| Mistress | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Information | |
| Location: | Kingdom of France |
| In Attendance: | Louise de La Fayette † Louise de la Vallière Henriette of England † Madame de Montespan Madame de Maintenon |
| Affiliations: | Louis and Henriette Louis and Louise Louis and Montespan Louis and Maintenon Kingdom of France |
| Description: | Lover of a nobleman |
A mistress is a relatively long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner, especially when her partner is married to someone else.
The keeping of a mistress in Europe was not confined to royalty and nobility, but permeated down through the social ranks, essentially to any man who could afford to do so. Any man who could afford a mistress could have one (or more), regardless of social position. A wealthy merchant or a young noble might have a kept woman. Being a mistress was typically an occupation for a younger woman who, if she were fortunate, might go on to marry her lover or another man of rank.
