Agnès Sorel

Agnès Sorel

Agnès Sorel was a favourite, and chief mistress, of King Charles VII of France, by whom she bore four daughters. She is considered the first officially recognized royal mistress of a French king. She generated scandal at court, particularly for popularizing the fashion of low-cut gowns. While pregnant with their fourth child, she journeyed from Chinon in midwinter to join Charles on the campaign of 1450 in Jumièges.

About Agnès Sorel in brief

Summary Agnès SorelAgnès Sorel was a favourite, and chief mistress, of King Charles VII of France, by whom she bore four daughters. She is considered the first officially recognized royal mistress of a French king. She generated scandal at court, particularly for popularizing the fashion of low-cut gowns. While pregnant with their fourth child, she journeyed from Chinon in midwinter to join Charles on the campaign of 1450 in Jumièges.

There, she suddenly became ill, and after giving birth, she and her daughter died on 9 February 1450. While the cause of death was originally thought to be dysentery, French forensic scientist Philippe Charlier suggested in 2005 that Agnès died of mercury poisoning. She was interred in the Church of St. Ours, in Loches.