10 most famous priestesses of love, whose names have remained in world history

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

From time immemorial, there have been ladies who traded their bodies. This occupation, sometimes elevated to the rank of a profession, is more than one thousand years old. Some priestesses of love have even gone down in history. In our review, we will focus on the most famous ladies of easy virtue.

1. Thais

Thais is a hetaira who accompanied Alexander the Great during his many campaigns. It is not known whether Thais "worked" for Alexander, but historical records indicate that he kept her with him for a long time, namely during his many military campaigns.

It is interesting that it was Thais who provoked the burning of Xerxes' palace in Persepolis conquered by Alexander with her fiery speech. She was the second person after Alexander to throw a torch into the building with her own hand. Historians believe that this was Thais's revenge for the fact that the Persian king Xerxes destroyed the Athenian Acropolis.

2. Rahab

The story of Rahab can be found in the Book of Joshua, which tells the story of a woman who ran an inn and brothel adjacent to the wall of Jericho. It was during the siege of this city by the Israelites under the command of Joshua. Before entering the city, Jesus sent two spies to Jericho to find out what the enemy's potential was. Rahab hid the spies at her home, in exchange for the fact that the Israelis would spare her and her family during the assault. To mark her house so that it would remain intact during the assault, she hung a red belt on the door. Some believe that it was after this incident that the color red began to denote brothel houses.

3. Phryne

Perhaps one of the most famous heterosexuals in ancient Greece is Phryne, whose real name was Mnesareta (which means "mindful of virtues"). One of the rejected fans accused Phryne of godlessness. In court, her defender was the famous orator of that time Hyperides. When his speeches did not make an impression on the judges, Hyperides simply pulled off the clothes from Phryne. The judges immediately acquitted her, because "such a perfect body cannot hide an imperfect soul."

4. Xu Xiaoxiao

Xu Xiaoxiao, sometimes called "Little Xiu", was a Chinese courtesan and poet. She lived during the Southern Qi Dynasty, known for its beauty and intelligence. Although she sold her body to mere mortals, Xiu became famous for her poetry. Numerous stories about her life have come down to our time, most of which are associated with her romances with young people.

She died at the age of 19 due to an incurable disease. When Xiu realized that she would soon die, she devoted all her remaining time to poetry about the beauty of the world around her. Her grave was looked after for centuries until it was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution (the grave was restored only in 2004).

5. Maria Jeanne Bécu, Countess of Dubarry

Dubarry was the last mistress of the French king Louis XV and fell victim to terror during the French Revolution. She began her career in Paris as a courtesan, acquiring extensive acquaintances among the aristocrats who used her services. In order to bring his mistress closer to the court, the king arranged her fictitious marriage with the brother of the Count of Dubarry, and also provided her with forged documents, which proved her noble origin.

So in just a year, the street courtesan became a noble lady - the mistress of the king of France. Due to her direct connection with Louis XV, DuBarry was executed by guillotine on December 8, 1793.

6. Maria Boleyn

Maria Boleyn, the lesser known sister of the legendary Anne Boleyn, was a courtesan. There are many stories of how she used her sexuality to gain favor at the royal court. For a certain time, Mary was the favorite of the English and French kings.

She is believed to have died around the age of 40 or 41, although her burial site is unknown. Maria “retired” by marrying a man from the lower class. And when her sister was executed, Maria tried to get lost somewhere in France. Her descendants include famous British people such as Charles Darwin and Duchess Catherine of Cambridge.

7. Veronica Franco

Veronica Franco was a well-educated young lady. Mother not only gave her a good education, but also taught her all possible ways that were to help marry a rich man.

As a teenager, she married a doctor, but the marriage quickly ended in divorce, and Veronica became a courtesan at the Venetian court in order to survive. The girl not only pleased the male aristocracy of Venice, but also wrote poetry and even published several collections.

Veronica was so successful in both her professions that she managed to amass a decent fortune and began to do charity work, caring for the orphaned children of her fellow courtesans. In 1580, she was accused of witchcraft, but Veronica managed to convince the Inquisition of her innocence. Her further fate is unknown, but it is believed that she lost her wealth when she was forced to flee Venice due to the plague in 1575. Veronica died in poverty after the death of her last patron.

8. Mary Jane Kelly

In some cases, it is not life that makes a person famous, but death. Mary Jane Kelly is such a woman, as she was the last victim of Jack the Ripper.

Each of the victims of the famous maniac who killed prostitutes was disfigured after her throat was cut. Mary Jane Kelly was unlucky - she was injured while she was still alive. The scene was so terrible that most of those who saw the corpse were shocked. Mary's death, as in the case of the other victims of the Ripper, remained unsolved.

9. Katherine Walters

Katherine Walters, also known as the Skittles, was one of the last great courtesans in Victorian London. She was considered very beautiful and adored horseback riding, which is why she received the nickname Princess of the Amazons. Her patronage includes many politicians and members of the royal family, including Edward VII, the eldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Catherine was famous for her modesty, which greatly impressed many aristocrats who wanted their adventures to remain secret. This made her very rich. In 1890 she retired and lived quite comfortably. Katherine Walters - that rare case when a courtesan lived in abundance and died already being in old age.

10. Lizzie Leip

Lizzie Leip was a member of the oldest profession and ran several brothels in Ohio. Lizzie has married eight times, and her most famous relationship is with Warren Harding, the 29th President of the United States. It is believed that Mr. Harding often visited Lizzie's brothels and was a regular customer of her Red Bird saloon.

Ex-museums Lizzie constantly sued her for the division of property, but she managed to keep her fortune, no matter what.