Maîtresse-en-titre
Also known as Maitresse-en-titre
thumb |220px| right|Madame du Barry became a Maîtresse-en-titre despite her "low birth", which was considered scandalous. thumb |220px| right|Agnès Sorel 220px|right|thumb|Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan 220px|right|thumb|Madame de Pompadour
Article
4 sectionsContents
- French royal mistresses with the position of ''Maîtresse-en-titre''
- See also
- References
- External links
thumb |220px| right|Madame du Barry became a Maîtresse-en-titre despite her "low birth", which was considered scandalous. thumb |220px| right|Agnès Sorel 220px|right|thumb|Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan 220px|right|thumb|Madame de Pompadour
The maîtresse-en-titre () was the official royal mistress of the King of France. The title was vaguely defined and used in the Middle Ages but finally became an acknowledged, if informal, position during the reign of Henry IV (), and continued through the reign of Louis XV (). It was a semi-official position which came with its own apartments, estates and a title if the woman did not have any.