Madame Du Barry

Madame du Barry

Brianna Smith

Jeanne Bécu. Or otherwise known as comtesse du Barry. A blonde with thick curly hair and blue eyes. Miss du Barry was born on August 19th, 1743 in Vaucouleurs, France; Joan of Arc stayed while she sought permission to visit royal court.

As royal mistress to King Louis XV, she made a fine living as did most of the common "cats" of royalty to that era. There weren't many ways for a women to make money back in the older 1700's but every lady wanted a lavish life. For nearly all, this involved some batting of the eye lashes.

When Jeanne was younger, her mother was a seamstress and often a cook. Jeanne's mother had her illegitimately to, possibly, Jean Baptiste Gormand de Vaubernier. At fifteen, Jeanne left for her "coming of age". This is a milestone in a girls life because this is when she can marry. Unfortunately, her and her mother were thrown out by a higher class woman named Anne. The reason was unsure, perhaps jealousy or even suspicion. Madame du Barry became poor and often sold trinkets on the street to make money. Being disgraced and starved, she only prostituted on the rare occasion.

Jeanne "Vaubernier", as she called herself to Jean Basptiste du Barry, became his mistress. Mister du Barry was a pimp/procurer and she caught his eye. Jeanne didn't come at a low cost. She was introduced to the highest circles and became a mistress to many aristocratic men in her era. Miss du Barry became an "errand" to Versailles but got Louis XV's attention in 1768. Jeanne worked hard to become a royal mistress but was not accepted because she had no title. This was solved when Jeanne married du Barry's brother, comte Guillaume du Barry. This marriage involved a fake birth certificate to make her younger and nobler.

This new title with the king caused an uproar at the treasury. Jeanne had the best jewels, dresses, hair styles fit for more than a queen that caused late arrivals and holes in pockets. Jeanne was no spoiled brat though. When her friend came to her beginning for pardon and for her to save her and her husbands life, Jeanne knelt in front of the king and begged and warned that she wouldn't stop kneeling until he accepted her proposal. He was astounded. This great act would have her beheaded but instead, he is touched and accepts. King Louis XV bought a two million livres, which wasn't payed off when he died, for du Barry. Louis was dying of smallpox so he sent only her away to protect her.

After King Louis's death, du Barry was exiled. Two years after her exile, she moved away and found a Duke to have a liaison with. Jeanne ended up falling in love with Henry Seymour. This "affair" agitated him so he sent her a letter saying "leave me alone" written at the