were a purely state matter, designed to strengthen the alliance between the two countries. Often a marriage contract was concluded long before the age of majority of the heir to the throne, there was usually no talk of any personal sympathies. The main function of the queen was, in addition to strengthening interstate ties, the continuation of the royal dynasty. With the exception of a few brilliant rulers, like Mary Stuart and Marie Antoinette, who left a noticeable mark on the history of France, the king's wife usually remained in the background, not interfering in political affairs, and often devoted herself to religion.

Agnès Sorel - the first official favorite

"The most beautiful in the world of all beauties," considered her chronicler Jean Chartier. Olivier de La Marche admitted: "She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen" - and even Pope Pius II could not help mentioning that "she has the most beautiful face that you can see."

She was destined to remain in history as the first officially recognized royal favorite, benefactor of the unfortunate and disadvantaged, and, finally, an example of tragic sacrificial love.

Guided by personal preferences, the king usually chose attractive and educated ladies from his circle, including among the queen's ladies-in-waiting, as his mistresses. In addition to satisfying the sexual needs of the sovereign, the favorite often played an important role in governing the country. Since the favorites were usually ladies of noble birth, who received an excellent education and upbringing, they were distinguished by progressive views on many things that they, with the support of the king, sought to embody in society.

Portrait by Jean Fouquet

They were not only the trendsetters of fashion and cultural traditions at court, but also actively engaged in politics, often actually taking over the reins of government in their own hands. Sometimes the favorites were only an elegant tool in the hands of the powerful people of France, with which they could influence the decisions of the king.

Jean Fouquet. Beautiful Agnes

However, the favorite could just as quickly fall into disfavor with the king, how quickly she won his favor. Her position was unstable, since the king often changed his mistresses, so the most conceited of them tried by all means to strengthen their power at court and marry the king to themselves. Although there were decent women among the royal mistresses, almost all of them had a bad reputation, and at the same time many enemies and rivals.

When Agnes Sorel, an outstanding woman of her era, was born exactly, it is not known exactly. Some call the year of her birth 1409, others argue that she was born much later, in 1422. Her father, close to the noble Count of Clermont, tried to make his daughter a maid of honor at the court, first of the Duchess Isabella of Lorraine, and then of Queen Mary of Anjou herself, wife of King Charles VII of France. Agnes was in her early twenties. Her beauty was legendary. Even the Pope admitted many years later: "She had the most beautiful face that can only be seen in this world."

Charles VII the Winner - King of France (proclaimed in 1422, crowned in 1429) from the Valois dynasty, the fifth son of Charles VI the Mad and Isabella of Bavaria.

Many noble persons, high-ranking officials fell in love with the girl, and even the king himself was no exception. Before meeting with Agnes, the king had favorites. It was noted that Maria of Anjou knew about the passionate and temperamental nature of her husband. Her husband was reputed to be a windy, immoral, cowardly and cruel person, but he was quite well-read, educated and insightful.

Seeing once the fair-haired, blue-eyed Agnes, Karl was struck by her charm, that same evening he took the maid of honor to his bedroom and confessed his feelings to her. Not expecting such frankness, the embarrassed girl ran out of the royal chambers. But a few days later she returned, and a month later Agnes became the favorite of Charles VII.

Agnes Sorel - estampe - 1754

Everyone knew about it, and only the Queen, it seemed, did not even know about her husband's love affair with the charming Agnes. Until one day, in the halls of the royal palace, Maria of Anjou saw her rival walking bare-chested. The immodest behavior of the court lady outraged the well-behaved queen.

But no matter how Mary watched the king, Charles did not give the slightest reason for jealousy. The queen's guesses were confirmed only when Agnes became pregnant, and on the day of the birth, the king was so worried that there could be no more doubts - adultery was evident. The angry and offended queen spent several days in tears, and then decided to calm down and ... become the girlfriend of the mistress of the reigning husband. The queen became so close to her rival that she soon trusted her with her most secret secrets, gave Agnes jewelry and outfits. Women began to walk together, go hunting, and discuss affairs in the country.

Madame Sorel gave birth to four daughters to the king, whom her lover, despite the persuasion of those close to her, gave the family titles of Valois. And Agnes, even after giving birth, continued to captivate Karl with elegance and endless imagination.

It was Agnes Sorel who made it possible to wear diamonds not only for male royalty, but also for all women who could only purchase gemstone jewelry. Agnes first brought into fashion long trains, which the church called the "devil's tail" and forbade noble ladies to wear them. And the neckline, very frivolously exposing the female breast, completely aroused the indignation of others. The brave favorite was called a reckless woman and a lady of leftist behavior, the court maids of honor hissed with envy, and married ladies, noticing the curious glances of their spouses towards Madame Sorel, demanded to restore order, refusing to be present in the company of the immodest and depraved royal mistress.

But Karl did not seem to notice the antics of his mistress. He awarded her the titles of ladies of Bote-sur-Marne, Vernoy, Rukesez-er. And one title went down in history and became inextricably linked with Agnes - the title of Madame Bothe (Ladies of Beauty). In 1448, when Agnes already had three children, Charles decided to present his adored mistress with a castle near Paris.

Beloved by the king, showered with his generous gifts, Agnes did not feel completely happy. The poverty of ordinary Frenchmen, the unending Hundred Years' War, the inaction of the king - all this caused discontent among the people. But for some reason, the royal favorite was considered guilty of everything. And Madame Sorel decided to act. The king, in love with her, was ready for anything for the sake of her favor and love. It was then, in 1429, that the name of the brave girl Joan of Arc, who was introduced to the king by Madame Sorel, became known.

Young Carl

Once, when the king was in Normandy, Madame Sorel came to him. Her condition was horrendous: Agnes went into labor. Before that, she told the king about the conspiracy being prepared against him, but Karl considered her words to be the delirium of an excited woman in labor. Whether this plot took place or not, it is now impossible to say. However, those close to him believed that even if the conspirators wanted to kill the king, they were frightened when they learned that the brave favorite brought this message to Charles.

A few days later, when Madame Sorel returned to Paris, she became ill. She died on February 9, 1450, and before her death, she regretted only one thing, that in the last minutes she could not see her beloved man. The king was not shown the deceased. Her face was disfigured by death throes.

Karl could not come to his senses for a long time: he was sure that the lady of his heart had been poisoned. At first, suspicion fell on the Minister of Finance, over whom a speedy trial took place. Due to insufficient evidence, the charge of murdering the royal maid of honor was removed from him, and he was imprisoned for embezzlement of the treasury. Then the king became suspicious of his own son. Louis really did not like his father's favorite, and he did not have the best relationship with Karl. However, as the courtiers said, he could hardly take such a step. One way or another, the cause of death of the royal lover remained unclear. The king gradually calmed down and ... preferred to forget about the deceased mistress.

Gravestone Sorel

The Hundred Years' War ended in 1453. The reforms that Sorel so dreamed of were also completed. Everyone understood that they owed this to the beautiful Madame Botha, the blond Agnes, the woman who changed the kingdom and inspired the king to bold decisions.

But Charles VII was already having fun with another lady: Agnes's cousin Antoinette became the favorite. She did not have such an influence on Karl as her cousin, but she turned out to be an excellent lover and organizer of entertainment, parties, balls.

Having fallen in love with Antoinette and not wanting to part with her even for a minute, the king married her to his friend and settled the spouses in the palace. Andre de Villequier knew about the intimate relationship between his wife and the king, but chose not to pay attention to his wife's infidelities.

Carl spent all his time with his favorite. Soon, Antoinette alone was no longer enough for him, and the shrewd mistress gathered around her adored friend several dozen of the most beautiful girls in Paris. The monarch indulged in love pleasures, and a rumor spread throughout France that Charles VII had gone mad and indulged in terrible debauchery. The courtiers were indignant and indignant, and the king traveled around the country and gathered new mistresses into his "harem". The queen looked with bitterness at her husband's debauchery.

The bad example of the sovereign seduced his subjects. High-ranking officials, noble husbands, even confessors also fell into debauchery and considered it an honor to have at least a couple of concubines with them. Paris collapsed into a pool of passion and lust.

The love exploits of the king, his wild life led to the fact that Card VII came down with a serious illness. In the last months of his life, remembering the terrible death of Agnes, he refused food for fear of being poisoned. In the summer of 1461, the king died of exhaustion.

After the death of his father, his son Louis XI, the great unifier of France, ascended the throne. On the contrary, he was afraid of women, which is why he treated them with gross contempt. Deep in his heart, the king was afraid of female charms and never allowed women to control him, as Agnes Sorel, the beautiful and charming Madame Bothet, did with his father.

Agnes Sorel (1409–1450)

Beloved of King Charles VII. In 1431 she was maid of honor to Isabella of Lorraine, Duchess of Anjou. She enchanted the king with her beauty. She had three daughters by Charles VII. Her name is associated with the liberation of France from the British.

Charles VII could not pass by this lady-in-waiting to the Queen of Sicily. She was so beautiful "that he longed to arouse her and thought that his dreams could only come true in a dream."

Fascinated, he contemplated with delight her ash-colored hair, her blue eyes, her perfect nose, her charming mouth, her bare chest. Finally Karl asked her name. “I am the daughter of Jean Soret, and my name is Agnes Sorel,” answered the maid of honor.

The king silently went up to his quarters. It seemed like he had never been so in love in his life. He would not fall in love, because this woman captivated all the men she met.

“She was the youngest and most beautiful among all the women in the world,” exclaimed Jean Chartier.

“Yes, of course, she was one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen,” echoed Olivier de La Marche.

“She, in truth, was the most beautiful among the young women of her day,” the author of the Martinian Chronicle shared their opinion.

Finally, Pius II, too, could not resist saying: "She had the most beautiful face imaginable."

And these words, spoken by the Pope himself, should hardly be regarded only as a compliment...

Almost nothing is known about the origins of Agnes Sorel. And what we know can be summed up in three sentences: her father, Jean Sauret, was an adviser to the Count of Clermont; her mother, Catherine de Menelai, was the owner of the de Verneuil estate. Aunt Agnes, when the girl was fifteen years old, attached her as a maid of honor at the court of Isabella of Lorraine, Queen of Sicily and wife of King Rene.

It is not known exactly where and when the most beautiful woman of the 15th century was born. For if the chronicler, out of courtesy, said that Agnes was born in Fromanto, he forgot to specify which of the two cities he was talking about - Fromanto in Picardy or Fromanto in Touraine ... Historians agree that she was 22 years old when she first saw Charles VII. It can also be said for sure that Agnes was "as beautiful and charming as no other queen ..."

So, with her beauty, she struck Charles VII, and the monarch rose to himself in a state close to ecstasy. He felt like he was in heaven.

However, not only Charles VII was captivated by the beauty of Agnes, as he could soon see for himself.

That same evening, the king tried to express his feelings to Agnes, but the young girl ran away with a frightened look, which only inflamed the desire in the king. For several days, his swollen temple veins were the subject of conversation in the royal court.

But one morning, observant courtiers noticed that the king had a normal look, and everyone understood: the beautiful Agnes no longer spent the night alone.

A few months later, the whole court knew about the love affair between the king and the lady from Fromanto. One queen was in the dark. But one evening, Maria of Anjou met the favorite of the king, walking along one of the corridors of the palace with bare breasts. This gave the Queen food for thought. And Mary of Anjou put the king under surveillance. The king was very careful. The chronicler Jean Chartier reported that "no one has ever seen Agnes kissing the king..." Although no one doubted that there was a secret intimate relationship between them, because in 1445 the beauty felt that she was pregnant...

On the day when the baby was supposed to be born, the queen, noticing the self-satisfied smile on the face of the king, no longer doubted his betrayal. She met with her mother, Yolande of Anjou, and shared her experiences with her. Yolanda was sensible. She understood that her daughter, whose external data and intellectual abilities were very mediocre, could not compete with the smart and beautiful Agnes. In addition, she understood that if Charles VII was required to drive away the favorite, he would still have mistresses. Therefore, Yolande of Anjou advised her daughter to come to terms with the existing state of affairs ...

The kind and condescending queen listened to the advice and tried to establish friendly relations with her mistress. They even walked together, listened to music, and had small talk at dinner, which greatly pleased Charles VII, for whom there was no greater pleasure than to see the complete harmony that reigned around ...

For several years, the king, judging by the recall of Pope Pius II, "could not live an hour without his beautiful girlfriend" and was more concerned with honing his love skills than with the conduct of state affairs.

Was it any wonder that in 1448 France was burdened with excessive taxes, and Agnes Sorel had three children by this time.

Charles VII decided to welcome the mother of his illegitimate children to the nobility. This wonderful idea was the highest gratitude that the king could bestow on a charming favorite. Not far from Paris, on the edge of the Bois de Vincennes, on a hill overlooking the bend of the Marne, Charles had a small castle intended for a library. This area was called Bote-sur-Marne (in translation - "beauty on the Marne"), and the king gave this estate to Agnes. She received the title of Dame de Bote (the title corresponded to her irresistible appearance).

At the same time, they started talking about extravagant outfits invented by the favorite herself. Agnes, abandoning the spacious tunics that hid the forms, began to wear long dresses that tightly fitted the body. In addition, she came up with a neckline that shocked Queen Mary. Bashfully hiding one breast, she gracefully exposed the other. This new fashion outraged most of the ladies of the court, who did not dare to follow the example of Agnes.

Perhaps it was these unfortunate women with not very beautiful breast shapes that made several eminent citizens protest the fantasies of the favorite in the field of clothing. Chancellor Juvenal Desursin, who was among them, wrote indignantly: “How does the king in his own residence endure that they walk in clothes with a deep neckline, because of which you can see women's breasts and nipples. And how in his apartments, as well as in the apartments of the queen and their children, many men and women are tormented, who are in an atmosphere of debauchery, sins and vicious relationships. Wearing such clothes is inappropriate and deserves punishment.”

Juvenal Desursin was not alone in suggesting that Agnes was a woman of easy virtue. Burginin Chastelyn left the following memories of her: “Her ingenuity was aimed at bringing into fashion new forms of clothing consistent with these conditions in the conditions of debauchery and decay.”

Considering that Juvenal Desursin and Chastelin, fearing for their position in society, tried to speak very softly about Agnes, one can imagine how the common people spoke of the favorite of Charles VII.

However, these reproaches and even insults, reaching the ears of Agnes, did not anger her, but only greatly saddened her. The favorite wanted to understand why the people, whose opinion she usually ignored, despised and hated her. And she suddenly found out in what deep poverty ordinary French people live, while the court was bathed in luxury. Agnes decided to remind the king of his duty and duties. To this end, she used a certain trick, as reported by Brant in his book "The Life of Gallant Ladies": the astrologer predicted to me that one of the bravest and most courageous kings would fall in love with me. When we met, I thought that you were the very brave king... But it seems that I was mistaken: you are too pampered and hardly take care of the affairs of your poor kingdom. It seems to me that this courageous king is not you, but English king, which creates such strong armies and captures such beautiful cities from you. Farewell! I go to him, apparently, the astrologer told me about him.

And these words pierced the king in the very heart, he even cried. Charles VII abandoned hunting, gardens, forgot about entertainment, gathered all his strength and courage, which allowed him to quickly expel the British from his kingdom.

Indeed, some time after this conversation, Charles VII, with the help of his famous decrees, reorganized the troops and in 1449, violating the truce with England, began hostilities again. By that time, many important positions remained in the hands of the enemy, but the king, driven by love for Dame de Bota, put an end to the Hundred Years War in a few months, returning all the occupied lands of France. Agnes, who used to call him derisively Charles the Indifferent, began to call him Charles the Conqueror.

Alas! Fate decreed that the favorite did not have a chance to see the crown of her efforts. While the battles were going on, she died suddenly under very mysterious circumstances.

It happened in 1449. For several weeks the king was in the abbey de Jumiège. He carefully prepared for the siege of Harfleur, which was still in the hands of the enemy, and held military councils, which specified the details of the upcoming assault. In his rare free moments, he strolled through the garden with a gloomy look, and one might have thought that the king was not sure of the successful outcome of the battle. In fact, he was thinking about Agnes Sorel, who was in Loches and who was about to give birth ... Charles VII, having conquered the Duchy of Normandy, was looking forward to the birth of his fourth illegitimate child. Maybe this time she will give me a son, he thought. “I would love to have a son from her.”

This desire did not pursue any political goals, for Charles, who had five legitimate children from his marriage to Mary of Anjou, already had an heir, the Dauphin Louis, and the future of the dynasty did not bother him. It was the desire of a man madly in love.

On one of the January days, when he was slowly walking, thinking about Agnes and the child who was soon to be born, he saw a monk of the abbey running towards him: “Sire Mademoiselle Sorel was brought there in a very serious condition.”

Charles VII turned pale and, forgetting about royal gravity, rushed to the carriage. He hardly recognized Dame de Beaute - the hardships of travel had so strongly affected her facial features and pregnancy had disfigured her figure so much. Seeing the king, she stood up and smiled.

"It's madness," exclaimed Charles VII, "to come here in such a state!"

“I needed to see you urgently,” Agnes answered quietly, “no one but me could tell you what you should know.”

The king was very surprised at her words. He escorted Agnes into the bedroom, and she sank exhausted onto the bed. Karl, without giving her a minute to rest, stood at the head of her bed. And Agnes told him that "some of his subjects wanted to betray him and hand him over to the British ..."

The monarch did not believe her. Despite her fatigue, Agnes continued to speak with difficulty. She told the king everything to the smallest detail about the conspiracy being prepared and about the conspirators, whose intentions she accidentally became aware of.

“I came to save you,” she said.

Was there a conspiracy? Maybe. But the enemies of the king, having learned that Agnes had penetrated into their secret, considered it reasonable not to take any action ...

Reassured by the fact that she managed to inform the king about the danger that threatened him, the favorite fell asleep. Her sleep was short-lived: her first labor pains began, and she, moaning, began to toss and turn in bed. Charles VII moved her to a manor in Mesnil-sous-Jumièges, a country house built for the rest of the abbots. Here, the next day, a girl was born, who was destined to die in six months. The chronicler Jean Chartier narrates: “After giving birth, Agnes was troubled by indigestion, which lasted for a long time. During this illness, she constantly repented of her sins. She often remembered Mary Magdalene, who committed the highest carnal sin, but repented of it and asked for mercy from the Almighty and the Virgin Mary. And, like a true Catholic, Agnes spent whole hours reading prayers. She expressed all her desires and made a will, where she named the people whom she would like to help, leaving the sum of sixty thousand ecu, due for all their labors. Agnes got worse and worse, she regretted that her life was so short.

Finally, she asked her confessor Father Denis to forgive her sins, and on February 9, 1450, at six o'clock in the evening, Agnes Sorel, the beauty of beauties, died.