Marianna Denhoff
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Marianna Denhoff (1685–1730), also Maria Magdalena, Gräfin von Dönhoff, née Bielińska, was a German-Polish aristocrat. She was the daughter of Kazimierz Ludwik Bieliński, a noble, politician, and diplomat and Ludwika Maria Morsztyn, daughter of Jan Andrzej Morsztyn.[2]
Marianna Denhoff was the official royal mistress, the so-called Maîtresse-en-titre, of King Augustus II the Strong. She replaced Anna Constantia von Brockdorff in 1713 and was succeeded by Erdmuta Zofia von Dieskau in 1719.[3]
Political activist
Marianna Denhoff was politically active and cooperated with Jean Victor, Baron de Besenval, the French ambassador in Poland, to persuade the king in favour of a Pro-French policy. Finally, in 1714, she succeeded to convince King Augustus II the Strong to ally with the King of France, Louis XIV. A diplomatic success that was certainly noticed in France and also paid off for the French ambassador.[4]