Sophie de Brégis, comtesse d'Averne (fl. 1723), was a French

courtesan A courtesan is a prostitute with a courtly, wealthy, or upper-class clientele. Historically, the term referred to a courtier, a person who attended the court of a monarch or other powerful person. History In European feudal society, the co ...

. She was the official mistress of

Philippe II, Duke of Orléans Philippe II, Duke of Orléans (Philippe Charles; 2 August 1674 – 2 December 1723), who was known as the Regent, was a French prince, soldier, and statesman who served as Regent of the Kingdom of France from 1715 to 1723. He is referred to i ...

, who was the regent of France during the minority of the infant King Louis XV of France. Lescure, M. de (Mathurin):
Les maitresses du régent; études d'histoire et de mœurs sur le commencement du xviiie siècle
' She was the mistress of the regent during 1721.

Life

Her parents are unknown. She married comte Ferrand d'Averne, who though a nobleman was a poor lieutenant of the royal guard. After marriage, she became a courtesan of Marquis d'Alincourt and

Armand de Vignerot du Plessis Armand refer to: People * Armand (name), list of people with this name *Armand (photographer) (1901–1963), Armenian photographer *Armand (singer) (1946–2015), Dutch protest singer *Sean Armand (born 1991), American basketball player *Armand, ...

, duc de Richelieu. She became the official mistress of the regent in 1721, after he was left by Marie-Madeleine de Parabère and then dismissed Marie-Thérèse Blonel de Phalaris the same year. The regent arranged a big party to her honor at 30 July 1721 at the

Château de Saint-Cloud The château de Saint-Cloud () was a château in France, built on a site overlooking the Seine at Saint-Cloud in Hauts-de-Seine, about west of Paris. The gardens survive, and the estate is now known as the Parc de Saint-Cloud. The château was ...

which attracted great attention to their relationship, which became a big scandal which was mocked in libelous literature. The regent dismissed her before the end of 1721, allegedly because she was unfaithful with the duc de Richelieu. After her, the regent did not have an official mistress again until 1723, when Louise-Charlotte de Foix-Rabat, comtesse de Sabran introduced him to Mlle Houel, who he swiftly replaced with Marie-Madeleine de Parabère. d'Averne is mentioned last in 1723, being still active as a courtesan.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Averne 17th-century births 18th-century deaths Mistresses of Philippe II, Duke of Orléans People of the Regency of Philippe d'Orléans French courtesans