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Courtesan

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A courtesan is a person paid and/or supported for the provision of social companionship and intimate liaisons to one or more partners. The word is generally reserved for those who enjoyed an elevation in social status as a result of providing such services. Although the term has been applied to people in several cultures in different historical periods, it is most applicable to those whom it originally described: the women of Renaissance Europe who held the socially recognized (if not quite socially accepted) position of well-compensated companions.

Courtesans played an important role in those times, taking the place of wives at social functions because wives were often kept at home to prevent their "contamination" by the culture of the day. It should be noted that royal couples in earlier centuries often led very separate lives, commonly marrying only to ensure the continuation of royal bloodlines, or to secure political and/or social alliances. Although they would certainly have sexual relations with their spouse, this was generally for the purpose of reproduction rather than enjoyment. In these situations the husbands (if wealthy enough) would choose a courtesan, while the wives would often take a discreet lover also, but not for public display. There are also isolated cases of female courtesans providing services to female companions of wealth.

Courtesans also provided an outlet for restless husbands and helped bring men back to "healthy" heterosexuality. In more than one occasion, certain courtesans are described as wielding significant influence on the politics and diplomacy of their lover's office. Almost without exception in the social elite, the wives knew full well about the courtesans, and were often on friendly speaking terms with them.

Contents

Public opinion

Whether the role of courtesans should be romanticized or scorned is a matter of dispute. On the positive side, they had freedoms that were extremely rare for other women at the time. Not only were they usually financially comfortable, but also financially independent, with control of their own resources rather than dependence on male relatives.

Essentially, there were two types of courtesans. They were known in France as the cortigiana onesta, who were the intellectual courtesans and the cortigiana di lume, who were the lower-class courtesans. The latter were considered little more than prostitutes of a higher order, whereas the former were often romanticized and considered almost equal to women of royalty. It is with these that the art of courtisanerie is best associated.

They were usually very well-educated and worldly (sometimes more so than upper-class women) and often had simultaneous careers as performers or artists. They were typically not chosen solely for their physical attributes, as much as they were for their social skills, intelligence, common sense, articulateness and companionship. Often, it was their wit and personality that set them apart from regular women. They were prostitutes in a sense, seeing as the act of sex was one of many contributions they would make to their companion. But unlike regular prostitutes, sex was only one form of their services, and that alone could not maintain their position or achieve their goals. They were generally very fashionable, well dressed as well as well versed, and could equally juggle conversations about fashion/shopping as well as politics.

Some were socialites from the start, coming from either well-to-do, or semi well-to-do backgrounds. Often they were married, but to a husband lower on the social or royal aristicratic ladder than a companion/benefactor. In these cases their romantic relationships with powerful personalities improved their spouses' careers and/or social status. This was, more often than not, with their spouses' knowledge. [link]

Difference in perception based on status

Serving as courtesan as a primary employment

Courtesans from unwealthy poor backgrounds were required or expected to provide charming companionship for extended periods, no matter what their own feelings or commitments might have been at the time, and had to be prepared to do so on short notice. They were also, because of the sexual aspects of their profession, and their reliance upon courtisanerie as a primary source of income, subject to lower social status and often religious disapproval. In cases like this, a courtesan was solely dependent on the benefactor or benefactors financially, making them vulnerable.

Often, courtesans serving in this capacity began their career as a prostitute, or they were passed from one benefactor to another, thereby resulting in them being viewed in society circles as lower than both their benefactor and those of wealth and power with whom they would socialize. Often, in instances of this sort, if the courtesan had satisfactorily served a benefactor, that benefactor would, when ending the affair, pass them on to another benefactor of wealth as a favor to the courtesan, or set them up in an arranged marriage to a semi-wealthy benefactor. In the event that the courtesan had angered or dissatisfied a benefactor, they would often find themselves cast out of wealthy circles, returning more often than not to street prostitution.

Wealthy, but serving as courtesan for social or political benefits

Those from wealthy backgrounds, either by birth or marriage, and who were only acting as courtesans for the social or political advancement of themselves and/or their spouses, were generally treated as equals. They were more respected by their extra-marital companions, both placing one another's family obligations ahead of the relationship and planning their own liaisons or social engagements around the lovers marital obligations.

Affairs of this sort would often be short lived, ending when either the courtesan or the courtesan's spouse received the status or political position desired, or when the benefactor chose the company of another courtesan, and compensated the latter financially. In instances like this, it was often viewed simply as a business agreement by both parties involved. The benefactor was aware of the political or social favors expected by the courtesan, the courtesan was aware of the price expected from them for those favors being carried out, and the two met one anothers demands.

This was generally a safe affair, as both the benefactor's spouse and the courtesan's spouse usually were fully aware of the arrangement, and the courtesan was not solely dependent on the benefactor. It, rather, was simply an affair of benefits gained for both those involved. Publicly and socially, affairs of this sort were common during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, as well as the early 20th century, and were generally accepted in wealthy circles as being normal. [link]

Courtesan intrigues, witchcraft allegations

Prior to the Victorian era, courtesans were sometimes limited in their apparel by various sumptuary laws and were restricted in where they could appear at social functions. Periods of overt religious piety in a city would often lead to persecutions of the courtesans, up to and including accusations of witchcraft. In many cases prior to the 18th century, women leading their life as a courtesan in royal courts, with romantic relationships with kings, achieved wealth and status, but eventually it would lead to many of them being executed following very public trials that often left them appearing to have been evil, or power-hungry, when in fact they more often than not were nothing more than a lover and mistress to a king.

Very often, courtesans would betray one another in acts of political intrigue in attempts to climb into higher positions of power within royal courts. There are many cases throughout history where one courtesan would attempt (sometimes successfully) to replace a courtesan/mistress to a king or emperor with herself. This often was precluded by her discrediting the official companion, often divulging secrets that could lead to the standing mistress being cast aside, and replaced by her. However, this was a delicate process, and if a courtesan of lower status attempted to replace a courtesan who wielded a substantial amount of power within royal courts, it would often result in the lower courtesan being exiled from the royal court, or married off to a lesser noble in an arranged marriage, or at times, eliminated all together.

In later centuries, from the mid-18th century on, courtesans would often find themselves cast aside by their benefactors, but the days of public execution or imprisonment based on their promiscuous lifestyle were over. There are many examples of courtesans who were able to give long-life to their career, by remaining discreet and respectful to their benefactors, retiring financially secure. There are also many examples of courtesans who took advantage of their involvement with powerful individuals to their own gain, which usually ended in their demise or downfall. By the late 19th century, and for a brief period in the early 20th century, courtesans had reached a level of being socially accepted in many social circles and settings, and were often looked upon with a kind of respect, even at times being a friend and confidant to the wife of their benefactor. [link]

Longevity of a courtesan's career

More often than not, a woman serving as a courtesan would last in that field only as long as she could prove herself useful to her companion, or companions. This, of course, excludes those who served as courtesans, but who were already married into high society. When referring to those who made their service as a courtesan as their main source of income, success was based solely on financial management and longevity. Many climbed through the ranks of royalty, serving as mistress to lesser nobles first, eventually reaching the role of mistress to a king, or prince. Others were able to obtain a position on that high level early on, but few lasted for any length of time, and there was no where to go but down after serving a prince or king.

Most often, those who were able to sustain the longest life to their career were those who could maintain their attractive appearance, converse on a number of topics, and who had a pleasing presence, always with the intention of rising through the ranks of royalty eventually saddling themselves with one powerful benefactor, as opposed to those who served many. Often, in those cases where they served one powerful benefactor, they were semi-official in their position as mistress, known both publicly and within the society or royal circles as being his mistress, and often giving birth to children fathered by their benefactor, thus better sealing their hold.

When reaching a high position as lover to a wealthy and powerful benefactor, courtesans often wielded considerable power behind the scenes, especially if their lover was of royalty or a monarch. At times, this was used to benefit members of their family in attaining strong political positions or property, and often to their own benefit as well. Many courtesans would often take advantage of this power, thus angering other people of power. Upon the death or fall of their benefactor to whom their security depended, they would often find themselves eliminated either through exile or execution, or in some cases they were given the mercy of being given in arranged marriage to a lesser noble. Those who were best able to maintain life as a courtesan after a fall from grace, were those who dabbled little in politics, and who did not take advantage of the power they were briefly given.

Courtesans who were never able to rise to that solid position of reaching a top benefactor would usually find themselves a mistress to a powerful benefactor for a time, then slowly decline, serving lesser nobles or persons of wealth, eventually retiring altogether, either by their own choice or being forced into seclusion. With any luck, they had managed their finances well and were in a good position financially when time for retirement came. In some cases, they would receive a retirement income for their services. But most often, they retired with little or no money left over from their services, and many died in poverty. Often, when a courtesan saw that her days were numbered, she would then work toward settling down in marriage with a benefactor of lesser wealth and power, but none the less wealthy. In some cases, courtesans had entered into that lifestyle by way of prostitution, and often they would return to that lifestyle after being retired as a courtesan, simply as a way of making a living. [link]

Pietro Aretino, a Renaissance writer, wrote a series of dialogues (Capricciosi ragionamenti) in which a mother teaches her daughter what options were available to women and how to be an effective courtesan. Emile Zola wrote the book Nana about a courtesan in nineteenth century France.

Famous courtesans

17th century and before

18th and 19th centuries

20th century

The book titled Sex With Kings by Eleanor Herman lists the courtesans or royal mistresses of various kings.

See also

References

 

From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.

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