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Glite Dictionary
Montespan

Montespan

9.9
A French noblewoman who was the influential mistress of King Louis XIV
  • proper noun
: Montespan
  • Françoise-Athénaïs de Rochechouart de Mortemart, known as Montespan, was one of the most influential figures at the court of King Louis XIV.

Examples

  • He was the only legitimate son of the marquise de Montespan, whose spectacularly public and long-lasting liaison with Louis XIV began around two years after his birth.

    Academic text (1996)

  • Racine translated the first third of the text, which was completed by the abbesse de Fontevrault, sister of Mme de Montespan, Louis XIV's mistress.

    Academic text (1994)

  • The beauty and charm of Montespan captivated King Louis XIV, making her his favorite mistress for many years.

  • Historically, Montespan played a significant role in the extravagant lifestyle of the French monarchy during the 17th century.

Synonyms

Marquise de Montespan
vsMontespan
9.9

A French noblewoman who is known for being the main mistress of King Louis XIV

is the shorter familiar name form instead of the formal titled version

Surface Forms

Montespan main

Etymology

Montespan comes from a place name and begins with mont, which means 'mountain' in French. A helpful way to remember this famous noblewoman is to imagine a 'mountain' of influence at King Louis XIV's court, because she was his powerful mistress.