3. Madame du Barry
This woman holds the honor of being the last mistress to Louis XV of France. It may have taken her a little longer than most to gain the position after it had been vacated by Madame de Pompadour, but get it she did. In fact, she married someone of the nobility in order to become the king’s mistress. At that time you could not be considered for the position without a title, so she went and got one by marrying Comte Guillaume du Barry. After her marriage, she became a regular favorite of the king before finally securing the title of the official royal mistress.
Being the king’s mistress came with many perks, but Madame du Barry was most well known for her expensive tastes. The king looked upon her fondly, and as such bestowed many extravagant gifts upon her and her family. It was Louis’ generosity that actually began to cause problems for his mistress and what led to her eventual downfall. Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antionette banished her from court after Louis’ death. Unfortunately, her story did not end in peaceful exile, as she eventually became a victim of the French Revolution. Accused of aiding other exiles who were fleeing the revolution, she was convicted and beheaded along with many others in the French aristocracy.