A courtesan is a

prostitute Prostitution is a type of sex work that involves engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, non-pe ...

with a

courtly Courtesy (from the word , from the 12th century) is gentle politeness and courtly manners. In the Middle Ages in Europe, the behaviour expected of the nobility was compiled in courtesy books. History The apex of European courtly culture was r ...

, wealthy, or

upper-class Upper class in modern societies is the social class composed of people who hold the highest social status. Usually, these are the wealthiest members of class society, and wield the greatest political power. According to this view, the upper cla ...

clientele. Historically, the term referred to a

courtier A courtier () is a person who attends the royal court of a monarch or other royalty. The earliest historical examples of courtiers were part of the retinues of rulers. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the officia ...

, a person who attended the

court A court is an institution, often a government entity, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between Party (law), parties and Administration of justice, administer justice in Civil law (common law), civil, Criminal law, criminal, an ...

of a monarch or other powerful person.

History

In European

feudal society Feudalism, also known as the feudal system, was a combination of legal, economic, military, cultural, and political customs that flourished in medieval Europe from the 9th to 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a way of structuring societ ...

, the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together. Prior to the Renaissance, courtesans served to convey information to visiting dignitaries, when servants could not be trusted. In

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

Europe, courtiers played an extremely important role in upper-class society. As it was customary during this time for royal couples to lead separate lives—commonly marrying simply to preserve bloodlines and to secure political alliances—men and women would often seek gratification and companionship from people living at court. In fact, the verb 'to court' originally meant "to be or reside at court", and later came to mean "to behave as a courtier" and then '

courtship Courtship is the period wherein some couples get to know each other prior to a possible marriage or committed romantic, ''de facto'' relationship. Courtship traditionally may begin after a betrothal and may conclude with the celebration of marri ...

', or "to pay amorous attention to somebody". The most intimate companion of a ruler was called the "

favourite A favourite was the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person. In Post-classical Europe, post-classical and Early modern Europe, early-modern Europe, among other times and places, the term was used of individuals delegated signifi ...

". In

usage, the Italian word ''cortigiana'', feminine of ''cortigiano'' ("courtier"), came to refer to a person who attends the court, and then to a well-educated and independent woman, eventually a trained artist or artisan of dance and singing, especially one associated with wealthy, powerful, or upper-class society who was given luxuries and status in exchange for entertainment and companionship. In English, the word was borrowed from Italian during the 16th century through the French form ''courtisane'', especially associated with the meaning of ''donna di palazzo''. A male figure comparable to the courtesan was the Italian ''

cicisbeo In 18th- and 19th-century Italy, the ''cicisbeo'' ( , , ; plural: ''cicisbei'') or () was the man who was the professed gallant or lover of a woman married to someone else. With the knowledge and consent of the husband, the cicisbeo attended hi ...

'', the French ''

chevalier Chevalier may refer to: Honours Belgium * a rank in the Belgian Order of the Crown * a rank in the Belgian Order of Leopold * a rank in the Belgian Order of Leopold II * a title in the Belgian nobility France * a rank in the French Legion d'h ...

servant'', the Spanish ''cortejo'' or ''estrecho''. The courtesans of East Asia, particularly those of the

Japanese empire The Empire of Japan, also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was the Japanese nation state that existed from the Meiji Restoration on January 3, 1868, until the Constitution of Japan took effect on May 3, 1947. From 1910 to ...

, held a different social role than that of their European counterparts. Examples of Japanese courtesans included the

oiran is a collective term for the highest-ranking courtesans in Japanese history, who were considered to be above common prostitutes (known as ) for their more refined entertainment skills and training in the traditional arts. Divided into a numb ...

class, who were more focused on the aspect of entertainment than European courtesans. Courtesans or dancers of

ancient India Anatomically modern humans first arrived on the Indian subcontinent between 73,000 and 55,000 years ago. The earliest known human remains in South Asia date to 30,000 years ago. Sedentism, Sedentariness began in South Asia around 7000 BCE; ...

known as ganikas were the center of city life. According to historian Sanjay K. Gautam, the courtesan in India was "a symbol of both sexual-erotic and aesthetic pleasure".

Differences in status

As primary employment

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

Cora Pearl Cora Pearl (born Eliza Emma Crouch; December 1836 – 8 July 1886) was an English courtesan or Cocotte (prostitute), cocotte of the French demimonde who became most well known during the period of the Second French Empire. Early life Eliza Emma C ...

is a good example. Lancelot Volders - Ladies with their servants

Often, courtesans serving in this capacity began their career as a prostitute, although many came to the profession by other means. It was not uncommon for a courtesan to enter into an arranged long-term liaison by contract with a wealthy benefactor. These contracts were written up by and witnessed by lawyers and were binding. Most included some provision for the financial welfare of the courtesan beyond the end of the relationship in the form of an annuity. Many such women became so powerful socially and financially that they could be particular about the men they associated with; in other words, they chose their paramour as would any other mistress, not the other way around. Wealthy benefactors would go to great lengths to court a courtesan as a prize, the ultimate goal being a long-term contract as a mistress. Occasionally courtesans 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 socialise. Often, in instances of this sort, if the courtesan had satisfactorily served a benefactor, that benefactor would, when ending the affair, pass her on to another benefactor of wealth as a favour to the courtesan, or set her up in an arranged marriage to a semi-wealthy benefactor. If the courtesan had angered or dissatisfied a benefactor, then she would often find herself cast out of wealthy circles, returning more often than not to street prostitution.

For social or political benefits

:''Should not be confused with a

royal mistress A royal mistress is the historical position and sometimes unofficial title of the extramarital lover of a monarch or an heir apparent, who was expected to provide certain services, such as sexual or romantic intimacy, companionship, and advice ...

'' Those from wealthy backgrounds, either by birth or marriage, and who were acting as courtesans only for the social or political advancement of themselves and/or their spouses were generally treated as equals. They were more respected by their extramarital 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 former companion 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 another's 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."A brief history of the Courtesan"
(from icqurimage.com, 2005)

Career length

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 Promiscuity is the practice of engaging in sexual activity frequently with different partners or being indiscriminate in the choice of sexual partners. The term can carry a moral judgment. A common example of behavior viewed as promiscuous by man ...

lifestyle were over. There are many examples of courtesans who, by remaining discreet and respectful to their benefactors, were able to extend their careers into or past middle age and retire financially secure;

Catherine Walters Catherine Walters (13 June 1839 – 5 August 1920), also known as "Skittles", was a British fashion trendsetter and one of the last of the great courtesans of Victorian era, Victorian London. Walters was an established equestrian contributing t ...

is a good example. By the late 19th century, and for a brief period in the early 20th century, courtesans had reached a level of social acceptance in many circles and settings, often even to the extent of becoming a friend and confidant to the wife of their benefactor. 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 (unofficial) mistress to a king or prince.

Pietro Aretino Pietro Aretino (, ; 19 or 20 April 1492 – 21 October 1556) was an Italian author, playwright, poet, satire, satirist and blackmailer, who wielded influence on contemporary art and politics. He was one of the most influential writers of his ti ...

, an

Italian Renaissance The Italian Renaissance ( ) was a period in History of Italy, Italian history between the 14th and 16th centuries. The period is known for the initial development of the broader Renaissance culture that spread across Western Europe and marked t ...

writer, wrote a series of dialogues (''Capricciosi ragionamenti'') in which a mother teaches her daughter what options are available to women and how to be an effective courtesan. In eighteenth-century French literature, the courtesan tends to be idealised as a beautiful and intellectually refined figure of classical antiquity, who invariably enjoys excellent health and is untouched by the contemporary societal scourge of syphilis (often politely referred to as "smallpox") and other

sexually transmitted A sexually transmitted infection (STI), also referred to as a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and the older term venereal disease (VD), is an infection that is spread by sexual activity, especially vaginal intercourse, anal sex, oral ...

diseases. The French novelist Balzac wrote about a courtesan in his '' Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes'' (1838–47).

Émile Zola Émile Édouard Charles Antoine Zola (, ; ; 2 April 184029 September 1902) was a French novelist, journalist, playwright, the best-known practitioner of the literary school of Naturalism (literature), naturalism, and an important contributor to ...

likewise wrote a novel, '' Nana'' (1880), about a courtesan in nineteenth-century France.

Famous courtesans

This is a list of some professional courtesans. They are not

es, unless a professional courtesan was also a royal mistress. Separately from this list, the term "courtesan" has been used in a political context in an attempt to damage the reputation of a powerful woman or disparage her importance. Because of this, there is still much historical debate over whether certain women in history were courtesans. For example, the title was applied to the Byzantine empress Theodora, who had started life as an erotic actress, but later became the wife of the Emperor

Justinian Justinian I (, ; 48214 November 565), also known as Justinian the Great, was Roman emperor from 527 to 565. His reign was marked by the ambitious but only partly realized ''renovatio imperii'', or "restoration of the Empire". This ambition was ...

and, after her death, an Orthodox

saint In Christianity, Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of sanctification in Christianity, holiness, imitation of God, likeness, or closeness to God in Christianity, God. However, the use of the ...

17th century and earlier

Volumnia Cytheris Volumnia Cytheris (fl. 1st-century BC) was an ancient Roman actress and mimae dancer. She is foremost known as the mistress of several famous Romans. Possibly born around 70 B.C., she was originally a slave of Publius Volumnius Eutrapelius but l ...

(1st century BC), Roman mimae actress and courtesan * Amrapali (5th century BC), '' nagarvadhu'' dancer of Vaishali, following the

Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha (),* * * was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist legends, he was ...

's teachings she became an

arahant In Buddhism, an ''Arhat'' () or ''Arahant'' (, 𑀅𑀭𑀳𑀦𑁆𑀢𑁆) is one who has gained insight into the true nature of existence and has achieved '' Nirvana'' and has been liberated from the endless cycle of rebirth. The und ...

. *

Anarkali Anarkali () is a legendary lady said to be loved by the 16th-century Mughal Prince Salim, who later became Emperor Jahangir. According to some accounts, Anarkali was the nickname of the courtesan ( tawaif) Sharf-un-Nisa, though scholars hold ...

(17th-century)

tawaif A ''tawaif'' () was a highly successful courtesan singer‚ dancer‚ and poet who catered to the nobility of the Indian subcontinent, particularly during the Mughal era. Many tawaifs (" nautch girls" to the British) were forced to go into pro ...

of Salim (later

Mughal emperor The emperors of the Mughal Empire, who were all members of the Timurid dynasty (House of Babur), ruled the empire from its inception on 21 April 1526 to its dissolution on 21 September 1857. They were supreme monarchs of the Mughal Empire in ...

Jahangir Nur-ud-din Muhammad Salim (31 August 1569 – 28 October 1627), known by his imperial name Jahangir (; ), was List of emperors of the Mughal Empire, Emperor of Hindustan from 1605 until his death in 1627, and the fourth Mughal emperors, Mughal ...

) * Arib al-Ma'muniyya (, 797-890), ''

qiyan (, ; singular , , ) were a social class of women, trained as entertainers, which existed in the pre-modern Islamic world. The term has been used for women who were both free, including some of whom came from nobility, and non-free women. It ...

'' *

Faḍl al-Shāʻirah Fadl al-Qaysi or Faḍl al-Shāʻirah (; "Faḍl the Poet"; d. 871) was one of "three early ʻAbbasid singing girls, particularly famous for their poetry" and is one of the pre-eminent medieval Arabic female poets whose work survives. She was a ...

(, d. 871 ), ''

'' *

Hwang Jini Hwang Jini or Hwang Jin-yi (; 1506–1567), also known by her '' kisaeng'' name Myeongwol ("bright moon", ), was one of the most famous '' kisaeng'' of the Joseon period. She lived during the reign of King Jungjong. She was noted for her except ...

(fl. 1550): legendary ''

gisaeng ''Kisaeng'' (), also called ''ginyeo'' (), were enslaved women from outcast or enslaved families who were trained to be courtesans, providing artistic entertainment and conversation to men of upper class. First emerging in Goryeo dynasty. were ...

'' of the

Joseon dynasty Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...

ʽInān Inān bint Abdallāh (, died 841) was a prominent poet and qiyan of the Abbasid period, even characterised by the tenth-century historian Abū al-Faraj al-Iṣfahāni as the slave-woman poet of foremost significance in the Arabic tradition. She ...

(, d. 841), ''

'' * Imperia Cognati (1486–1512), courtesan of Renaissance Rome, referred to as the "first courtesan" in Europe *

Kanhopatra Kanhopatra (or Kanhupatra) was a 15th-century Marathi saint-poet, venerated by the Varkari sect of Hinduism. Little is known about Kanhopatra. According to most traditional accounts, Kanhopatra was a courtesan and dancer. These accounts typi ...

(15th-century) Indian Marathi saint-poet and dancer,singer *

Lais of Corinth Lais of Corinth () (fl. 425 BC) was a famous hetaira or courtesan of ancient Greece, who was probably born in Corinth. She shared a name with the younger hetaira Lais of Hyccara; as ancient authors (in their usually indirect accounts) often con ...

(5th century BC), ''

hetaira A (; , ; . , ), Latinized as ( ), was a type of highly educated female companion in ancient Greece who served as an artist, entertainer, and conversationalist. Historians have often classed them as courtesans, but the extent to which they ...

''-courtesan *

Lais of Hyccara Lais of Hyccara () (died 340 BC) was a hetaira (courtesan) of Ancient Greece. She was probably born in Hyccara, Sicily (modern Carini) and died in Thessaly. She was a contemporary of another courtesan with the same name, Lais of Corinth. Since an ...

(killed 340 BC), ''

''-courtesan * Marion Delorme (c. 1613–1650): lover of George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, the Prince of Condé, and

Cardinal Richelieu Armand Jean du Plessis, 1st Duke of Richelieu (9 September 1585 – 4 December 1642), commonly known as Cardinal Richelieu, was a Catholic Church in France, French Catholic prelate and statesman who had an outsized influence in civil and religi ...

* Ninon de l'Enclos (1615–1705): lover of the Prince of Condé and Gaspard de Coligny *

Phryne Phryne (, before 370 – after 316 BC) was an ancient Greek hetaira (courtesan). Born Mnesarete, she was from Thespiae in Boeotia, but seems to have lived most of her life in Athens. Apparently, she grew up poor but became one of the riches ...

(4th century BC), ''

''-courtesan *

Praecia Praecia (fl. 73 BC) was a Roman courtesan, famed for her influence within Roman politics. She was active as a professional high class courtesan in Rome. She was known for her wide net of high-profile clients among the political elite, and for ...

(fl. 73 BC), Roman courtesan * Shāriyah (, -870), ''

'' *

Takao II , also known as Sendai Takao or Manji Takao, was a (highest-ranking courtesan) of the Yoshiwara red light district of Edo, and one of the most famous courtesans of Japan's Edo period (1603–1867). She debuted in 1655 as the leading courtesan of t ...

(高尾, 1640–1659), Japanese ''

''-courtesan * Thaïs (4th century BC), ''

''-courtesan *

Theodora (6th century) Theodora (; Greek: Θεοδώρα; 490/50028 June 548) was a Byzantine empress and wife of emperor Justinian I. She was from humble origins and became empress when her husband became emperor in 527. Theodora was one of his chief political adv ...

(–June 28, 548), Byzantine actress-courtesan, later wife of

Justinian I Justinian I (, ; 48214 November 565), also known as Justinian the Great, was Roman emperor from 527 to 565. His reign was marked by the ambitious but only partly realized ''renovatio imperii'', or "restoration of the Empire". This ambition was ...

of the

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...

List of Italian Renaissance courtesans The following is a list of nobtable Italian Renaissance courtesans. Renaissance courtesans In Italian Renaissance society existed the category of a ''cortigiana onesta (Honest Courtesan),'' who were intellectual sex workers who derived their posi ...

: **

Tullia d'Aragona Tullia d'Aragona (1501/1505 – March or April 1556) was an Italian poet, author, and philosopher. Born in Rome sometime between 1501 and 1505, Tullia traveled throughout Venice, Ferrara, Siena, and Florence before returning to Rome. Throughout he ...

(–1556): top courtesan in several Italian cities, and published poet **

Veronica Franco Veronica Franco (c. 1546–1591) was an Italian poet and courtesan in 16th-century Venice. She is known for her notable clientele, feminist advocacy, literary contributions, and philanthropy. Her humanist education and cultural contributions inf ...

(1546–1591): a Venetian ''cortigiana onesta'' courtesan who was once lover to King

Henry III of France Henry III (; ; ; 19 September 1551 – 2 August 1589) was King of France from 1574 until his assassination in 1589, as well as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1573 to 1575. As the fourth son of King Henry II of France, he ...

and was depicted in the movie Dangerous Beauty * Yu Gam-dong (15th-century), Korean courtesan * Du Shiniang, China Ming dynasty courtesan

18th and 19th centuries

* Binodini Dasi (1862–1941), Indian

-actress * Blanche d'Antigny (1840–1874), French courtesan;

used her as the principal model for his novel '' Nana'' *

(1839–1920), British courtesan * Charlotte Slottsberg (1760–1800), Swedish courtesan-ballerina, lover, but not official royal mistress of

Charles XIII Charles XIII or Carl XIII (; 7 October 1748 – 5 February 1818) was King of Sweden from 1809 and King of Norway from 1814 to his death. He was the second son (and younger brother to King Gustav III) of King Adolf Frederick of Sweden and Louisa ...

of Sweden *

Claudine Guérin de Tencin Claudine Alexandrine Guérin de Tencin, Baroness of Saint-Martin-de-Ré (27 April 1682 – 4 December 1749) was a French Salon (gathering), salonist and author. She was the mother of Jean le Rond d'Alembert, who later became a prominent mathemat ...

(1681–1749), French courtesan and later a famous salonnière *

(1836–1886), ''

demimonde is a French 19th-century term referring to women on the fringes of respectable society, and specifically to courtesans supported by wealthy lovers. The term is French for "half-world", and derives from an 1855 play called , by Alexandre Dumas ...

''-courtesan ("Grande Horizontale") of the Second Empire * The Countess, also known as Pauline, a French transgender courtesan and singer in Paris of the 1850s and 1860s * Dorothy Jordan (1761–1816), British courtesan-actress * Eliza Lynch (1835–1886), Irish courtesan, de facto wife of

Francisco Solano López Francisco Solano López Carrillo (24 July 1827 or 1826 – 1 March 1870) was a Paraguay, Paraguayan statesman, Officer (armed forces), military officer and politician who served as President of Paraguay between 1862 and 1870, of which he serve ...

, president of Paraguay *

Emma Hamilton Dame Emma Hamilton (born Amy Lyon; 26 April 176515 January 1815), known upon moving to London as Emma Hart, and upon marriage as Lady Hamilton, was an English maid, model, dancer and actress. She began her career in London's demi-monde, becom ...

(1765–1815), English model-actress, wife of William Hamilton and mistress of

Lord Nelson Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronte ( – 21 October 1805) was a Royal Navy officer whose leadership, grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics brought about a number of decisive British naval victories during the French ...

Grace Elliott Grace Dalrymple Elliott (c. 1754 – 16 May 1823) was a Scottish courtesan, writer and spy resident in Paris during the French Revolution. She was an eyewitness to events detailed in her memoirs, ''Journal of my life during the French Rev ...

(1754?–1823), British courtesan * Harriette Wilson (1786–1846), British courtesan * Josefa Ordóñez (1728 – d. ''after'' 1792), Mexican courtesan-actress * Kitty Fisher (died 1767), British courtesan and model * La Belle Otero (1868–1965), Spanish courtesan * La Païva (1819–1884), French ''

''-courtesan ('Grande Horizontale') of the Second Empire *

Liane de Pougy Liane de Pougy (born Anne-Marie Chassaigne, 2 July 1869 – 26 December 1950) was a French dancer, courtesan and novelist. She was a Folies Bergère vedette, and was known as one of the most beautiful and notorious courtesans in Paris. Later in ...

(1869–1950), French courtesan and

Folies Bergère 150px, Stanisław Julian Ignacy Ostroróg">Walery, 1927 The Folies Bergère () is a cabaret music hall in Paris, France. Located at 32 Rue Richer in the 9th Arrondissement, the Folies Bergère was built as an opera house by the arc ...

-dancer *

Lola Montez Eliza Rosanna Gilbert, Countess of Landsfeld (17 February 1821 – 17 January 1861), better known by the stage name Lola Montez (), was an Irish dancer and actress who became famous as a Spanish dancer, courtesan, and mistress of King Ludw ...

(1821–1861), Irish dancer, mistress of king Ludwig I of Bavaria *

Madame du Barry Jeanne Bécu, comtesse du Barry (; 28 August 1744 – 8 December 1793) was the last ''maîtresse-en-titre'' of King Louis XV of France. She was executed by guillotine during the French Revolution on accusations of treason—particularly being ...

(1743–1793), French courtesan, last

Maîtresse-en-titre The ''maîtresse-en-titre'' () was the official royal mistress of the King of France. The title was vaguely defined and used in the Middle Ages but finally became an acknowledged, if informal, position during the reign of Henry IV (), and c ...

Louis XV of France Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached maturity (then defi ...

* Mah Laqa Bai (7 April 1768 – August 1824), Indian

and poet * Marie Duplessis (1824–1847), French courtesan, one of the best known from the era of Louis Philippe * Marie-Louise O'Murphy (1737–1814), French courtesan, lover, but not official royal mistress of

* Marthe de Florian (1864–1939), French courtesan and socialite * Mary Nesbitt (1742–1825), British courtesan and spy *

Mata Hari Margaretha Geertruida MacLeod (, ; 7 August 187615 October 1917), better known by the stage name Mata Hari ( , ; , ), was a Dutch Stripper, exotic dancer and courtesan who was convicted of being a spy for German Empire, Germany during World War ...

(1876–1917), courtesan and spy * Olympe Pélissier (1799–1878), French courtesan and model, second wife of

Gioachino Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer of the late Classical period (music), Classical and early Romantic music, Romantic eras. He gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote man ...

* Rosalie Duthé (1748–1830), French courtesan, has been called "the first officially recorded

dumb blonde Blonde stereotypes are stereotypes of blonde-haired people. Sub-types of this stereotype include the " blonde bombshell" and the "dumb blonde". Blondes have historically been portrayed as physically attractive, though often perceived as less ...

" * Sai Jinhua (1872–1936), Chinese courtesan *

Sophia Baddeley Sophia Baddeley born Sophia Snow (1745 – July 1786) was an English actress, singer and courtesan. Early life, musical career She was born in London, the daughter of Mary and Valentine Snow, who was the sergeant-trumpeter to George II of ...

(1745–1786), British courtesan * Støvlet-Cathrine (1745–1805), Danish courtesan, lover, but not official royal mistress of King

Christian VII of Denmark Christian VII (29 January 1749 – 13 March 1808) was King of Denmark–Norway, Denmark and Norway and Duke of Duchy of Schleswig, Schleswig and Duchy of Holstein, Holstein from 1766 until his death in 1808. He was affected by mental illness and ...

Zofia Potocka Zofia Potocka (; – 24 November 1822) was a Greek slave courtesan and a Russian agent, later a Polish noblewoman. She was famous in contemporary Europe for her beauty and adventurous life. During the Russo-Turkish War she was the lover of th ...

(1760–1822), Greek courtesan, mistress of

Grigory Potemkin Prince Grigory Aleksandrovich Potemkin-Tauricheski (A number of dates as late as 1742 have been found on record; the veracity of any one is unlikely to be proved. This is his "official" birth-date as given on his tombstone.) was a Russian mi ...

and wife of

Szczęsny Potocki Szczęsny ( ; feminine: Szczęsna), Szczesny, or Sczesny is a Polish given name and surname, meaning "lucky". It is the Polish equivalent of the Czech and Slovak surname Šťastný. Notable people Surname * Bernard Szczęsny (1919–1999), ...

20th century

Marguerite Alibert Marguerite Marie Alibert (9 December 1890 – 2 January 1971), also known as Maggie Meller, Marguerite Laurent, and Princess Fahmy, was a French socialite. She started her career as a prostitute and later courtesan in Paris, and from 1917 to 19 ...

(1890–1971), French courtesan, lover, but not official royal mistress of Prince

Edward Edward is an English male name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortunate; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-S ...

In fiction

* Angellica Bianca in

Aphra Behn Aphra Behn (; baptism, bapt. 14 December 1640 – 16 April 1689) was an English playwright, poet, prose writer and translator from the Restoration (England), Restoration era. As one of the first English women to earn her living by her writ ...

's 1677 play '' The Rover''. *

Bianca Bianca is a feminine given name. It means "white" and is an Italian cognate of Blanche. It is known in the Anglosphere as a character in William Shakespeare's ''The Taming of the Shrew''. It came to greater notice in the 1970s, due to public fi ...

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

's ''

Othello ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'', often shortened to ''Othello'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare around 1603. Set in Venice and Cyprus, the play depicts the Moorish military commander Othello as he is manipulat ...

'' is considered a courtesan to Cassio. * Bianca, who appears in

Anne Rice Anne Rice (born Howard Allen Frances O'Brien; October 4, 1941 – December 11, 2021) was an American author of Gothic fiction, erotic literature, and Bible fiction. She is best known for writing ''The Vampire Chronicles''. She later adapted t ...

's ''

The Vampire Armand ''The Vampire Armand'' (1998) is a vampire novel by American writer Anne Rice, the sixth in her ''The Vampire Chronicles'' series. Plot summary With Lestat de Lioncourt still in slumber since '' Memnoch the Devil'', the vampire coven is reunit ...

'', is a courtesan. * In

John Cleland John Cleland (24 September 1709 – 23 January 1789) was an English novelist best known for his fictional '' Fanny Hill: or, the Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure'', whose eroticism led to his arrest. James Boswell called him "a sly, old malcont ...

's ''

Fanny Hill ''Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure'' – popularly known as ''Fanny Hill'' – is an erotic novel by the English novelist John Cleland first published in London in 1748 and 1749. Written while the author was in debtors' prison in London,Wagne ...

: or, the Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure'', Fanny goes from poor orphaned country girl to wealthy skilled courtesan eventually finding her one true love and retiring to marriage. Her history is told in the first person through several letters to friends detailing her life as a courtesan. * In Sarah Dunant's '' In the Company of the Courtesan'', Fiammetta Bianchini, a renowned courtesan of

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, and her sharp-witted dwarf rise to success among the intrigue and secrets of Renaissance Venice. * In the book '' A Great and Terrible Beauty'', Pippa accuses Felicity of having a mother who is a courtesan and a consort, and who ran away to France not only to run a salon, but to be with her lover, a Frenchman. *

Inara Serra This page lists characters from the television program, television series ''Firefly (TV series), Firefly''. Major characters Malcolm Reynolds Malcolm Reynolds ("Mal"), played by Nathan Fillion, is owner and captain of the Firefly-class spaceshi ...

is a 26th-century

Alliance An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or sovereign state, states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not an explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an a ...

companion, a position inspired by courtesans, in

Joss Whedon Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon ( ; born June 23, 1964) is an American screenwriter, director, producer, comic book writer, and composer. He is best known as the creator of several television series: the supernatural drama ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer' ...

's TV series ''

Firefly The Lampyridae are a family of elateroid beetles with more than 2,000 described species, many of which are light-emitting. They are soft-bodied beetles commonly called fireflies, lightning bugs, or glowworms for their conspicuous production ...

''. * Kamala, in

Hermann Hesse Hermann Karl Hesse (; 2 July 1877 – 9 August 1962) was a Germans, German-Swiss people, Swiss poet and novelist, and the 1946 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. His interest in Eastern philosophy, Eastern religious, spiritual, and philosophic ...

's '' Siddhartha''. * Komagata Yumi in the manga ''

Rurouni Kenshin is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki. The story begins in 1878, the 11th year of the Meiji era in Japan, and follows a former assassin of the Bakumatsu, known as Hitokiri Battosai. After his work against ...

''. * ''

La Dame aux Camélias ''The Lady of the Camellias'' (), sometimes called ''Camille'' in English, is a novel by Alexandre Dumas ''fils''. First published in 1848 and subsequently adapted by Dumas for the stage, the play premiered at the Théâtre du Vaudeville in P ...

'' is a novel about a courtesan by French author

Alexandre Dumas, fils Alexandre Dumas (; 27 July 1824 – 27 November 1895) was a French author and playwright, best known for the romantic novel ''La Dame aux Camélias'' (''The Lady of the Camellias'', usually titled '' Camille'' in English-language versions), pu ...

that was turned into the opera '' La Traviata'' by Italian composer

Giuseppe Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi ( ; ; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for List of compositions by Giuseppe Verdi, his operas. He was born near Busseto, a small town in the province of Parma ...

. In the novel, the courtesan's name is Marguerite Gautier; in the opera, it is Violetta Valéry. "La Traviata" in Italian translates "The Wayward One". * Lysandra in the book series ''

Throne of Glass ''Throne of Glass'' is a high fantasy novel series by American author Sarah J. Maas, beginning with the entry of the same name, released on August 2, 2012. The story follows the journey of Celaena Sardothien, a teenage assassin in a corrupt kin ...

'' by Sarah J. Maas, a shape-shifting courtesan working to pay off her debts and care for her rescued acolyte, Evangeline. * Madame Gabrielle from Dora Levy Mossanen. ''Courtesan: A Novel''. Touchstone, 2005. * Magda in Puccini's '' La rondine''. * Many examples in

Indian literature Indian literature refers to the literature produced on the Indian subcontinent until 1947 and in the Republic of India thereafter. The Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India has 22 officially recognised languages. Sahitya Akadem ...

and

Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...

films:

Sahibjaan in ''

Pakeezah Pakeezah (; ) is a 1972 Indian musical romantic drama written, directed, and produced by Kamal Amrohi. The film stars Meena Kumari as the eponymous lead, alongside Ashok Kumar and Raaj Kumar. It tells the story of Sahibjaan, a Lucknow-base ...

'',

Umrao Jaan in the Urdu novel ''

Umrao Jaan Ada ''Umrao Jaan Ada'' () is an Urdu novel by Mirza Hadi Ruswa (1857–1931), first published in 1899. It is considered the first Urdu novel by many tawaif A ''tawaif'' () was a highly successful courtesan singer‚ dancer‚ and poet who catered to the nobility of the Indian subcontinent, particularly during the Mughal era. Many tawaifs (" nautch girls" to the British) were forced to go into pro ...

Chandramukhi in ''

Devdas ''Devdas'' (, transliterated as ''Dēbôdās'') is a Bengali romance novel written by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. The story pivots a tragic triangle linking Devdas, an archetypal lover in viraha (separation); Paro, his forbidden childhood love ...

''. *

Mira Nair Mira Nair (born 15 October 1957) is an Indian-American filmmaker based in New York City. Her production company is Mirabai Films. Among her films are '' Mississippi Masala'', '' The Namesake'', the Golden Lion–winning '' Monsoon Wedding'', ...

's 1996 film '' Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love'' highlights the profession of courtesans in 16th-century India, featuring Rasa Devi (

Rekha Bhanurekha Ganesan (; born 10 October 1954), better known by her mononymous stage name Rekha, is an Indian actress who appears predominantly in Hindi films. Acknowledged as one of the finest actresses in Indian cinema, she has starred in mo ...

) and Maya (

Indira Varma Indira Anne Varma (born 27 September 1973) is a British actress and narrator. Her film debut and first major role was in '' Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love''. She is known for her television roles, such as playing Niobe in the BBC and HBO series ''R ...

). * Nana, in

Emile Zola Emile or Émile may refer to: * Émile (novel) (1827), autobiographical novel based on Émile de Girardin's early life * Emile, Canadian film made in 2003 by Carl Bessai * '' Emile: or, On Education'' (1762) by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a treatise o ...

eponym An eponym is a noun after which or for which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. Adjectives derived from the word ''eponym'' include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Eponyms are commonly used for time periods, places, innovati ...

ous novel of 1880 is a courtesan. * Odette de Crecy from Marcel Proust's ''

In Search of Lost Time ''In Search of Lost Time'' (), first translated into English as ''Remembrance of Things Past'', and sometimes referred to in French as ''La Recherche'' (''The Search''), is a novel in seven volumes by French author Marcel Proust. This early twen ...

'' is a courtesan of the French Belle Epoque, she gains a notorious reputation from cavorting with aristocrats, artists and bourgeois, of both sexes. * Paola and Sister Teodora were the leaders of the courtesans of Florence and Venice (respectively) in the video game ''

Assassin's Creed II ''Assassin's Creed II'' is a 2009 action-adventure game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It is the second major installment in the Assassin's Creed, ''Assassin's Creed'' series, and the sequel to 2007's ''Assassin's Creed ...

''. In its sequel, '' Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'', Madame Solari is shown to be the leader of the courtesans in Rome. Courtesans also provide a gameplay mechanic in the two games, main character Ezio Auditore can hire small groups of courtesans that can be used to escort the assassin without being noticed, and to distract hostile guards. * Phèdre nó Delaunay, the premier courtesan of Terre D'Ange in Jacqueline Carey's ''

Kushiel's Legacy ''Kushiel's Legacy'' is a series of fantasy novels by American writer Jacqueline Carey, comprising the Phèdre Trilogy and the Imriel Trilogy (called the "Treason's Heir" trilogy in the United Kingdom). Since the series features a fictional ve ...

'' novels. * Satine, played by

Nicole Kidman Nicole Mary Kidman (born 20 June 1967) is an Australian and American actress and producer. Known for Nicole Kidman on screen and stage, her work in film and television productions across many genres, she has consistently ranked among the world ...

, an actress/courtesan who falls in love with a penniless poet/writer played by

Ewan McGregor Ewan Gordon McGregor ( ; born 31 March 1971) is a Scottish actor. His accolades include a Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy Award. In 2013, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to drama and ...

, in

Baz Luhrmann Mark Anthony "Baz" Luhrmann (born 17 September 1962) is an Australian film director, producer, writer, and actor whose various projects extend from film and television into opera, theatre, music, and the recording industries. He is regarded by ...

's 2001 film, ''

Moulin Rouge! ''Moulin Rouge!'' (, ) is a 2001 jukebox musical romantic drama film directed, produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. It follows an English poet, Christian, who falls in love with the star of the Moulin Rouge, cabaret actress and courtesan ...

''. * Sha'ira, an asari "Consort" from the ''

Mass Effect ''Mass Effect'' is a military science fiction media franchise created by Casey Hudson. The franchise depicts a distant future where humanity and several alien civilizations have colonized the galaxy using technology left behind by Elder race, a ...

'' computer game series. * The Broadway plays, musicals, and movies based upon the book '' Gigi'' are about a young Parisian girl who is being trained to be a courtesan by her great-aunt, a retired career courtesan herself. * Ulla Winblad, in the famous 18th-century poems of

Carl Michael Bellman Carl Michael Bellman (; 4 February 1740 – 11 February 1795) was a Swedish songwriter, composer, musician, poet, and entertainer. He is a central figure in the Swedish song tradition and remains a powerful influence in Swedish music, as wel ...

. * Vasantasena, a nagarvadhu in the ancient Indian Sanskrit play '' Mṛcchakatika'' by

Śūdraka Shudraka (IAST: ) was an Indian playwright, to whom three Sanskrit drama, Sanskrit plays are attributed: ''Mrichchhakatika'' (''The Little Clay Cart''), ''Vinavasavadatta'', and a ''bhana'' (short one-act monologue), ''Padmaprabhritaka''. Accordi ...

. * Vittoria Corombona in

John Webster John Webster (c. 1578 – c. 1632) was an English Jacobean dramatist best known for his tragedies '' The White Devil'' and ''The Duchess of Malfi'', which are often seen as masterpieces of the early 17th-century English stage. His life and car ...

's play ''

The White Devil ''The White Devil'' (full original title: ''The White Divel; or, The Tragedy of Paulo Giordano Ursini, Duke of Brachiano. With The Life and Death of Vittoria Corombona the famous Venetian Curtizan'') is a tragedy by English playwright John We ...

''. She is described in the alternative title of the play as 'the famous Venetian Curtizan'. * In the movie

Balls of Fury ''Balls of Fury'' is a 2007 American sports comedy film directed by Robert Ben Garant, who also wrote the screenplay with Thomas Lennon, who also co-starred and produced with Roger Birnbaum, Gary Barber and Jonathan Glickman. The film stars Da ...

Diedrich Bader Karl Diedrich Bader (born December 24, 1966) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his comedic and voice acting roles. He has appeared as a series regular in television sitcoms ''The Drew Carey Show'', '' American Housewife'', ...

plays one of Feng's many, all-male courtesans of pleasure. *

Chéri Cheri or Chéri may refer to: People Given name *Cheri (given name) * Cheri Ben-Iesau, American painter, muralist, author * Cheri Blauwet (born 1980), American wheelchair racer * Cheri Dennis (born 1979), American singer * Cheri DiNovo (born 1 ...

, written by French author

Colette Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (; 28 January 1873 – 3 August 1954), known as Colette or Colette Willy, was a French author and woman of letters. She was also a Mime artist, mime, actress, and journalist. Colette is best known in the English-speaki ...

, is about an aging courtesan named Léa de Lonval, who is near the end of her most intense love affair, with Fred Peloux- known as Chéri to almost everyone around him.

References

Sources

* Dalby, Liza. "Geisha, 25th Anniversary Edition, Updated Edition". Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2008. Print.
Gaite, Carmen Martín. Love Customs in Eighteenth-Century Spain. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1991
* Griffin, Susan (2001). ''The Book of the Courtesans: a Catalogue of Their Virtues''. New York: Broadway Books * Hickman, Katie (2003). ''Courtesans: Money, Sex, and Fame in the Nineteenth Century''. New York:

HarperCollins HarperCollins Publishers LLC is a British–American publishing company that is considered to be one of the "Big Five (publishers), Big Five" English-language publishers, along with Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group USA, Hachette, Macmi ...

* Lawner, Lynne (1987). ''Lives of the Courtesans: Portraits of the Renaissance.'' New York: Rizzoli * Peletz, Michael G. "Gender, Sexuality, and Body Politics in Modern Asia". Ann Arbor, MI: Association for Asian Studies, 2007. Print. * Rounding, Virginia (2003). ''Grandes Horizontales: The Lives and Legends of Four Nineteenth-Century Courtesans''. London: Bloomsbury

External links

* Section about courtesans in ''Kamasutra'' by Vatsayayana {{Authority control Interpersonal relationships

History

Categories

Differences in status

As primary employment

For social or political benefits

Career length

Famous courtesans

17th century and earlier

18th and 19th centuries

20th century

In fiction

See also

References

Sources

Further reading

External links