Before I start on Diane de Poitiers I must answer your questions about Henri II and Catherine de Medici and their 'genitalia' problems. We will never know for sure, but in those days – and till relatively recently – there were a lot of horrific misunderstandings. I think we can fairly safely assume that the young king did not realize quite what he was supposed to do. We know that Diane de Poitiers became his mistress a year after his marriage to Catherine de Medici, so we can be pretty sure that she taught him anything he needed to know. We can be equally sure that he already knew most of it via previous mistresses … yet with his wife he apparently did not perform and both he and his wife were confused as to why she didn't get pregnant.
- Diane De Poitiers And Henry Ii Son
- Henry Ii And Diane De Poitiers Son
- Diane De Poitiers Bastard Son
- Diane De Poitiers Beauty Secrets
De Poitiers, Diane (1499–1566) A famous consort of the French king Henri II, Diane de Poitiers 1 was born of aristocratic parents in the castle of Saint-Vallier, in the French Alps. She married Louis de Breze, a courtier and grandson of King Charles VII, at the age of fifteen. Sebastian de Poitiers (a.k.a Bash), King's Deputy was one of the male leads and the tritagonist. He is the illegitimate son of Henry and his favorite mistress, Diane de Poitiers. He is also the husband of Kenna, half-brother to Francis, Elisabeth, Claude, Charles, Henry III, Henrietta and Emone. Sebastian de Poitiers (a.k.a Bash), King's Deputy was one of the male leads and the tritagonist. He is the illegitimate son of Henry and his favorite mistress, Diane de Poitiers. He is also the husband of Kenna, half-brother to Francis, Elisabeth, Claude, Charles, Henry III, Henrietta and Emone.
He probably thought that sex in the normal way with a mistress was one thing, but that sex with his lady wife, soon to be Queen no less, could not be like that. He probably ejaculated on to her tummy button or similar. Certainly tummy buttons were long considered related to sex and fertility. We also know that poor Catherine drank donkey urine and spread cow pats on her tummy in the belief that it would make her fertile … the era was riddled with this kind of thing.
This statue by Jean Goujon of Diane de Poitiers is in the Louvre. She frequently posed nude. Here she represents the Roman goddess, Diana, goddess of the moon and of hunting.
At first glance this may seem unlikely – but think about it – people were terrifyingly ignorant. I personally know a gentleman, now in his 70s, who did not know what to do on his wedding night (yes, he told me all about it!) and after a week of marriage went to see his doctor who explained it all to him. So that would have been in the 1960s. I also know a lady who died just 3 years ago, who thought her first baby was coming out of her tummy button – and she was the wife of a doctor! Actually, one of the pre-Raphaelites (1850-ish) was so shocked to discover on his wedding night that his bride had pubic hair (he thought only prostitutes did) that the marriage was never consumated – I think that was Ruskin – I'll look it up. So, bref, this ignorance was rife in the days of Catherine de Medici.
Diane de Poitiers was aged 35 and the mother of two daughters when she first took 15 year-old Henri to her bed, so we can be sure that, in certain circumstances, the boy did know what to do. Hemingway editor 3.0. Just not with his wife.
Diane De Poitiers And Henry Ii Son
Diane was a stunningly beautiful woman, a member of a long-standing noble family, and holder of many noble titles. She drank a small quantity of liquid gold every day, and maintained that this was the key to her long-lasting beauty. Scientists exhumed her body in 2009 and found large quantities of gold in her hair fibre – it probably killed her as she was 67 when she died, old enough for her era, but not particularly old. She was a keen sportswoman, an avid hunter, a very competent horsewoman, and this kept her physically strong and in good shape well in to her sixties.
Diane in her bath by Clouet. It is not a painting I like, but it is interesting to look at: Diane sits in her bath tub, which was almost certainly made of marble but has a basket-work outer cage in order to keep it warm – like a tea cosy! The arrow-like quill in her right hand represents the huntress Diana, goddess, and the fruit on the table arrangement in front of her represents 'plenty'. The other side of the bath is the wet-nurse feeding one of Diane's daughters. The baby is swaddled as was the way. The other daughter (the age gap is wrong, actually) leans forward to take some fruit while the nurse smiles indulgently. In the background a maid carries a jug filled with hot water to top-up the bath, and just behind the maid we can see the fire where the water has been heated. The background is luxurious, with the ornate fireplace, the pictures and the large window reminiscent of Dutch windows. Out of the window is an oak tree, representing strength and durability, and this is reflected also in one of the pictures. I cannot see what the dark picture is, but the one below, which looks like a fireguard, shows a unicorn, symbol of grace and purity. I have been trying to make out the ring on Diane's left hand, which could well be the king's signet ring. At her ears and on her forehead are pearls, representing an expensive gift of pearls bestowed on her by the Pope. The whole thing is draped in red satin, representing royalty.
Diane lived at the royal Court of King Francois II, and quite possibly had an affair with him. The young price Henri, aged around 7, along with his brother, was kept hostage in Spain for four years during the Spanish conflicts, and when the princes were finally returned to France, Diane was appointed mentor and guradian of Henri. His own mother had died, and the boy was traumatised by his experiences in Spain. One can well imagine him turning to the older woman for comfort and mothering. Diane, on the other hand, was ambitious and exceptionally clever, and knew how to handle the boy.
Henri trusted Diane so much that she even wrote many of his state letters for him, and signed them 'Henri-Diane'. She was so powerful at Court, and so influential, that courtiers needing the king's attention or favours, approached Diane and not Queen Catherine. She was politically astute. She was especially knowlegeable in finance and law, and she spoke both Greek and Latin. Bright, beautiful, entertaining and loving, the king adored her and at the joust which killed him, he wore her colours and not that of his wife.
Chateau d'Anet, where Diane de Poitiers lived out the rest of her life. The Chateau de Chenonceau (see yesterday's item on Catherine de Medici) had also been given to her by Henri II, but Catherine took it back as soon as the king died.
With the death of the king, Catherine de Medici swung in to position and, as we saw in yesterday's item, proved herself to be a stern and competent ruler on behalf of her young sons. The first thing she did, of course, was to banish Diane de Poitiers, who moved to her Chateau d'Anet (a gift from the late king) and lived out the rest of her life in luxurious obscurity.
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Catherine Broughton is a novelist, a poet and an artist. Her books are on Amazon and Kindle, or can be ordered from most leading book stores and libraries. More about Catherine Broughton on http://turquoisemoon.co.uk
Click below for 'Saying Nothing', a novel set in Spain. 'A love story totally different from most love stories' – the Daily Reader.
If Poitiers interests you:-
Would you drink gold to stay young and beautiful?
Diane De Poitiers did. Kinda like those women who die today during a liposculpture or a boob job gone wrong, Diane thought the chance of wrinkle-free skin was worth the risk.
She paid for it with her life. Her golden elixir killed her before her time.
Why Did Diane De Poitiers Drink Gold?
Henri trusted Diane so much that she even wrote many of his state letters for him, and signed them 'Henri-Diane'. She was so powerful at Court, and so influential, that courtiers needing the king's attention or favours, approached Diane and not Queen Catherine. She was politically astute. She was especially knowlegeable in finance and law, and she spoke both Greek and Latin. Bright, beautiful, entertaining and loving, the king adored her and at the joust which killed him, he wore her colours and not that of his wife.
Chateau d'Anet, where Diane de Poitiers lived out the rest of her life. The Chateau de Chenonceau (see yesterday's item on Catherine de Medici) had also been given to her by Henri II, but Catherine took it back as soon as the king died.
With the death of the king, Catherine de Medici swung in to position and, as we saw in yesterday's item, proved herself to be a stern and competent ruler on behalf of her young sons. The first thing she did, of course, was to banish Diane de Poitiers, who moved to her Chateau d'Anet (a gift from the late king) and lived out the rest of her life in luxurious obscurity.
If you enjoyed this item, please share!
Catherine Broughton is a novelist, a poet and an artist. Her books are on Amazon and Kindle, or can be ordered from most leading book stores and libraries. More about Catherine Broughton on http://turquoisemoon.co.uk
Click below for 'Saying Nothing', a novel set in Spain. 'A love story totally different from most love stories' – the Daily Reader.
If Poitiers interests you:-
Would you drink gold to stay young and beautiful?
Diane De Poitiers did. Kinda like those women who die today during a liposculpture or a boob job gone wrong, Diane thought the chance of wrinkle-free skin was worth the risk.
She paid for it with her life. Her golden elixir killed her before her time.
Why Did Diane De Poitiers Drink Gold?
Have you ever heard of Diane De Poitiers before? She was the mistress of of Henry II, King of France. An unusual one at that.
You'd think the King would have fallen for a young and innocent maid. Not exactly. Diane was twenty years his senior. By the time they became lovers, she was already a widow with two children.
Diane was more than just a pretty face. Sure, she was gorgeous, with her flawless skin and luscious golden locks. But she also was well-educated (particularly for the standards of her time), witty, clever, elegant, a keen sportswoman and an art lover.
The two first met when the 12-year-old Henry returned home from Spain, where he had been held hostage. Diane was chosen to teach the young prince courtly manners. He fell in love straight away, but for a few years, nothing happened. Phew!
Henry was 19 when he finally convinced the 31-year-old Diane to become his lover. Given the age gap, can you blame Diane for feeling the pressure to keep her looks for as long as possible?
This obsession with her looks, and her desire to keep her royal lover enthralled, lead her to drinking gold regularly… and eventually to her death (she would survive Henry, though).
Diane De Poitiers' beauty secrets
According to her contemporaries, Diane was still remarkably beautiful even in her 50s. But this beauty came at a very high cost.
Diane was very active. She ran daily, loved to hunt and ride, swam in cold river water and followed a strict diet. Every single day, she took a bath followed by massages with perfumed oils and other beauty concoctions.
All this undoubtedly helped, but Diane had another, more dangerous beauty secret: she drank gold.
Drinking gold was quite common among wealthy women during the Renaissance. Considered an elixir of life, it was prescribed for a wide variety of illnesses.
Back then, people thought gold also had aphrodisiac properties and preserved youth and beauty. All things a royal mistress needed in spades, if she wanted to keep the attention of her royal lover.
Henry Ii And Diane De Poitiers Son
Unfortunately, her golden elixir killed her. When her remains were exhumed and examined in 2009, forensic experts noted that, for a woman that led such an active and healthy lifestyle, her bones and hair were very fragile. Both are symptoms of gold intoxication.
Gold also gave her anemia, which was responsible for her white complexion. When researchers tested a lock of her hair still preserved at the Chateau d'Anet (the place where she died), they discovered it contained 500 times the normal level of the precious metal!
Diane De Poitiers Bastard Son
Diane died at 66, still beautiful. It's true she had a remarkably long life for the standards of her time. But it could have been even longer if she hadn't poisoned herself.
Diane De Poitiers Beauty Secrets
Is the price to pay for eternal youth really worth it in the end?
