The Mancini Sisters, Marie and Hortense, were born in Rome, brought to the court of Louis XIV of France, and strategically married off by their uncle, Cardinal Mazarin, to secure his political power base. Such was the life of many young women of the age: they had no independent status under the law and were entirely a part of their husband’s property once married.
Marie and Hortense, however, had other ambitions in mind altogether. Miserable in their marriages and determined to live independently, they abandoned their husbands in secret and began lives of extraordinary daring on the run and in the public eye. The beguiling sisters quickly won the affections of noblemen and kings alike. Their flight became popular fodder for salon conversation and tabloids, and was closely followed by seventeenth-century European society. The Countess of Grignan remarked that they were traveling “like two heroines out of a novel.” Others gossiped that they “were roaming the countryside in pursuit of wandering lovers.” Their scandalous behavior—disguising themselves as men, gambling, and publicly disputing with their husbands—served as more than just entertainment. It sparked discussions across Europe concerning the legal rights of husbands over their wives.Elizabeth Goldsmith’s vibrant biography of the Mancini sisters—drawn from personal papers of the players involved and the tabloids of the time—illuminates the lives of two pioneering free spirits who were feminists long before the word existed."synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Publishers Weekly
"[A]n atmospheric, absorbing tale of 17th-century female media stars taking charge of their own lives."
Booklist
"This ribald tale works all the better because it is true . Culling their correspondence and memoirs, Goldsmith is able to paint a vivid portrait of two remarkably daring free spirits who paved the way for centuries of women stifled and exploited by both men and societal constraints . Revolutionary, cutting-edge, and inspiring, their lives are worthy of revisiting."
Kirkus Reviews
"The story of the 17th-century version of the Kardashian sisters, but with the added touch of brains, literacy and class . [T]he story moves along at a swift pace . [F]ascinating."
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Shipping:
US$ 4.25
Within U.S.A.
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: new. New Copy. Customer Service Guaranteed. Seller Inventory # think1586488899
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: new. Buy for Great customer experience. Seller Inventory # GoldenDragon1586488899
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: new. New. Seller Inventory # Wizard1586488899
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: new. This item is printed on demand. Seller Inventory # 9781586488895
Book Description Hardback or Cased Book. Condition: New. The Kings' Mistresses: The Liberated Lives of Marie Mancini, Princess Colonna, and Her Sister Hortense, Duchess Mazarin 1.05. Book. Seller Inventory # BBS-9781586488895
Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # ABLIING23Mar2811580075411
Book Description Condition: new. Seller Inventory # FrontCover1586488899
Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # I-9781586488895
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: New. Brand New! This item is printed on demand. Seller Inventory # 1586488899
Book Description Condition: New. Book is in NEW condition. 1.1. Seller Inventory # 1586488899-2-1