History of Europe

Verónica Franco, the prostitute who showed that education would free Renaissance women

During the Renaissance, especially in the cities of Rome and Venice, a social and cultural phenomenon called cortigiane oneste developed. , the honest courtesans . Far from the usual sleaze of the prostitutes who practiced near the Rialto Bridge, the honest courtesans of Venice were distinguished for being refined, educated, cultured and sophisticated women. These qualities allowed them to enjoy freedom, self-sufficiency and access to the world of art and culture, something unimaginable for the rest of the women of the time. The clients, among whom were the most influential and powerful men in Venetian society, knew that, in addition to satisfying their carnal needs, they would find a partner with whom they could talk about art, philosophy or poetry. They were even immortalized by great painters such as Titian, Tintoretto or Raphael. But if one stood out among all these cortigiane oneste It was Veronica Franco . This is her story…

“The lady who uncovers her breast” (Verónica Franco) – Tintoretto

Veronica was born in Venice in 1546. She was the eldest daughter of Francesco Maria Franco and Paola Francassa , an honest courtesan who had left the profession to raise a family. Despite the fact that her mother was concerned to give her a good education with the best tutors that the family could afford and that, in this way, she could have some independence, at the age of 16 she was married to a doctor named Paolo Panizza . A marriage that, from the first moment, was a real hell for Veronica. In collusion with her mother, they decided to step in front of her and get rid of that quarrelsome drunk:she claimed her dowry and separated from her. Francesco's death left mother and daughter alone and without resources. So, Paola decided to train Veronica in the love arts and together they returned to practice the old profession of her mother. Both appeared with the same price, two escudos per night, in the Tariffa delle puttane , a register detailing the names and rates of the 215 most prestigious courtesans -of the more than 3,000 women who practiced prostitution in Venice in 1572, only 215 were considered to be within the group of honest courtesans-. A few years later, Veronica surpassed the prestige and cache of her mother - a kiss from her cost 15 shields and 50 a night -, becoming the most admired and requested in the city. That situation, allowed Veronica to choose her clients and, above all, to be the owner of her own destiny.

She began to surround herself with the elite of Venetian society, making friends with great artists and earning the protection of the most powerful. Even the city of Venice itself requested her services on the occasion of the visit of Henry of Valois, current King of Poland and future King of France -it is said that Veronica had a lot to do with the alliance signed with France-. Even so, since envy is the faithful companion of the miserable, the honest courtesan had to face Veronica, vera unica puttana (Veronica, the only true whore), some offensive and ruthless verses that circulated around Venice, the work of Maffeo Venieri , jealous of Verónica's love affairs with her brother Marco de ella -it is said that her true love- of her. To put an end to all that, Veronica publicly challenged Maffeo to a poetic duel... she won and consecrated herself as a great poet (forgive me the politically correct, but I have always used poet for both genders). She came to turn the living room of her house into a kind of cultural center where musicians, painters or writers would meet to enjoy a concert, talk about philosophy or listen to poetry. She even got to publish some works like Terze Rime or Lettere familiari a diversion .

Catherine McCormack playing Veronica Franco in "Dangerous Beauty" (1998)

Logically, along the way she left some broken heart and would have to pay for it. In 1580 Rodolfo Vannitelli , tutor of one of her four children, denounced her before the Holy Inquisition for not following the precepts of the Church and for witchcraft. Even though it was all a lie, she had to pull her friends and contacts to get out of it acquitted. Despite a favorable verdict, from that day on Veronica was marked and everyone began to turn their backs on her. Despite everything, she was always aware of the limitations of a woman in a society of men…

Condemned to eat with someone else's mouth, sleep with someone else's eyes and move according to someone else's wishes.

Retired in her mansion, with the only company of her children, she tried to get the city to build a kind of asylum where sick or elderly prostitutes would be welcomed, and give a second chance to those who wished to retire from the profession. In 1591, at the age of 45, Veronica died, a woman who showed that culture and education would give women freedom, or rather, a certain freedom…

When we too are armed and trained, we will be able to convince men that we have hands, feet and a heart like theirs...

Source:Shadow Queens – Mª Pilar Queralt