Mary of Modena. Even when James fled England and William III and Mary II came to power, she remained in place, albeit with a much-reduced pension. During this time she presided over a salon of intellectuals. It was considered one of the most celebrated salons in seventeenth century Europe. Charles de Saint-Évremond, the great poet and epicurean, was a close friend and brought to her door all the learned men of London. In addition women attended, including Nell Gwyn, Barbara Villiers and Louise de Kéroualle. Champagne made its first appearance in English society as a fashionable drink. Women were able to gamble and also mix with playwrights, theologians and scientists to talk about current events and ideas. Evelyn recorded her eventual death in 1699: June 11th, 1699. Now died the famous Duchess of Mazarin. She had been the richest lady in Europe; she was niece to Cardinal Mazarin, and was married to the richest subject in Europe, as was said; she was born at Rome, educated in France, and was an extraordinary beauty and wit, but dissolute, and impatient of matrimonial restraint, so as to be abandoned by her husband, and banished: when she came to England for shelter, lived on a pension given her here, and is reported to have hastened her death by intemperate drinking strong spirits. She has written her own story and adventures, and so has her other extravagant sister, wife to the noble Colonna family. Hortense may have committed suicide. Her husband managed to continue the drama after her death; he carted her body around with him on his travels in France, before finally allowing it to be interred by the tomb of her uncle, Cardinal Mazarin. Descendants Hortense's son, Paul Jules de La Porte, duc Mazarin et de La Meilleraye, had two surviving children. His daughter, Armande Félice de La Porte Mazarin (1691–1729), married Louis de Mailly, marquis de Nesle et de Mailly, Prince d'Orange in 1709. Through this marriage, she became the mother of five daughters, four of whom would become mistresses of King Louis XV of France: Louise Julie de Mailly, Mademoiselle de Mailly, comtesse de Mailly (1710–1751) Pauline Félicité de Mailly, Mademoiselle de Nesle, marquise de Vintimille (1712–1741) Diane Adélaïde de Mailly, Mademoiselle de Montcavrel, duchesse de Lauraguais (1714–1769) Hortense Félicité de Mailly, Mademoiselle de Chalon, marquise de Flavacourt (1715–1763) Marie Anne de Mailly, Mademoiselle de Monchy, marquise de La Tournelle,