ordinance from 1286 notes that Joan I of Navarre, Queen of France, had a group of five ladies () and maids-in-waiting (). In the 1480s, the French ladies-in-waiting were divided into (married ladies-in-waiting) and (Maids of Honour). However, the Queen's household and the number of female courtiers during the Middle Ages was very small in France, as in most European courts. It was not until the end of the 15th century and early 16th century that emulation of the new courts of the Italian Renaissance made ladies-in-waiting fashionable in official court ceremonies and representation, and female court offices became more developed and numerous in the French court as well as in other European courts. The introduction of ladies-in-waiting increased in great numbers at the French court at this time: from a mere five in 1286 and still only 23 in 1490, to 39 in 1498 and roughly 54 during the 16th century. This expansion of female presence at court has been attributed to both Anne of Brittany, who encouraged all male courtiers to send their daughters to her, and to Francis I of France, who was criticized for bringing to court "the constant presence" of large crowds of women, who gossiped and interfered in state affairs. Francis I once said: "a court without ladies is a court without a court". The first ranked female courtier in the French royal court was the (Mistress of the Robes) to the queen. The and the Governess of the Children of France were the only female office holders in France to give an oath of loyalty to the King himself. This office was created in 1619, and was vacant from the death of Marie Anne de Bourbon, in 1741, until the appointment of Marie Louise of Savoy-Carignan, Princesse de Lamballe, in 1775. The second highest rank was that of the , who could act as the stand-in of the and had roughly the same tasks, hiring and supervising the female courtiers and the Queen's daily routine and expenditure. This post was created in 1523 and had originally been the highest female court office. The third rank belonged to the , who formally supervised the Queen's wardrobe and jewelry and the dressing of the queen. This post was created in 1534. The fourth rank was that of the , from 1523 named composed of ladies-in-waiting whose task was simply to serve as companions and attending