27. Agnès Sorel was the first acknowledged mistress of a French king.
Until the fifteenth century, King’s mistresses in France were distinctly low-key. Then, in 1444, a minor noblewoman named Agnes Sorel caught the eye of Charles VII at the Festival of Nancy. Charles is best remembered by history for securing his throne with the help of Joan of Arc. Charles was captivated with Agnes, installing her in his bed and showering her with estates and wealth. However, he also awarded her with a title that had not previously existed when he made Agnes Sorel the first acknowledged mistress of a King of France. This title was no empty one, for the position of royal mistress gave Agnes a semi-official role in Charles’ court. The thought of a royal mistress potentially wielding political power did not sit well with Charles’s courtiers. In 1450, Agnes died from dysentery — reputedly from poison.