After the death of Louise, the lot of managing the king and directing his policy fell to the share of his mistress, the Duchesse d’Etampes, who at once became all-powerful at court; her influence over him was like that of the drug which, to the weak person who begins its use, soon becomes an absolute necessity.

After the death of the dauphin, all the court flatteries were directed toward Henry, the eldest son of Francis.  Though his mistress, Diana of Poitiers, ruled him, she exercised no influence politically; that she was not lacking in diplomacy, however, was proved by her attitude toward Henry’s wife, Catherine, whom she treated with every indication of friendship and esteem, in marked contrast to the disdain exhibited by other ladies of the court.  These two women became friends, working together against the mistress of the king—­the Duchesse d’Etampes—­and causing, by their intrigues, dissensions between father and son.

The duchess was not a bad woman; her dissuasion of Francis I. from undertaking war with Solyman II. against Charles V. is one instance of the use of her influence in the right direction.  By some historians, she is accused of having played the traitress, in the interest of Emperor Charles V., during the war of Spain and England against France.  It was she who urged the Treaty of Crepy with Charles V.; by it, through the marriage of the French king’s second son, the Duke of Orleans, to the niece of Charles V., the duchess was sure of a safe retreat when her bitter enemy, Henry’s mistress, should reign after the king’s death.  Her plans, however, did not materialize, as the duke died and the treaty was annulled.

The death of Francis I. occurred in 1547; with his reign ends the first period of woman’s activity—­a period influenced mainly by Louise of Savoy, whose relations to France were as disastrous as were those of any mistress.  The influence exerted by her may in some respects be compared with that of Mme. de Pompadour; though, were the merits and demerits of both carefully tested, the results would hardly be in favor of Louise.  Strong in diplomacy and intrigue, she was unscrupulous and wanton—­morally corrupt; she did nothing to further the development of literature and art; if she favored men of genius it was merely from motives of self-interest.

With the accession of Henry II. his mistress entered into possession of full power.  The absolute sway of Diana of Poitiers over this weakest of French kings was due to her strong mind, great ability, wide experience, fascination of manner, and to that exceptional beauty which she preserved to her old age.  Immediately upon coming into power, she dispatched the Duchesse d’Etampes to one of her estates and at the same time forced her to restore the jewels which she had received from Francis I., a usual procedure with a mistress who knew herself to be first in authority.

After being thus displaced, the duchess spent her time in doing charitable work, and is said to have afforded protection to the Protestants.  Eventually, hers was the fate of almost all the mistresses.  Compelled to give up many of her possessions, miserable and forgotten by all, her last days were most unhappy.