Madame du Barry attracting Louis XV

A few years after the king's favorite mistress, Madame de Pompadour died, Louis XV noticed Madame du Barry. Her sexual expertise attracted the lonely king in 1768. However, Madame du Barry could not qualify as official royal mistress unless she was married to a noble. Hence, Jean du Barry arranged a nominal marriage between Madame du Barry and his brother, Guillaume du Barry. In April 1769 she joined Louis XV's court.

While in Versailles, she was a prominent enemy of Marie Antoinette. Marie Antoinette was disgusted by Madame du Barry's profession. Although, Madame du Barry exercised little political influence at the French court, her unpopularity contributed to the decline of the crown in the early 1770s.

Madame du Barry banished at the death of Louis XV

After Louis XV's death, in 1774, Madame du Barry was banished to a convent, Abbey of Pont aux-Dames under restriction to see or write to anyone. From 1776 until the outbreak of the French Revolution she lived on her estates with the Duke de Brissac. When the French Revolution started, Madame du Barry wrote a letter to Marie Antoinette to offer help, and claimed herself as most faithful subject and servant. Marie Antoinette wrote a note of thanks back to her. That was the last contact between Madame du Barry and Marie Antoinette.

During the French Revoluation, Madame du Barry fled to London. However, she was arrested by the National Convention because she caused the misfortune of France. She was accused of conspiring against the French Republic and having favored the success of the arms of the enemies in its territory by procuring for them exorbitant sums in her journeys to England, where she herself emigrated. She was executed by guillotine on the Palace de la Concorde in December 1793 after a predetermined trial. She became quite hysterical and tried to buy her life back.