In 1965, an impoverished elderly woman was found dead in Nice, France. Her death marked the end of an era; she was the last of the great courtesans. Known as La Belle Otero, she was a volcanic Spanish beauty whose patrons included Kaiser Wilhelm II, the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) and Grand Duke Nicholas of Russia. This captivating book uncovers the rich, colourful lives of these women who dared to pursue fortunes outside their societies' norms. Scarlet Women tells the stories of the most notorious courtesans, concubines and royal mistresses. Its contents range from the ancient world to the present day, and from Europe and America to the Far East.