Maria Leshchinskaya - Queen of France, wife of Louis XV. The biography of the Polish princess is a series of difficult trials. From a young age, she had to fight for her right to a better life, overcoming the insidious tricks of fate. However, even after finding herself in the royal palace, she could not find her happiness.
The childhood of the Polish princess
Maria Leszczynska was born on June 23, 1703 in Trzebnica, Poland. She was the daughter of the Polish aristocrat Stanisław Leshchinsky. But, despite this, the girl was never able to enjoy the delights of a luxurious life. Two years after her birth, a bitter struggle for the throne began in Poland, and her father was involved in a series of bloody battles.
Thanks to the support of the Swedes, Stanislav Leshchinsky wins a short-term victory over his opponent Augustus II. In 1706 he becomes the legitimate king of Poland. Alas, his reign lasted only three years. After the crushing defeat of the Swedes at Poltava, Augustus II regains the throne.
Bereft of patronage, Stanislavfled with his family first to Prussia and then to France. Here they have to lead a very modest lifestyle. Thus, the Polish princess, having noble roots, did not know the joys of palace life at all.
Wife for the King of France
In 1724, King Louis XV of France announced his decision to marry. Rather, this decision was made by his regent, Henri de Bourbon-Conde. The reason for this was fear for the dynasty. After all, Louis was its last representative. In the event of his death, the throne would be without direct heirs, which would lead the country to protracted strife and civil strife.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has begun searching for a suitable match for the king. Soon they had a list of a hundred applicants. And only after three tough selections, Maria Leshchinskaya defeated her competitors. This came as a complete surprise to many, since the girl did not have a dowry.
But she had other advantages. First, her family was out of political intrigue, which suited the regent. Secondly, the age of the girl, according to doctors, was ideal for conceiving a child. Ultimately, it was these advantages that outweighed everything else. And in 1725, Maria Leshchinskaya became the wife of Louis XV, who at that time was only 15 years old.
Children of the Queen of France
The new alliance quickly brought results. A year later, the newly-made queen became pregnant. In 1727, she gave birth to twin girls, Marie Louise and Henrietta Anna. This event greatly pleased Louis XV, and ina splendid feast was arranged in honor of the princesses.
Soon, Maria Leshchinskaya became pregnant again. The whole court was sure that a boy would be born, but the queen gave birth to a daughter. The king was indignant. However, a year later, his discontent and unrest were dispelled - the queen gave birth to an heir. In total, their marriage gave France ten children: 8 girls and 2 boys.
A sad fate
Maria Leshchinskaya was the queen of France, but she was not the mistress of her house. As soon as Louis grew up, he began to regularly cheat on his wife. However, he was not ashamed of his love affairs, which hurt the queen even more.
Over the years things have only gotten worse. In 1745, Madame Pompadour became the official mistress of Louis XV. This lady skillfully courted the king, so that he fulfilled all her whims. Naturally, the new mistress minimized the convenience of the lawful wife. Ultimately, Maria Leshchinskaya began to live only with her children, leaving political battles aside.
Trace in history
Becoming the wife of the king, Mary persuaded Louis XV to support his father in his claims to the Polish throne. In 1733, thanks to the influence of France, Stanislav Leshchinsky regained power in his native country. However, the intervention of Russia and Austria led to the Leshchinsky family being permanently expelled from Poland.
Otherwise, Maria Leshchinskaya was remembered as the patroness of the poor. While her husband burned through the we alth of the country for his own pleasure, she helped those in need with money and food. That is why the people loved her farmore than Louis, who later died in contempt at the hands of one of his mistresses.
