Salome Alt

Salome Alt (1568-1633), was the royal mistress of Wolf Dietrich Raitenau, reigning Prince-Bishop of Salzburg, from 1593 until 1617.

She was the daughter of the merchant and city Councillor Wilhelm Alt of Salzburg and the granddaughter of Ludwig Alt, mayor of Salzburg. She met the Prince Bishop at a party, and was installed officially as his common law spouse at the Princely residence in Salzburg. The couple had fifteen children, and the Prince Bishop worked unsuccessfully to obtain a permission to marry her. Upon a visit by the emperor, their children were officially relieved from their status as illegitimate. She was said to have no enemies. After the death of Wolf in 1617, she dressed in mourning like a widow for the rest of her life.

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