Lola Montez

Lola Montez
Lola Montez c.1851
Born	Eliza Rosanna Gilbert 17 February 1821 Grange, County Sligo, Ireland
Died	17 January 1861(1861-01-17) (age 39) Brooklyn, New York, United States
Nationality	Irish
Other names	Donna Lola Montez, Maria Dolores Eliza Rosanna Gilbert, Countess of Landsfeld
Occupation	Dancer, actress, lecturer, author
Spouse(s)	Lieutenant Thomas James George Trafford Heald Patrick Hull
Partner(s)	Ludwig I of Bavaria

Marie Dolores Eliza Rosanna Gilbert, Countess of Landsfeld (17 February 1821 – 17 January 1861), better known by the stage name Lola Montez, was an Irish dancer and actress who became famous as a "Spanish dancer", courtesan, and mistress of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, who made her Countess of Landsfeld. She used her influence to institute liberal reforms. At the start of the Revolutions of 1848 in the German states, she was forced to flee. She proceeded to the United States via Switzerland, France and London, returning to her work as an entertainer and lecturer.

Lola's mother, Eliza(beth) Oliver was the child of Charles Silver Oliver, a former High Sheriff of Cork and member of Parliament for Kilmallock in County Limerick. Their residence was Castle Oliver. In December 1818, Ensign Edward Gilbert met Eliza Oliver when he arrived with the 25th Regiment. They were married on 29 April 1820, and Lola was born the following February, refuting persistent rumours that her mother was pregnant with her at the time of the wedding. The young family made their residence at King House in Boyle, County Roscommon, until early 1823, when they journeyed to Liverpool, thence departing for India on 14 March.

As with many other aspects of her life, discrepant reports of the birth of Eliza Gilbert have been published. For many years, it was accepted that she was born in the city of Limerick, as she herself claimed, possibly on 23 June 1818; this year was graven on her headstone. However, when her baptismal certificate came to light in the late 1990s, it was established that Eliza Rosanna Gilbert was actually born in Grange, County Sligo, on 17 February 1821. She was baptized at St Peter's Church in Liverpool on 16 February 1823, while her family was en route to her father's post in India.