Mar 02, 2014 mary moll davis became charles mistress around 1667, after he had seen her on stage. Moll was the illegitimate daughter of thomas howard, third earl of berkshire, and. Lady castlemaine barbara palmer had been king charles mistress for many years when he became enamoured of nell. Davies, on her excellent dancing, publishing his verses in epigrams of all sorts in 1669. The npg has a number of beautiful pictures of nell gwyn, moll davis, hester booth, lavinia fenton, sarah siddons, mary robinson and others together with the womens intriguing stories. Here is a quick description and cover image of book mistresses.
The first actresses and some of charles iis mistresses. Moll was a popular singerdancercomedienne, who first attracted charles in about 1667. Mistresses is the story of the women who shared charless bed, each of whom wielded influence on both the politics and cultural life of the country. Portrait of mrs moll davies, mistress of charles ii, flowers painted by jean baptiste monnoyer their daughter married the earl of derwentwater, and their sons. Samuel pepys recorded his wifes view of her the most impertinent slut in the world presumably because she delighted in flaunting the wealth that consequently came her way. This quiz is, like the name suggests, all about king charles ii.
Like her fellow actress, nell gwyn, mary moll davis roots are a bit of a mystery. Mistresses is the story of the women who shared charles s bed, each of whom wielded influence on both the according to the great diarist, john evelyn, charles ii was addicted to women, and throughout his long reign a great. Instead charles provided for both her and her husband and ensured that frances was well financed after her husbands death. Moll davies, also an actress, had a child by the king. Moll was the illegitimate daughter of thomas howard, third earl of berkshire, and as such fancied herself of a higher status than nell. Moll davis was one of charles iis most renowned mistresses. Pretty witty nell king charles iis mistress history.
The illegitimate children the wrong side of the blanket. Charles also developed a taste for playhouse actresses. She was a popular actress and comedienne and despite her obscure origins she quickly secured the kings favour. Puritans called him that great enemy of chastity and marriage. Description according to the great diarist, john evelyn, charles ii was addicted to women, and throughout his long reign a great many succumbed to his charms. About moll davis is a member of the following lists. Eleanor gwyn 165087 and mary davis 16481708 of course were actresses as well as mistresses to charles ii. Jun 17, 2016 nell gwynne took molls place, and she must have pleased his majesty as this event led to molls fall from favour.
Due to her two previous lovers sharing the same forename as the king, nell jokingly nicknamed charles as her charles the third. Moll davis, mistress of charles ii charles ii of england. The women charles ii and the women who bore his children. Charles ii stuart, king of great britain was born on 29 may 1630 at st. Sex and scandal at the court of charles ii written by linda porter which was published in. Nell gwyn in 2020 charles ii of england, mistress, history. At this time moll davis entered the kings bed, and nell was left on the sidelines. Barbara villiers,charles iis greediest mistress,was given st jamess park and green park in london to. The kings affair with moll davis didnt last long, and by 1668 nell gwynn was well known to be the kings latest mistress. Moll davis became the kings mistress in about 1667. Charles ii stuart, king of england, scotland, and ireland. This impoverished french noblewoman probably came to england with the intention of becoming charles mistress. Her parentage and early life is shrouded in rumour of illegitimacy and a possible ducal father. Moll davis, portrait after sir peter lely, circa 16651670 mary moll davis ca.
Clever, urbane and handsome, charles presided over a hedonistic court, in which licence and. The first actresses and some of charles iis mistresses the. Moll was given a house in suffolk street and a ring worth. The restoration court of king charles was famous for restoring the theatres and he also restored the tradition of seducing the actresses. Moll davis studio of sir peter lely philip mould historical portraits. Davis was born around 1648 in westminster and was said by samuel pepys, the famous diarist, to be a bastard of collonell howard, my lord barke. Nell gwynne took molls place, and she must have pleased his majesty as this event led to molls fall from favour. Mary moll davis c16481708, mistress to king charles ii of. Davis was born around 1648 in westminster and was said by samuel pepys, the famous diarist, to be a bastard of collonell howard, my lord barkeshire probably meaning.
The second son of charles ii and nell gwynne, james was born in 1671 and died young in 1680. See more ideas about charles ii of england, house of stuart and portrait. Charles encountered moll davis,a popular singer,dancer and comedienne in about. From frances teresa stuart, the prettiest girl in the world to historys most famous orangeseller, pretty, witty nell gwynn and to her fellowactress, moll davis, who bore the last of the kings fifteen illegitimate children. The result is a twodimensional presentation of charles ii and his world, which magnifies aspects of the distinctive character of both while simultaneously diminishing them by oversimplification. Jan 31, 2015 the result is a twodimensional presentation of charles ii and his world, which magnifies aspects of the distinctive character of both while simultaneously diminishing them by oversimplification. Davis met king charles ii in a theatre or coffeehouse in about 1667. Pretty witty nell king charles iis mistress history of. From frances teresa stuart, the prettiest girl in the world to historys most famous orangeseller, pretty, witty nell gwynn and to her fellowactress, moll davis, who bore the last of the. Charles ii may not have been the king to father the most illegitimate children, but his popular sobriquet of the merry monarch was richly deserved. From frances teresa stuart, the prettiest girl in the world to historys most famous orangeseller, pretty, witty nell gwynn and to her fellowactress, moll davis, who bore the last of the kings 15 illegitimate children.
Moll davis, mistress of charles ii roi charles king charles gabrielle destrees agnes sorel charles ii of england house of stuart british history french history beautiful paintings mary moll davis ca. Moll davis, mistress of charles ll and rival of nell gwyn. Moll davis was in a relationship with charles ii of england 1667 1673. Buckingham set the charles up with another actress instead, moll davis ill tell a you a little about moll davis next. Her rivalry with nell gwynn, a fellow actress, resulted in the famous story of gwynn illicitly feeding. Dec, 2011 the npg has a number of beautiful pictures of nell gwyn, moll davis, hester booth, lavinia fenton, sarah siddons, mary robinson and others together with the womens intriguing stories. Mistresses of british royalty, royal mistresses and howard family english aristocracy. Sex and scandal at the court of charles ii by linda porter. Which mistress was the orangeseller and the mother of the duke of st albans. Sex and scandal at the court of charles ii pdf epub. Mary moll davis was an entertainer, courtesan, singer, actress and mistress to king charles ii of england.
Within a year, however, a love interest had blossomed between nell and charles ii anyway. Moll davis and nell gwynne had a lot on common, in that they were both stage entertainers, and were both two of charles ii many mistresses. Mistresses is the story of the women who shared charless bed, each of whom wielded. Mary moll davis became charles mistress around 1667, after he had seen her on stage. The courtesans of charles ii history in the remaking. Pretty, witty nell was perhaps the best known and remembered mistress of king charles ii. Actress and mistress of charles ii, better known to history as moll davis. Mary davis paisible 16511708 find a grave memorial. King charles ii of england and his mistresses hubpages.
Jan 20, 2019 two such mistresses were moll davis and nell gwyn. By this time other ladies were prominent at court and there was no hint of romantic affiliation this time. Pages in category mistresses of charles ii of england the following 9 pages are in this category, out of 9 total. Jul 10, 2017 at this time moll davis entered the kings bed, and nell was left on the sidelines. Please wash your hands and practise social distancing. From the young kinginexiles first mistress and mother to his first child, lucy walter, to the promiscuous and illtempered courtier, barbara villiers. Like her more famous counterpart, moll davis left the stage in 1668 after becoming yet another of charles iis mistresses. In the 1660s she was performing with the dukes company, and was mentioned by pepys in 62 and 64. Charles ii, king of great britain and ireland, as he liked to style himself, succeeded in restoring the monarchy in the year 1660 after the country had experienced a brief but ultimately unpopular experiment with republicanism. Mary moll davis c16481708, mistress to king charles ii. From the young kinginexiles first mistress and mother to his first child, lucy walter, to the promiscuous and ill.