- " Ah, but the French ones can have a certain charm. Did I ever tell you the story of Madame Reinette? That wasn't her real name..."
- ―Christopher Gist to Shay Cormac and Haytham Kenway, 1758.[src]
Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour, better known as Madame de Pompadour, or Reinette (29 December 1721 – 15 April 1764), was a member of the French royal court and the official chief mistress of Louis XV from 1745 to her death.
In 1749, Pompadour accompanied Louis on a trip to Le Havre, since she wished to see the ocean. As predicted by local businesswoman and Templar Magdelaine Lévesque, the visit proved disastrous for the city's economy.[1]
That same year, Jean Henri Latude sent Pompadour a vial of poison, followed by a letter warning her of the poison. Having invented a false conspiracy against her, Latude intended to use this to gain favor with Pompadour and receive a payment for warning her. Instead, she had him imprisoned.[2]
In 1750, Louis founded the École Militaire, a complex of buildings meant to be used for educating boys from poor families in military matters. Pompadour was the primary overseer and sponsor of the project. In a letter, Louis wrote to her: "I have approved the project since you absolutely want it, my beloved."[2]