Quotes:Du Barry, Jeanne

Zirkoff, Boris

Du Barry, Marie Jeanne Becu, Comtesse. French adventuress, mistress of Louis XV, b. at Vaucouleurs, Aug. 19, 1746; guillotined, Dec. 7, 1793. She was the illegitimate daughter of a tax collector; lived as a courtesan in Paris under the name of Mdlle. Lange; Jean, comte du Barry, took her into his house to make it more attractive to the dupes whose money he won by gambling. After a nominal marriage with Guillaume du Barry, acquired a great influence on Louis XV who built for her the mansion of Luciennes. At his death, she was banished for a period. In 1792 she went to England to raise money on her jewels, and upon her return was accused by the Revolutionary Tribunal of having conspired against the Republic and condemned to death.

Sources: C. Vatel, Histoire de Madame du Barry, 1882-83; R. Douglas, The Life and Times of Madame du Barry, 1896.

Source: Boris de Zirkoff, «H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings», vol. 3, p. 503