Louis XIV, the Sun King (1638-1715)

[rchainho]

http://english.eastday.com/eastday/...1ai1414722.html

The 'Sun King' beams on Shanghai

5/9/2005 9:14

Shanghai Daily news

The biggest show being held at the Shanghai Museum this year is one of the concluding events of "The Year of France in China" and is a salute to the era of the greatest of French monarchs - Louis XIV, writes Wang Jie.

Louis XIV (1638-1715), France's "Sun King," is ready to receive guests at his luminous Chateau of Versailles - but the venue has been changed from Paris to the Shanghai Museum.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/20...nt_3429153.htm
here you have the pics of the Louis XIV exhibition opens in Shanghai.

[tiaraprin]

Here is biographical information about Louis XIV's morganatic second wife, Madame La Marquise de Maintenon.

http://www.kings.edu/womens_history/demaintenon.html

Francoise d'Aubigne was born in 1636 outside the walls of the Chateau- Trompette, "the Bastille of Bordeaux." Cardinal Richelieu had imprisoned her father, so her mother, Jeanne de Cardilhac, was forced to raise her daughter on the streets while living off charity from her relatives. There was also a time when the family lived in Martinique.

Francoise d' Aubigne was a modest woman who had a reputation for dignity, austerity and piety. She was a strict Christian who believed in constant devotion to the Roman Catholic faith. While not ambitious, she was a good teacher. On April 4, 1652, Francoise d' Aubigne married the disabled Bohemian Starriest Paul Scarron. This marriage did not last very long as the poet Scarron was already a middle-aged man. Shortly after the death of her husband, Madame de Montespan chose Miss Aubigne to educate the illegitimate children of King Louis XIV. In 1670 Francoise gained the title of governess. Due to her unswerving devotion to his children, King Louis XIV began to seek her guidance and comfort. In 1674 King Louis gave the governess the new title Madame de Maintenon.

In July of 1683, six months after the death of Louis XIV's wife, Maria Theresa, King Louis secretly married Madame de Maintenon. Shortly after her marriage to King Louis XIV, Madame de Maintenon began to teach at the Chateau de Noisy which was located near Versailles. In 1686 she began to teach at a school called Saint Cyr that she and the King had founded. Madame de Maintenon ran this institution which educated two hundred daughters of the poor nobility from the area.

Madame de Maintenon did influence on the King's decision making, especially in making him act more religious. Although King Louis had no theological background himself, she influenced him to participate in religious celebrations. Because Madame de Maintenon believed in strict education of the young people about Roman Catholicism, she is often blamed for the persecutions of the Protestants. Madame de Maintenon supported the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685.

Madame de Maintenon ended her life in quiet retirement at St. Cyr until her death in 1719. She has become an example of how a thoughtful woman could rise in the world of the absolute monarchs through her influence and prestige.

[ladybelline]

Thank you for the biography of Madame de Maintenon, tiaraprin!
Just a little correction, if you allow me: her mother's name was Jeanne de Cardilhac, not Martinique. In fact, Françoise d'Aubigné spent 3 years in the island of La Martinique as a child with her family.

[susan alicia]

this mini serie is fun to watch:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112326/

"Allée du roi, L'" (1996) (mini)

Directed by
Nina Companéez

Writing credits
Françoise Chandernagor (novel)
Nina Companéez

[ladybelline]

Yes! I watched it, so great! A good evocation of her life, and the life at Louis XIV's court!

The novel by Françoise Chandernagor is excellent, too.

[susan alicia]

yes, and I loved the final scene when she is walking on the allee du roi and he is waiting for her by the gate and they are still in the prime of their life :)

Originally Posted by ladybelline

Yes! I watched it, so great! A good evocation of her life, and the life at Louis XIV's court!

The novel by Françoise Chandernagor is excellent, too.

[tiaraprin]

Originally Posted by ladybelline

Thank you for the biography of Madame de Maintenon, tiaraprin!
Just a little correction, if you allow me: her mother's name was Jeanne de Cardilhac, not Martinique. In fact, Françoise d'Aubigné spent 3 years in the island of La Martinique as a child with her family.

I made a copy of that article and that is what it said. I thought it unusual and they meant the country of Martinique instead of her mother's name but I will go make the correction.

Well, I cannot post Madame de Maintenon without posting Louis' first wife and Queen, Marie-Therese. She was an unhappy woman who was quite upset with her husband's love affairs. She loved him, but unfortunately did not possess the beauty, grace, and wit that Louis XIV found so necessary in a woman.



http://1.1911encyclopedia.org/M/MA/MARIE_THERESE.htm

MARIE THERESE (1638-1683), queen consort of France, was born on the 10th of September 1638 at the Escurial, being the daughter of Philip IV. of Spain and Elizabeth of France. By pretending to seek a bride for his master in Margaret of Savoy, Mazarin had induced the king of Spain to make proposals for the marriage of his daughter with Louis XIV., and the treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659 stipulated for her marriage with the French king, Marie renouncing any claim to the Spanish succession. As the treaty, however, hinged on the payment of her dowry, which was practically impossible for Spain, Mazarin could evade the other terms of the contract. Marie Therese was married in June 1660, when Philip IV. with his whole court accompanied the bride to the Isle of Pheasants in the Bidassoa, where she was met by Louis. The new queen's amiability and her undoubted virtues failed to secure her husband's regard and affection. She saw herself neglected in turn for Louise de la Valliere, Mme. de Montespan and others; but Marie Therese was too pious and too humble openly to resent the position in which she was placed by the king's avowed infidelities. With the growing influence of Madame de Maintenon over his mind and affections he bestowed more attention on his wife, which she repaid by lavishing kindness on the mistress. She had no part in political affairs except in 1672, when she acted as regent during Louis XIV.'s campaign in Holland. She died on the 3oth of July 1683 at Versailles, not without suspicion of foul play on the part of her doctors. Of her six children only one survived her, the dauphin Louis, who died in 1711.

[RussianHistoryBuff]

Louis de' Bourbon XIV should be remembered for building great palaces, waging great wars, and destroying His Highness's own Kingdom of France.


Amazingly, France has been the Heart of Liberalism since His Higness's grandson Louis de' Bourbon XVI fell from His throne. Although non-reigning, there were twenty Louis de Bourbons including Louis de' Bourbon XX who was born in 1974. Here is His story. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_A..._Duke_of_Anjou

[Furienna]

Wowie! It's a good thing Philippe was a royal, or I don't think that lifestyle would have been accepted from him. I feel so sorry for his wives.

I also feel bad for Maria Theresa/Marie Therese. Was her mother Louis XIV:s father's sister?

[Avalon]

Originally Posted by Furienna

Wowie! Was her mother Louis XIV:s father's sister?

No, Marie-Therese's father, Philip IV of Spain, was Anne of Austria's (the mother of Louis XIV) brother. So Marie-Therese was niece to Anne of Austria, not Louis XIII.

[ladybelline]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Furienna
Wowie! Was her mother Louis XIV:s father's sister?


No, Marie-Therese's father, Philip IV of Spain, was Anne of Austria's (the mother of Louis XIV) brother. So Marie-Therese was niece to Anne of Austria, not Louis XIII.

In fact, Marie-Thérèse was also Louis XIII's niece, because her mother was Elisabeth of France, one of Louis XIII' sisters. But monarchs were (and some still are) cousins by almost every side!!!! It's easy to get lost in their genealogies!!!:mrgreen:

Two more facts about Marie-Thérèse (my sources are from the book Les Femmes du Roi Soleil, by Simone Bertière):
-On their honeymoon, Marie-Thérèse asked Louis XIV to sleep in the same bed than her, every night of their married life. And he did. He could spent the night with some of his various mistresses, but in the early morning, he would always come to her bedroom and spend a bit of time with her. Only Marie-Thérèse's death stopped it.
-Marie-Thérèse last words were :" Since I'm a Queen, I only had one day of happiness." Which one? Nobody knows. Maybe her first day as a married woman... When Louis XIV learned her wife's death, he said :"This is the first pain she ever gave me".

[Avalon]

Originally Posted by ladybelline

Two more facts about Marie-Thérèse...

That's a very touching story, isn't it?

Marie-Therese has always been one of my favourite Queens of France, though she is certainly not very well known. But her spirit, her kindness and her ability to love the man, who had so many mistresses (!) and managing to become the best friend of her husband's mistress (Madame de Maintenon) are certainly marks of a character, imo.

[Toledo]

Restored Hall of Mirrors reflects Sun King's lust for power
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
...A 12-million euro ($18.2-million Cdn) renovation at Versailles in France is turning up some unexpected treasures in the room where the Sun King once entertained...

[Royal Fan]

Im Reading "Love and Louis XIV" By Antonia Fraser