The powers that be: mistresses of world leaders
The other day Monica Lewinsky gave her first interview in 10 years. In it, she said that she regretted her affair with Clinton, that the relationship was consensual, and that she became the first person humiliated using the Internet. I invite you to remember women who are almost always in the shadows, but one way or another have enormous influence on prominent politicians. Confirmed Relationships
1. Carla Bruni and Nicolas Sarkozy
Bruni and Sarkozy met in 2007, almost immediately Sarkozy divorced his wife, and a few months later he married Bruni. The wedding took place on February 2, 2008 at the Elysee Palace. This was the first wedding of the head of France during his presidential term. On October 19, 2011, Carla Bruni gave birth to a daughter, Julia.
2. Julie Gayet and Francois Hollande
On February 10 of this year, the tabloid Closer published an article about Francois Hollande’s affair with actress Julie Gayet. The article was accompanied by compromising photographs that proved the fact that the president was dating the actress. Hollande did not deny the affair, limiting himself to the statement that his marriage to his common-law wife, First Lady of France Valerie Trierweiler, was going through hard times. Thanks to this article, the rating of the most unpopular president of France over the past 70 years even increased. Hollande did not sue the tabloid, but Julie Gayet did, demanding 50 thousand euros from Closer.
3. Anne Penjo and Francois Mitterrand
Anne Penjot was almost the official mistress of former French President Francois Mitterrand. Journalists and the public were calm about this, except for the case when the president, secretly from the press, provided her with a free apartment in his residence. The public learned about this in 1995, when Jacques Chirac came to power. One of the first orders of the new president was the decision to evict Penjo and her daughter from the Elysee Palace. Prior to this, Pengeau's postal address did not mention the Elysee Palace, but only the Quai-Branly street, onto which the residence faces with one wall. After Mitterrand's death, the family of the former president forbade Anne Penjot to attend the funeral, but under public pressure was forced to allow it. Anne Penjo and her daughter were present at all official mourning ceremonies and funerals of the ex-president, which took place in a narrow family circle far from Paris. After the funeral, Anne Pengeau worked in one of the Parisian museums, living in a small apartment.
4. Graça Simbine and Nelson Mandela
Graça Simbine is the only woman in the world who managed to be the first lady of two different states. Simbine married her first husband, Samora Machel, the president of Mozambique, in 1975, and their marriage lasted until 1986, when Machel died in a plane crash. And on August 31, 1996, South African President Nelson Mandela admitted that Graça Machel had been his mistress for a long time. In 1998, 52-year-old Simbine married 80-year-old Mandela.
5. Edwina Currie and John Major
In 1993, British Prime Minister John Major and unknown Claire Latimer sued several tabloid publications that called them lovers. But the publications had no evidence, and the prime minister, who claimed to be an exemplary family man, won the lawsuit. However, a few months later it turned out that the journalists were right about something: he did have a mistress, but not Miss Latimer, but the Minister of Health Edwina Currie. Their relationship lasted more than four years, although in public he confronted her. For example, during the 1997 election, which the Conservatives lost, Major even gave a standing ovation when the news reported that Currie had failed to enter parliament in her constituency. According to those close to him, Major was very burdened by this relationship. Curry did not remain in debt: she published a book of memoirs in which Major is described as a man wandering around her apartment in only blue shorts and demanding to take a bath exclusively together.
6. Blanche Dapulger and Bob Hawke
The romance between Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke and writer Blanche Dapulger began after Dapulger met the politician to write his biography. The whole country knew about this relationship, which also knew that Hawk had not lived with his wife for a long time. Among the outstanding mistresses, Dapulzhe stands apart because the couple observed all formal decency. Dapulzhe took over the functions of the mistress of the house at all official and informal receptions, but they lived strictly separately. Hawk went on official international trips alone, and if the couple went on vacation, Dapulzhe paid for her travel and accommodation herself. During his political career, Hawke believed that he should not be distracted by personal matters, so the couple married only after Hawke resigned.
7. Terry Keane and Charles Haughey
One of the leaders of the Irish Soldiers of Fortune party, former Prime Minister of the country Charles Haughey, had an affair with journalist Terry Keane for 27 years. Both had families and children, but this did not bother them. They didn’t advertise the affair, but they didn’t try to hide it either. Due to the fact that Terry Keene was respected among her colleagues, no one dared to write about their romance. Information in the press appeared only after the couple broke up, and Keene herself wrote about it. She called Haughey "fucking sexy" but said she would never be his wife. Conservative Irish reacted calmly to the adventures of the former prime minister.
8. Marilyn Monroe and John Kennedy
The history of the relationship between Marilyn Monroe and John Kennedy is one of the most favorite topics of conspiracy theorists. It is known that Marilyn Monroe met the Democratic presidential candidate in mid-1960 while on vacation in Lake Tahoe. At that time, according to the testimony of people close to the family, Marilyn liked not John more, but his younger brother Robert. Their relationship with John began only in October 1961, when he had already become president. This outraged many, including the intelligence services, who believed that a relationship with an “alcoholic” could threaten the security of the state. This romance was one of the shortest in the life of the film actress. Many believe that he was the real cause of her death. Monroe was found dead in her apartment on August 4, 1962.
Unconfirmed relationships 9. Alana Gagloeva and Mikheil Saakashvili
Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili was rumored to have had an affair with his former press secretary Alana Gagloeva. As evil tongues say, she became pregnant at the same time as Saakashvili’s wife, Sandra Rullovs. In order to hide his illegitimate child, Saakashvili tried to pass off his pregnant girlfriend as the governor of Shido Kartli, Mikheil Kareli, but she refused and was eventually sent to live in a small town. After the birth of Saakashvili's son, talk about his novels ended.
10. Vera Baker and Barack Obama
Barack Obama's former driver said that the US president cheated on his wife at least once. According to him, in 2004, the then-candidate for the post of senator from the state of Illinois met with his 29-year-old assistant Vera Baker, who helped him raise money for the election campaign. The driver also said that when Michelle Obama found out about this, she made every effort to separate the couple. Now Vera Baker works on a television channel in Martinique.
11. Galina Kolonitskaya and Muammar Gaddafi
WikiLeaks once wrote that Muammar Gaddafi had an affair with 38-year-old nurse Galina Kolonitskaya. According to the site, she was the main mistress of the Libyan dictator; Gaddafi could not do without her on any trip. Kolonitskaya’s family denies intimate intimacy in every possible way, saying that the woman and the dictator simply had a very trusting relationship.
12. Irina Abelskaya and Alexander Lukashenko
The attending physician of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Irina Abelskaya, is considered one of the most influential women in Belarusian politics. In 2001, she became the chief physician of the hospital under the Presidential Administration, and her mother, Lyudmila Postoyalko, became the Minister of Health. Lukashenko even publicly insulted his favorite, but among officials she is considered one of the few women capable of influencing the president. In 2004, Abelskaya gave birth to a son; paternity is attributed to Alexander Lukashenko.
13. Alina Kabaeva and Vladimir Putin
A number of media outlets, including foreign ones, wrote that Vladimir Putin had (or is) having an affair with Russian gymnast and State Duma deputy Alina Kabaeva. They are even credited with having children together: Kabaeva allegedly gave birth to two and lives in the Sochi residence Bocharov Ruchei. However, these rumors are not confirmed.
14. Viktor Yanukovych and women
Viktor Yanukovych is credited with having affairs with at least two women. The first, 25-year-old journalist Alena Berezovskaya (pictured on the right), got from an online publication into the presidential pool and accompanied Yanukovych on trips to Russia and the European Union. The second is Elena Lukash, who, working as an ordinary lawyer, was able to become a deputy minister overnight.
Legendary lovers who influenced the course of world history
History has preserved many names of conquerors and rulers. But it often happened that behind every man there was a woman who, with the help of her natural charms and sharp mind, could influence the destinies of states. This review presents famous mistresses who left a significant mark on history.
Cleopatra
Cleopatra.
Cleopatra was far from beautiful, but she knew how to properly use her feminine charm to make a man want to spend the night with her, knowing that the next morning he would be killed. The Greeks called the queen “meriohane,” that is, “open-mouthed” or “broad-mouthed.” Cleopatra knew how to please a man. But, besides this, the queen of Egypt was very wise. She behaved differently with each man. If with Julius Caesar she was meek and smart, then in her relationship with Mark Antony the woman showed all her fury.
Messalina
Messalina is the depraved wife of the Roman Emperor Claudius.
The name Valeria Messalina has become synonymous with female debauchery and lust. Messalina was very popular at the court of Caligula, she managed to marry the Roman Emperor Claudius. The historians Tacitus and Suetonius mentioned how Messalina, being the wife of a ruler, visited her lunaparium (brothel) under an assumed name and posed as a prostitute.
Despite her irrepressible sex drive, Messalina had great influence in politics. She controlled the emperor, and from this the senate carried out her orders. Messalina died as a result of a failed political coup.
Thais of Athens
Thais sets fire to Persepolis. Joshua Reynolds, 1781.
Thais of Athens is known as the friend and lover of Alexander the Great. For some reason, not a single sculptor or artist captured her appearance, but the fame of the beauty and actions of the hetaera has survived to this day. As is known from historical sources, Thais stood out from other Greek women in her appearance: she had a copper skin tone and gray eyes, which was very attractive to others. Of course, Alexander the Great could not help but notice this hetaera.
Thais calls on Alexander the Great to set fire to Persepolis. Rice. G. Simoni.
Thais of Athens became famous for burning Persepolis after the troops of Alexander the Great defeated the Persians and occupied the city. According to the records of Diodorus Siculus and Plutarch, Thais rode into the city on a chariot naked, wearing only her jewelry. When the soldiers got drunk celebrating their victory, she took a torch and called on them to burn the city. The excited men immediately complied with the Athenian woman’s call. The architectural and cultural jewel of Persia was burned to the ground. So the hetaera took revenge on the Persians for the destruction of Athens.
Marquise de Pompadour
Portrait of the Marquise of Pompadour. Francois Boucher, 1758.
Legends have been formed about the loving nature of the favorite of the French King Louis XV, the Marquise de Pompadour. They said that she could reciprocate men several times a day. And the secret of sexuality was chocolate and celery, which are considered strong aphrodisiacs. At breakfast, the Marquise drank a cup of chocolate with ground celery root. A plus to the irrepressible sexual desire was the woman’s sharp mind. The Marquise de Pompadour (Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson) managed to captivate the monarch for 20 years. The favorite had influence on public policy and developed science and art.
Marquise de Pompadour (December 29, 1721 – April 15, 1764)
Source: wikimedia.org
Jeanne Poisson was only nine when a fortune teller predicted to her that the king himself would fall in love with her. It is unknown how her life would have turned out if not for this prediction. One way or another, young Zhanna decided to do everything possible to make it come true. Being of low birth, she successfully married, came to court, met Louis XV - and soon he, as they say, ate out of her hand.
Young Zhanna’s own father abandoned his family at one time - he stole and fled shamefully. She owed her good education and position in society to Norman de Tournham , her adoptive father. It was he who provided Jeanne with a decent dowry and arranged her marriage to Charles Guillaume d'Etiol . The groom adored the bride - but she perceived this marriage solely as a step on the path to high society.
Having learned that the king often hunts in the Senar forest, Jeanne, as if by chance, began to go there for walks. However, she did not meet the king, but his then favorite, the Duchess de Chateauroux ; she, suspecting something was wrong, ordered Madame d'Etiol never to appear in these places again. However, Jeanne’s misfortune did not last long: the duchess soon died of pneumonia - and this meant that the royal heart was free again.
In February 1745, Jeanne appeared at the royal ball dressed as a beautiful huntress - and won the favor of Louis XV. A few days later they met again - however, good people informed Jeanne that the king perceived her only as another adventure. Then the woman decided to take a bold step - she came to the king and declared that she had fled to him, her only lover, to ask for protection from her jealous husband. Louis appreciated beautiful gestures; Jeanne soon received the title of Marquise de Pompadour and became his official favorite.
She was quite creative in bed. It is believed that the marquise owes her insatiable sexual appetites to two strong aphrodisiacs - chocolate and celery root; Not a single morning was complete without a mug of hot chocolate, and she ordered celery salad to be served to herself every day. However, she owed the king’s passion not only to her love of love; It is known that the marquise was known as a subtle and interesting conversationalist. She treated Queen Mary with all the courtesy and respect that earned her patronage. She set up an office for herself in Versailles, placing only one chair in it - for herself; this forced the arrogant courtiers to treat her with respect. She organized a salon where she invited prominent people of her time - scientists, poets, musicians, artists, patronized the arts and even acted in the theater herself. Voltaire and Diderot were regulars at her salon. Seeing the undoubted diplomatic abilities of the marquise, the king consulted with her on political issues and always listened to her opinion.
Realizing that the king was cooling towards her as a woman, the marquise founded the “Deer Park” - a mansion in which she organized meetings between Louis and young girls. She selected the girls very carefully - they were all beautiful, but stupid and without ambition. Thus, Jeanne ruled out the possibility of a new official favorite appearing at court. The courtiers said that while Louis ruled in the Deer Park, the Marquise de Pompadour ruled the country.
