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Louis Auguste II de Bourbon, Prince de Dombes
Born on 4 March 1700, Louis Auguste was named after his father and was the grandson of Louis XIV - legitimised that is.It quickly became obvious that Louis Auguste had a knack for military exploits...
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Louis Auguste de Bourbon, Duc du Maine
Louis Auguste was born at the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye on 31 March 1670; he was the bastard child of Louis XIV and Madame de Montespan. As such he was brought to the care of a certain Madame...
View ArticleVocabularies: Understanding Your Versailles
Since it has been more than two centuries since the royal family left Versailles, some of the words and phrases used in the day has gone out of use. Especially fashion was immensely complicated and it...
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Insult from a Bourgeoisie
Ever since Rose Bertin received the patronage of the young Marie Antoinette the fame had quite gone to her head. As her clientèle was boosted with names of most of the ladies of court, she forgot her...
View ArticleA Disastrous Duel
While duelling could be an honourable way out of a conflict but sometimes nobody really emerged victorious. In the beginning of 1697 a brawl in a common tavern - over the favour of two sisters - led to...
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Fashion Plates: Marie Antoinette
The fashion plates are probably the closest thing we will ever come to knowing how Marie Antoinette's wardrobe truly was since no full gown of hers has survived. The only fragments we have of her...
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The Encelade
Created by Andre le Nôtre between 1675-78 it presented one of the tallest fountains in the gardens. When the water was working the spray could reach 25 metres straight into the air. Originally, there...
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The Colonnade
Originally, Le Nôtre had designed a grove here which went under the name of the Spring's Grove but it was replaced in 1685 just six years after Le Nôtre had finished his work. The new design was by...
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The Domes
This particular grove must be one of the scenes that saw the most alterations in its lifetime - likewise the name was changed every time. At first le Nôtre was set to work and finished the grove in...
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Louise Francoise de Bourbon, Duchesse de Bourbon
The birth of Louise Françoise de Bourbon took place on 1 June 1673 but not at a royal residence or glittering château. Instead, Louise Françoise was born in Tournai where her parents were on a military...
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View ArticleJuly
1.2.3.4.5.6.7.Wedding of Charles, Duc de Berry and Marie Louise Bourbon-Orlèans (1710)8.9.Marie Antoinette gives birth to her last child: Sophie-Hélène-Beatrix (1786)10.11.12.13.Double wedding in the...
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Panniers
The panniers started out simply as a petticoat made from stiffened fabrics; in this way the main function was to give shape but it was as of yet not an individual article of clothing. It should be said...
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Grove of the Dauphin
The Dauphin's Grove has - alongside the Girandole Grove - the honour of being one of the very first to have been designed by André le Nôtre in 1660.The sculptures are the work of Théodon who completed...
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Week: 43
Madame Adélaïde de France, daughter of Louis XV and Marie Leszczynska.Here painted by Jean-Marc Nattier in 1758
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"Could you have believed that, with such gentleness, one could display such impudence?"PRINCESSE DE BADE (about Louise de La Vallière)
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"To Madame de Scarron, who was only the governess of his children, he [Louis XIV] gives one of the first Marquisates of France, while to me, who has borne these three children (with infinite pain) I...
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Emmanuel-Armand de Richelieu, Duc d'Aiguillon
Born on 31 July 1720 with the impressive full name of Emmanuel-Armand de Vignerot du Plessis de Richelieu. As the nephew of the Duc de Richelieu it was only natural that Emmanuel-Armand should make his...
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The Dauphin's Desk
Created in 1745 for the Dauphin (son of Louis XV and Marie Leszczynska) this beautiful desk was made for the Dauphin's study at the château de Fontainebleau. For quite a while it was suspected that a...
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