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Madame de Brinvilliers’ Crimes: The story of a 17th century serial killer
“Sex. Intrigue. Poison. Sorcery. This is the life and trial of Madame de Brinvilliers. In the late summer of 1672, all of Paris is stunned when a servant of a French noblewoman is arrested and his mistress, Madame de Brinvilliers, and her lover accused to be the minds behind the poisoning of at least fifty innocent souls. What follows…
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In bed with the Sun King, mademoiselles, mistresses and wives of Louis XIV
New publication alarm. Hurray. A while ago, some of you asked me if I could do a bundle of my mistress articles and make it available as e-book. I did just that and you can now get it for your Kindle devices or on your Kindle apps. What is it about? Louis XIV had a lot of mistresses. Some of…
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Louis XIV, the real Sun King by Aurora von Goeth & Jules Harper
This is a lovely compact biography of Louis XIV of France. The great aspect and selling point of this book is that it provides a readable comprehensive foundation on the life of Louis XIV. If you like the period or want to know more about France and Europe at this time, this is the perfect place to start. This was…
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Philippe de France, frère unique du roi
When Louis XIV was born in 1638, it was regarded as a miracle. No-one really thought Louis XIII and Anne d’Autriche, a old woman by the standards of the time, were capable of producing a healthy heir. To everyone’s surprise, both also managed to produce a spare. Philippe de France was born on September 21 in 1640 at the old…
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Chronologie de la vie de Louis XIV, April 1665
1 April, their Majesties and Madame travel to the Feuillants for the Tenebrae. 2 April, Jeudi Saint, his Majesty attends the ceremony of the Last Supper in the great hall of the guards of the Louvre. Then attends a sermon by the bishop of Dax, after which he washes the feet of twelve poor people and serves them “in…
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Chronologie de la vie de Louis XIV, March 1665
1 March, his Majesty and Mademoiselle attend the baptism of the Comte de Maubec, who is thus named Louis in honour of his Majesty. He is the oldest son of Duc de Villars and was born in 1663. Their Majesties, Monsieur and Mademoiselle attend mass at the chapelle du Louvre afterwards. 6 March, his Majesty travels to Roule, north-east…
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Chronologie de la vie de Louis XIV, February 1665
2 February, Purification de la Bienheureuse Vierge Marie, their Majesties, Monseigneur and Monsieur receive, as is tradition, the candles from the université, out of the hands of Monsieur Rouillard, the recteur. His Majesty, after the blessings and wearing the Grand Collier de l’Ordre, proceeds to attend a procession at the Louvre, in company of Monsieur, the Prince de Condé…
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Dangeau’s Diary, May 1691
17th. — The Duc de la Force, who has been for some time released from the Bastille, where he had completed his religious instructions, and had communicated, has received permission to return to court and has paid his duty to the King. His lady is still in the chateau d’Angers. 28th. — The King has funded a million at…
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Dangeau’s Diary, April 1691
3rd. — A man threw himself into the town while the King was in the trenches. He effected his purpose with much ability and gallantry. 5th. — On going round the lines, the King visited the hospital to see if the sick and wounded were well taken care of, if their broths were good, if many died and if…
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Dangeau’s Diary, March 1691
4th. – Monsieur Villeneuve, the King’s barber, who also waited upon Monseigneur, has been dismissed from court with a prohibition never to present himself again before the King or Monseigneur. His dismissal is in consequence of his debaucheries. 6th. — There was a salon this evening at which the King was not present, being much engaged in business. Monseigneur…
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Dangeau’s Diary, February 1691
14th. — A courier arrived this evening from Rome, with the intelligence that the Pope (Pope Alexander VIII) died on the 1st of this month. 15th. — The Pope divided all the wealth he had accumulated amongst his nephews, upon which Pasquin observed, that the church had better have been his niece than his daughter. 28th. — A few…
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Chronologie de la vie de Louis XIV, January 1665
1 January, his Majesty, wearing the collier de l’Ordre, travels to the Feuillants for grand mass, in company of many Chevaliers de l’Ordre, Monsieur, the Prince de Condé, the Duc d’Enghien and Cardinal Barberini. In the afternoon, his Majesty and her Majesty, la Reine-Mère, as well as Monsieur and Madame, travel to the Jesuites of the rue Saint-Antoine for…
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The death of Anne d’Autriche
After the death of Mazarin in early 1661 and the following Taking of Power of Louis XIV, the Queen-Mother, Anne d’Autriche, decided to say goodbye to a life of politics and retired to the convent of Val-de-Grâce, which she founded in 1621. She did not fully vanish from the public eye and still took place in court-life, mostly at ceremonies…
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Chronologie de la vie de Louis XIV, December 1664
2 December, his Majesty receives Monsieur Marcus Groë, grand chambellan of the Queen of Denmark. 3 December, his Majesty receives the ambassador of Savoy, who introduces him to the Baron de Sainte-Joire, a gentilhomme in service of the Duc de Savoie. 6 December, her Majesties health is slowly and steadily improving. The condition of the Princesse Marie-Anne remains…
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Dangeau’s Diary, January 1691
No date — The King and Queen of England arrived here about six o’clock. Upon their arrival, they entered the drawing room. The Queen played at portico, and then at lansquenet. They then went to supper. There were five tables, each having sixteen covers, at the centre one was the King, with the King and Queen of England. The…
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Chronologie de la vie de Louis XIV, November 1664
1 November, All Saints’ Day, his Majesty, wearing the Grand Collier de l’Ordre, receives communion at the Feuillants, after which he attends mass celebrated by the Bishop d’Uzés. His Majesty then attends to the ill to cure them with his touch. Le Roi te touche et Dieu te guérit. Their Majesties attend the sermon of Côme du Bosc at Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois,…
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Dangeau’s Diary, December 1690
13th. — His Majesty has given Racine the post of ordinary, formerly held by Torf. He will give ten-thousand livres to the widow. The last of these situations which was sold, produced fifty-three thousand livres. 22d. — The King quitted Madame la Duchesse this evening at midnight, leaving her in the labour pains and, upon retiring, ordered he should be…
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Dangeau’s Diary, November 1690
26th. — Monsieur de Rochefaucault presented to the King, in his cabinet, Monsieur de Liancourt, who has returned and the King spoke to him with much kindness. From the King’s answer to the exiles, it appears that he has pardoned them sincerely. 27th. — Intelligence has been received of the death of the Infanta of Portugal. She was not allowed…
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Dangeau’s Diary, October 1690
1st. — Before quitting Brisac this morning, Monseigneur received the envoys from Bâle; there were four in number. Each of them had one hundred pistoles presented to him, instead of the gold chain usually given; fifty pistoles for their travelling expenses and a like sum to the person who acted as interpreter. The King gave like sums to each of…
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Dangeau’s Diary, September 1690
6th. —Monseigneur has been reconnoitring on the right, left, and in front of his camp along the river Eltz, as far as the borders of the Rhine. Our right can no longer now be annoyed by a small height beyond Eltz, on which the enemy might have placed some cannon. Today, we have been foraging in Emmeting and tomorrow Monseigneur…
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Chronologie de la vie de Louis XIV, October 1664
3 October, their Majesties receive père Carpendulo, General of the Capucines. 11 October, his Majesty receives Monsieur Roberti, nuncio extraordinary, and afterwards the abbé Le Paulmyer, who has come to offer his Majesty 27 white icelandic falcons as present from the King of Denmark. 12 October, their Majesties and the court leave Vincennes for Versailles, where their Majesties plan…
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Chronologie de la vie de Louis XIV, September 1664
2 September, it is said Monsieur Mazarin is not treating Madame Mazarin with respect and prone to violent fits of jealousy. Poor Madame Mazarin, it is said, often flees to her brother, Monsieur de Nevers, to escape her husband. 4 September, his Majesty names Madame de La Mothe-Houdancourt governess to the Dauphin. 5 September, his Majesty celebrates his 26th birthday…
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Chronologie de la vie de Louis XIV, August 1664
1 August, his Majesty, at around 10 o’clock in the morning, rides to the plaine de Samois to review his troupes. After which his Majesty receives Monsieur de Flavigny, envoy of Monsieur Le Févre de La Barre, his Majesty’s Lieutenant-Général and Gouverneur in Amercia, who has come to tell of the progress made in the French colonies. 2 August, his…
