Sex with Kings

From the dawn of time, power has been a mighty aphrodisiac. An affair with a king could bring a woman power, titles and riches. In return, a king could find companionship and affection from his mistress that might be lacking from his often pre-arranged and loveless marriage. From Madame de Pompadour, mistress of Louis XV to Wallis Simpson, for whom King Edward VIII gave up the British throne, royal mistresses have been worshiped, feared, envied, and reviled. They were patrons of the arts, set fashions, and in some cases, ruled nations. Eleanor Herman’s Sex with Kings takes us into the throne rooms and bedrooms of Europe’s most powerful monarchs. Alive with flamboyant characters and outrageous humor, this glittering tale of passion and politics chronicles five hundred years of scintillating women and the kings who loved them. Wickedly witty and endlessly entertaining, this is a racy read that is also first-rate history. New York Times bestselling author and historian Eleanor Herman graduated from Towson State University with a degree in Journalism. She has worked for numerous international publications, most recently as Associate Publisher of NATO’s Nations and Partners for Peace. She is married and lives in McLean, Virginia, where she researches and writes about women’s history. “An enlightening social history that is great fun to read.” — New York Times Book Review