Most Famous Courtesans in History
- Davit Grigoryan
- Feb 13
- 6 min read
We know many historical figures—kings, politicians, and writers—from history books. Still, few are aware that behind these people often stood remarkable women whose names had not been spoken aloud for a long time. These were the so-called courtesans or women of the demi-monde, though today they might be referred to by much cruder terms. Often, their lives were tragically marked, despite their wealth and immense success in their craft.
Phryne: The Famous Athenian Courtesan
Phryne is one of the few courtesans of ancient Greece whose beauty can still be admired today in fine art museums. Phryne became renowned for her ideal figure. In her youth, she was the model and lover of the sculptor Praxiteles. In her later years, she inspired the painter Apelles. She retained the beauty of both her face and body for a long time.
Thanks to the generosity of her lovers, Phryne accumulated such a vast fortune that when Alexander the Great destroyed the walls of Thebes, she offered to rebuild them at her own expense. However, there was a condition: a commemorative plaque stating 'Thebes was destroyed by Alexander and restored by Phryne' would be installed. The people of Thebes, however, rejected the offer.
According to ancient accounts, Praxiteles sculpted the goddess Aphrodite using his beloved Phryne as his model, which was considered blasphemy. Phryne was declared the instigator of a new cult and brought to trial. Nothing is surprising about this, as Phryne had many enemies among her former admirers. At the trial, the famous orator Hyperides defended Phryne. He stripped her of her clothes and argued that such a perfect body could not conceal an ugly soul. As a result, Phryne was acquitted.
Veronica Franco: Renaissance Poetess and Courtesan
She was the most famous courtesan and poetess of the Renaissance era. She was born into the family of a Venetian merchant who had his coat of arms. At 18, Veronica married, but her marriage was short-lived. It is known that Veronica left her husband while she was pregnant. By the age of 20, Veronica was included in the list of the most esteemed courtesans in Venice, and a few years later, she became part of the city's most elite circles.
Veronica Franco pursued poetry and literature, played the lute, and had a deep knowledge of ancient literature. She authored several collections of sonnets and poems. Among her lovers were some of the most famous thinkers, poets, and artists of the Renaissance. Among her admirers was even King Henry III, who, while traveling from Poland to France, visited Venice in July 1574.
However, the later years of the courtesan's life were far from idyllic. When the plague epidemic struck in 1575, Veronica left her home in Venice, and all her wealth was plundered. She then had to care not only for her three children but also for her orphaned nieces and nephews. A few years later, she was accused of witchcraft and heresy. The Inquisition eventually acquitted Veronica Franco, thanks to the efforts and patronage of Domenico Venier.
However, her reputation as a courtesan was tarnished. In the final years of her life, Veronica lived in poverty. According to some sources, she resided near the Church of San Samuele, where destitute prostitutes lived. The courtesan died at the age of 45 after a prolonged fever of unknown origin.
Mademoiselle du Barry: From Courtesan to Revolutionary Martyr
Mademoiselle du Barry was known at the French court as the official mistress of King Louis XV. Jeanne du Barry, also known as Bécu, began in Paris as an ordinary courtesan but garnered the attention of many aristocrats. There, she caught the eye of King Louis XV of France. The girl was immediately married off to a nobleman to ensure she had unhindered access to the court.
After the death of Louis XV, Madame du Barry was arrested and imprisoned in a convent. In 1775, she was released. Du Barry aroused almost universal public hatred and was considered one of the symbols of the crimes of the old regime. Although in reality, Madame du Barry did not interfere in political affairs, she could be blamed only for her extravagance, which was common among the aristocracy of that time.
During the Revolution, she was executed by guillotine. She was accused of allegedly conspiring with the Girondins. There is a legend that the Countess had a relationship with the executioner Henri Samson, who was the one to carry out her death on the scaffold.
Nell Gwyn: From Orange Seller to Royal Mistress
Nell Gwyn was an English actress, better known as the mistress of King Charles II of England. She was born in 1650 in England. Her father was a retired soldier who died in a debtors' prison when she was still a little girl. Nell Gwyn, born Eleanor Gwyn, spent her childhood in a brothel run by her mother. She spent her childhood serving alcoholic drinks to the patrons. As she grew older, Gwyn started working at the theater on Bridges Street, selling oranges, considered a delicacy at the time. The young orange seller quickly caught the attention of the theater's patrons. The theater owner offered the orange girl a chance to learn the art of acting, and after her training, she began performing on stage. At the theater, Gwyn met actors who nurtured her acting talent and taught her how to dance.
Nell Gwyn's career at court began when she became the mistress of courtier Charles Sackville. In 1668, she met King Charles II, and two years later, Nell Gwyn bore the king a son. Over time, Nell Gwyn became one of the king's most favored mistresses. After Charles II died in 1685, the new king, James II, allowed Nell to live out the rest of her life in peace, largely due to Charles's deathbed request to ensure that Nell would not die of starvation.
At the age of 37, Nell Gwyn suffered two strokes and died on November 14, 1687. She was buried at St. Martin-in-the-Fields.
Marie Duplessis: The Tragic Muse Behind La Dame aux Camélias
Marie Duplessis was a well-known French courtesan and the lover of Alexandre Dumas fils. It is believed that her character inspired the novel La Dame aux Camélias. Her real name was Rose Alphonsine Plessis. She was born in 1824 in a small Norman village to a bankrupt farmer who earned a living selling small goods. Her father was a bitter alcoholic who drove her mother to death. For a time, the girl's upbringing was overseen by her aunt.
At a young age, Alphonsine left her parental home and went to Paris. There, she changed her name, adding the noble prefix 'de' to her surname, and worked in a milliner's workshop. However, this job brought in little money, and at the age of 16, she began her career as a courtesan. She found a wealthy patron, the owner of a restaurant, who provided her with an apartment and began introducing her to society. Upon entering the society of the nobility and well-dressed elite, she surprisingly found her place. Marie cycled through lovers and gradually became one of the most renowned women of the demi-monde.
Her lovers included the writer Alexandre Dumas fils and the composer Franz Liszt. However, the luxurious apartment, wealth, connections, and bohemian lifestyle were overshadowed by Marie's severe illness. She suffered from tuberculosis, which was incurable at the time. Marie Duplessis died at the age of only 23. Within just two weeks, all her possessions were sold to cover her debts, as she had been too ill to earn a living in her usual way for the last two years.
Cora Pearl: A Life of Love, Luxury, and Heartbreak
Cora Pearl was a famous English courtesan and memoirist, whose real name was Emma Crauch. Little is known about the exact place and date of Emma's birth. Her father was a musician, cellist, and composer named Frederick Crauch. Emma's childhood was spent in France, at a school run by a convent. However, unlike her father, Emma chose not to follow in his footsteps and decided to move to London to become an actress. Her acting career did not take off, but in London, she met a wealthy patron and moved with him to Paris, adopting the pseudonym Cora Pearl. This marked the beginning of her career as a courtesan.
Among her patrons were notable figures such as Prince William of Orange, the son of the King of the Netherlands; Duke de Morny, the brother of Napoleon III; Prince Napoleon, a cousin of Napoleon III; and others.
Cora acquired a castle near Arles, several mansions in Paris, and owned one of the wealthiest collections of jewelry. One day, one of her admirers decided to commit suicide, and Cora had to move to London to avoid scandal. By the end of her life, the number of admirers had significantly decreased. Additionally, Kora became engrossed in gambling and sank into debt.
Kora Pearl died of bowel cancer in 1886. After her death, her memoirs were published in London and Paris. Subsequently, Kora Pearl's book was translated into several languages and continues to be circulated to this day.
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