Madame de Maintenon

Madame de Maintenon (1635-1719), French noblewoman, second wife of Louis XIV, King of France, born in Niort. In 1651 she married the French novelist Paul Scarron. After his death in 1660 she became the governess of the illegitimate children of Louis XIV. In 1674 she became Louis's mistress and purchased the estate of Maintenon, which was made a marquisate in 1678. After the death of Marie Thérèse, Queen of France, the king morganatically married (1684) her; accordingly, no children of the marriage could succeed to the throne. As the leader of the French court, she was known for her beauty and wit, and she exerted a great influence on the king in religious and political matters. Having been poor as a girl, she founded the school of St Cyr for poor girls of noble families. When Louis died in 1715 she retired to a convent, where she died. Much of her correspondence during her years at court was published after her death.