Felix Faure was the seventh president of the French Third Republic, who served from 1895 to 1899. He was a moderate republican who tried to maintain a balance between the various political factions of his time. He was also involved in the controversial Dreyfus Affair, a political scandal that divided France over the wrongful conviction of a Jewish army officer for treason
However, Faure is perhaps best remembered for the circumstances of his death, which were both shocking and sensational. On February 16, 1899, Faure died suddenly while in office, leading to shock and speculation throughout the country. It was later revealed that his cause of death was a cerebral hemorrhage suffered during a sexual encounter with Marguerite Steinheil, a woman known for her affairs with prominent politicians
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Who was Marguerite Steinheil?
Marguerite Steinheil was born in 1867 to a wealthy industrial family. She married the painter Adolphe Steinheil in 1890 and became a prominent figure in Parisian society. Her salon was frequented by men of eminence in French political and cultural circles, including Charles Gounod, Ferdinand de Lesseps, Emile Zola, and Pierre Loti
She met Faure in 1897 and soon became his mistress. She was regularly ushered into the private quarters of the presidential Elysee Palace, where she and Faure engaged in passionate liaisons. According to some sources, Faure gave her a pearl necklace as a token of his affection, which she later sold to a mysterious German visitor
How did Faure die?
On the evening of February 16, 1899, Faure called Steinheil by telephone and asked her to come to the palace. Shortly after her arrival, servants were rung for, and they found the president lying on the couch while Steinheil adjusted her disordered clothing. Faure had suffered a stroke and was unconscious. He died several hours later, without regaining consciousness
The news of his death caused a sensation in France and abroad. Rumors spread that he had died in the arms of his mistress, or even that she had killed him. Some newspapers published caricatures and satirical poems mocking the president and his lover. The public was scandalized by the affair and the scandal.
Steinheil was interrogated by the police, but was not charged with any crime. She later claimed that she had been the victim of a conspiracy and that Faure had been poisoned by his enemies. She also said that she had been present at the death of another president, Sadi Carnot, who was assassinated in 1894.
What happened to Steinheil after Faure’s death?
Steinheil continued to have affairs with influential men, including the industrialist Maurice Borderel. However, her life took a tragic turn in 1908, when her husband and mother were found murdered in their home. Steinheil was accused of the double homicide and was arrested and put on trial. She confessed to having hired two men to kill her husband, but later retracted her confession and blamed a gang of burglars. She was acquitted by the jury, but was widely condemned by the public opinion.
She left France and moved to England, where she married Robert Scarlett, the fourth Baron Abinger, in 1917. She wrote her memoirs, in which she defended herself and revealed her secrets. She died in 1954, at the age of 85.
Conclusion
Felix Faure’s cause of death was a stroke, but the circumstances of his death were scandalous and sensational. He died while having sex with his mistress, Marguerite Steinheil, who was later involved in another murder case. Their affair and its consequences shocked and fascinated France and the world, and became a part of the history of the Third Republic.
