Mistress (lover)

A **Mistress** is a female lover and companion who is not married to her partner in question. Generally, the relationship is stable and at least semi-permanent, but the couple does not live together openly and the relationship is usually, but not always, secret. Typically, a Mistress is not to be confused with her lesser-being form of a Concubine. Concubinage itself is the inability to marry may be due to multiple factors such as differences in social rank status, an existing marriage, religious or professional prohibitions, or a lack of recognition by appropriate authorities.

## Maîtresse Royale and Chevaliers-en-Titre

A **Royal Mistress** is the historical position of a mistress to a monarch or an heir apparent. Some mistresses have had considerable power. These powerful mistresses have been commonly referred to as the *"power behind the throne".* Most infamously, there were the 6 mistresses of Louis XIV of France who graciously served the royal bedroom during his strenuous 72-year reign. Louis XV also was regarded for his own ***Madame du Pompadour*** and the ***Comtesse du Barry***.

When a male fills this position, there is no distinct name given to the person in question, whether this be a relationship with a female ruler or homosexual relation with a male ruler; ''Chevalier'' is often used; The most common term is the Italian term, ***Cicisbeo***. Males who exercise political power as a result of their affairs are referred to as Valides, from the Spanish *Validos*.

On important official occasions, the mistress appeared together with the king and queen. A mistress should always do the queen her due honor. A queen linked the king to the ruling princes of Europe. Princely marriages were arranged for political reasons. The lineage of the queen, her kinship, and her hereditary claims increased a king's prestige and power. Only her children could continue his house. Although the spouses often only got to know each other the day before the wedding, some brides had hoped for a family life with many children, as was the case at numerous courts.

## Maîtresse-en-Titre ou la Maîtresse Declarée

The **Maitresse-en-Titre, also known as the Maîtresse Declarée,** was the chief mistress of the monarch. It was a semi-official position, which came with its own lucative perks. The title came into use during the reigns of various European monarchs with the imploration of love and personal interests. Historically, the term has referred to a woman maintained (sometimes lavishly) by a [wealthy or substantial] man, so that she is always available for his sexual pleasure. Such a woman could change from a role of mistress to that of a courtesan depending on her situation and the environment.

The practice of keeping a mistress deferred from concubinage; The main functions of concubinage for men was for pleasure and producing additional heirs, whereas for women the relationship could provide financial security. Children of concubines had lower rights in account to inheritance. Historically, a man who had a mistress was responsible for his debts in the same way as for his wife, although of course he was not legally bound to do so.

Whereas a concubine is synonymous with a harlot, a mistress has dignity and propriety, obligated to keeping fewer lovers and acting in confidence of the man who maintains her. There is a usually emotional, and possibly social, relationship between a man and his mistress; while the relationship with a prostitute is predominantly sexual. It is also important to emphasize that relations with a mistress are of indefinite duration, in contrast to the agreement on the conditions established with a prostitute.

## Liaison's of the Prussian and German Courts

Contrary to their counterparts in the continent, Prussian rulers seldom engaged in extramarital affairs or partook in keeping a mistress. The few who did, did so in mockery of the French court, or merely a front to look capable of producing offspring in the eyes of others. In contrast, other German princes became famous for their exploits, such as **Augustus the Strong** or **Frederick Michael of the Palatinate of Two Bridges**.

The political influence of a mistress was not institutionalized. She could be influential at one court, and irrelevant at another. Her opponents, who wanted to remove her from court and make her own candidate for ***maîtresse en titre***, often accused a chief mistress of exerting influence and ignited scandals to ruin her.

### **Prussia**

#### Frederick I & III (1688-1713)

* Catherine, Countess of Wartenberg (1696-1709)

#### Frederick William II (1786-1797)

* Wilhelmine Enke, Countess of Lichtenau (1769-1782; 1796-1797)
* Julie Amalie Elisabeth von Voss, Countess of Ingenheim (1783-1789)
* Sophie Juliane Friederike, Countess of Dönhoff (1789-1792)
* Anna Sophie Elisabeth, Lady Bethmann-Metzler (1793-1796)

#### Frederick William III (1797-1840)

* Augusta, Countess of Harrach (1822-1824; married morganatically in 1824; widowed 1840)