Madame de Maintenon, Louis XIV’s secret wife (1635-1719) At court, she was nicknamed “Madame de now”. Born poor in Niort, Françoise d’Aubigné (1635-1719), who will become Madame de Maintenon in 1675, will gradually conquer the power and the favors of the most powerful king in Europe: after having made her his mistress, Louis XIV married … Continue reading Madame de Maintenon, the “almost queen” secret wife of Louis XIV