Louis XIV and La Grande Mademoiselle, 1652-1693

The author reconstructs the royal court, tracing the evolution of a reserved monarch into a sovereign who outmaneuvers aristocratic resistance and redefines political authority. Seen largely through the life of a high-born cousin—her exile, salon gatherings, passionate liaison with a royal favorite, blocked marriage, and final seclusion—the narrative interweaves political crises, cultural flourishing in drama and music, courtly morality and libertinism, and architectural and administrative reforms. Detailed character studies and contemporary memoirs illuminate how personal temperaments, factional rivalries, and artistic patronage shaped private fortunes and contributed to the consolidation of centralized rule.