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The Numerous Children of Lorraine
The numerous children of the Noailles-family or even the constant pregnancies of Marie Leszczynska has attracted its fair share of attention, the equally impressive feat of Élisabeth-Charlotte...
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The Lost Bathrooms of Versailles
The transformation from royal residence to national museum undertaken by Louis-Philippe was a harsh ordeal for Versailles. While it gained the so-called Empire-rooms - and the Salle des Battailles - it...
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The Widowed Dauphine: Status of Marie Josèphe after the Death of the Dauphin
The marriage between Marie Josèphe of Saxony and Louis Ferdinand of France on 9 February 1747 bestowed the rank of Dauphine on the German princess. This automatically made her the second-highest...
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House of Phélypeaux
Few families have played such consistent part in the political engine of Versailles than that of the Phélypeaux. Originating near Blois, at the heart of France, the family had divided into two branches...
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Abel-François Poisson, Marquis de Marigny
When Abel-François Poisson de Vandières was born in 1725, no one expected him to cut a figure at the French court. His family were not aristocratic but rather financiers. Little to nothing is known of...
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Cabinet of Curiosities: The Duc de Sully
Few people managed to assemble a truly curious collection of oddities to rival that of the Duc de Sully. Louis-Pierre-Maximilien de Béthune was born in 1685 and seemingly took the conventional path of...
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The Battle of the Brothers: Philippe & Louis
The balance of power between Louis XIV and his only brother, Philippe, had never been the slightest askew. Philippe was left entirely out of power and would eventually see his successful military...
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The King Without a Mistress: Louis XVI
The Bourbons were a dynasty of big appetites - for power, food and love. The position of maitresse-en-titre to the king was a coveted and influential one and the kings certainly did not hold back....
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Behind the Myths: Louis XIV
Considering his record-breaking reign, it is little wonder that Louis XIV has become a person surrounded by numerous tales and stories - some more shocking than others. The following examines a total...
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The Men in the Queen's Inner Circle
The intimate circle of Marie Antoinette was largely dominated by her two most famous friends - the Princesse de Lamballe and the Duchesse de Polignac. Whereas these two women have received the majority...
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The Queen Versailles Did Not Want: Marie Leszczynska
When the Duc de Bourbon proclaimed that the then-15 year old Louis XV was to marry the 22-year old Marie Leszczynska, the reaction was prompt. Neither the court nor the Parisians - for once on the same...
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The Aftermath: The Men who Killed the King
21 January 1793 - the day cemented in history as the execution date of Louis XVI. The king's execution had had a remarkably short prelude; from his arrest on 13 August 1792 the king was still kept...
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1783: Marie Antoinette's Mysterious Pregnancy
The year-long struggle for Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette to have children is well-known; once they did manage to consummate their marriage, Marie Antoinette found herself pregnant fairly frequently....
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Were They, Weren't They? Yolande de Polignac & the Comte de Vaudreuil
The relationship between the Duchesse de Polignac and the Comte de Vaudreuil was a stormy one, at best. The queen's (in)famous friend, Yolande de Polastron, had been married to Jules de Polignac since...
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The Princesse de Lamballe & the Duchesse de Polignac: Rivals for the Queen's...
The duo of the Princesse de Lamballe and the Duchesse de Polignac are usually mentioned as the friends of Marie Antoinette; generally, the three women have been depicted as forming a trio of female...
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The Only Protestant Lord in France: The Persecution of the Duc de La Force
Jacques Nompar de Caumont, Duc de La Force, was said to be "le seul grand seigneur huguenot" - the only great, Huguenot lord in France. As a duke and peer, Jacques was definitely a grand lord - he was...
View ArticleThe Tragic Decline of the Comte de La Vauguyon
On 29 November 1693, Louis XIV was informed of the tragic suicide of one of his courtiers: the Comte de La Vauguyon. The incident was related in a rather casual manner by the Duc de Saint-Simon in his...
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Movie Review: Jeanne du Barry (2023)
Starting off a new round of movie reviews, I have chosen five factors to be considered: historical accuracy, costumes, casting, locations and attention to detail.Historical accuracy The initial part of...
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Impot du Sang: The Price of Nobility
Military service was the traditional avenue of service for aristocratic men - the older branches of the French aristocracy particularly distinguished themselves from the newer, bourgeoisie nobility...
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Catherine-Charlotte de Gramont, Duchesse de Boufflers
Catherine-Charlotte de Gramont was born in 1669 (some sources say 1670) but the exact date is uncertain. She was the eldest daughter of the Duc de Gramont which automatically put her on the path to an...
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