From the sudden onset of fever at the Château de Marly to the royal funeral at the Basilica of Saint-Denis, not to mention his terrible suffering, Jean and François Anthoine, his servants, give us a look into the intimacy, hour after hour, minute after minute, of the last days of Louis XIV.

Their story, covering the period from 10 August to 23 October 1715, was the turning point between two reigns, comprising a mirror of the monarchy and, more generally, a parable of power. We find the theory of the king’s two bodies. Here, the suffering endured by the Prince in his extreme solitude. There, the shadows and tumult of the Court, the first appearance of the child Dauphin de France, Louis XV, before the Parliament of Paris and the appointment of the powerful Duke of Orleans as Regent of the Kingdom.

Finally unearthed and presented to the general public, this masterly lesson is symbolic, historical and political all at once and has been brought back to life, showing its relevance today, thanks to the luminous knowledge of Alexandre Maral, who provides the presentation and commentary.

Publisher: Cerf
Collection : HISTOIRE
Publication: 5 juin 2015
Number of pages: 277 pages
Product dimensions: 21,6 x 2,1 x 14 cm
ISBN-13: 978-2204104746

French only