
(12-19-2014, 04:50 PM)MikoBehnen Wrote: There WERE male courtesans but they were called chevalier in french (which is where the English form "courtesan" came from, "courtisane" ^_^ ) and they were common escorts for married woman in the 18th century.
A chevalier is all but a male courtesan, he's the french knight. A mounted knight if I want to be more specific. The word "chevalier" is derivated from cheval which means horse.
I don't know where you read that chevalier = male courtesan in France, but it's totally wrong.
It is true that they were escorting. But "escorter" in France means that you accompany someone and protect that person during a journey. Not that sort of "escort" you're talking about.
Beside there is no chevalier after the Middle Ages and I'm unsure myself there were some specific type of male courtesan in France.