Madame de Maintenon, dans les allées du pouvoir

The tercentenary of the death of Madame de Maintenon is the perfect opportunity to examine the destiny of this extraordinary woman, who was born in a prison yet went on to become the wife of the world’s most powerful king.

Following a difficult, impoverished childhood, the woman who was described as the “Beautiful Indian” married the burlesque poet Paul Scarron. After she was widowed, her friend Madame de Montespan entrusted her with the education of the children she had had with Louis XIV. This position of governess opened up the doors of Versailles to Madame de Maintenon, giving her privileged access to the King, social advancement and wealth. Her most outstanding achievement was undoubtedly the creation of the Saint-Louis Royal School for girls in Saint-Cyr, for the daughters of the impoverished nobility.

In the shadow of the Sun King, who married her in 1683, this powerful woman was almost Queen of Versailles.

The selection of works of art and the contributions from specialists of the period enable the reader to discover the many and varied aspects of Madame de Maintenon’s life.

Number of pages: 192 pages
Date of publication: 10 avril 2019
Dimensions: 24 x 28 cm
Languages: French
ISBN: 978 2 7541 1072 3