All language subtitles for BBC The Real Versailles
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in the
17th century there was only one
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00:00:11,620 --> 00:00:15,340
place
to see and be seen the palace at
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00:00:15,340 --> 00:00:19,180
first saw the greatest legacy of louis
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00:00:19,180 --> 00:00:24,849
xiv the
son king louis xiv spent a
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00:00:24,849 --> 00:00:28,540
whopping
72 years on the throne during
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00:00:28,540 --> 00:00:30,400
his reign he turned france from a
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00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:33,100
country
wracked by civil war its dukes
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00:00:33,100 --> 00:00:35,110
and
nobles constantly at each other's
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throats
into the most glorious and
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00:00:37,450 --> 00:00:40,510
powerful state in europe
and he came up
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00:00:40,510 --> 00:00:42,460
with a way of running a royal court
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00:00:42,460 --> 00:00:45,670
that's never been beaten key to his
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00:00:45,670 --> 00:00:48,220
success with this
his palace of
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versailles i'm lucy Worsley chief
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00:00:52,630 --> 00:00:55,000
curator
at Britain's historic royal
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00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:58,660
palaces
and I'm Helen caster a historian
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00:00:58,660 --> 00:01:00,610
with an unhealthy
interest in court
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00:01:00,610 --> 00:01:04,750
politics
and intrigue together we're
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00:01:04,750 --> 00:01:06,939
taking a look
at the new French produced
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drama
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00:01:07,659 --> 00:01:11,799
being shown on the BBC it's set during
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the building of Versailles this was a
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world where life revolved around
endless
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00:01:17,049 --> 00:01:20,679
court rituals where fortunes rose and
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00:01:20,679 --> 00:01:23,710
fell with
the latest fashions and we're
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00:01:23,710 --> 00:01:25,960
the quickest way to
Royal favour was
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00:01:25,960 --> 00:01:29,249
through the Kings bedchamber
- Jadhav
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00:01:29,249 --> 00:01:33,100
behind the facade louis xiv survival
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00:01:33,100 --> 00:01:36,060
depended on his creation of Versailles
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it was his power base his safe house and
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00:01:39,909 --> 00:01:43,420
the gilded cage in
which he trapped his
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00:01:43,420 --> 00:01:46,719
enemies
never before had a king and his
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00:01:46,719 --> 00:01:49,090
entire
court lived together in a single
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00:01:49,090 --> 00:01:52,090
Palace this was a new type of building
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00:01:52,090 --> 00:01:55,119
for
a new type of ruler it was a huge
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00:01:55,119 --> 00:01:57,219
risk
it could all have gone horribly
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00:01:57,219 --> 00:02:00,039
wrong
but if anybody could pull it off
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00:02:00,039 --> 00:02:03,840
it was
louis xiv
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00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:18,000
Louise Palace at Versailles sprang from
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00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:22,650
surprisingly humble beginnings
even the
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00:02:22,650 --> 00:02:25,620
Kings only
brother Philippe was in for a
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00:02:25,620 --> 00:02:29,490
shock
I am about to drag this country
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00:02:29,490 --> 00:02:31,220
out
of the darkness and into the light
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00:02:31,220 --> 00:02:34,020
we must build our own destiny right here
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00:02:34,020 --> 00:02:36,030
a new France will be born and this
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00:02:36,030 --> 00:02:41,850
palace will be her mother palace that
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00:02:41,850 --> 00:02:44,120
one
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00:02:44,700 --> 00:02:51,319
our
fathers hunting lodge Versailles
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00:02:56,510 --> 00:02:59,430
the dilapidated hunting lodge and the
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00:02:59,430 --> 00:03:02,129
tiny hamlet around it was buried in the
51
00:03:02,129 --> 00:03:08,489
countryside
12 miles from Paris the only
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00:03:08,489 --> 00:03:10,560
link
between Versailles and the Capitol
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00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:13,799
was an
old drovers tract it had been
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00:03:13,799 --> 00:03:15,689
used
for bringing cattle to the markets
55
00:03:15,689 --> 00:03:18,629
of Paris in other words their site was
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00:03:18,629 --> 00:03:20,879
in the middle of nowhere
the seat of
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00:03:20,879 --> 00:03:23,250
power was Paris the royal residence was
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00:03:23,250 --> 00:03:25,560
the
palace of the Louvre the nobles had
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00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:27,599
their homes close by
which meant they
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00:03:27,599 --> 00:03:29,790
could attend on the
king and still enjoy
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00:03:29,790 --> 00:03:32,579
Fallon Society in the capital and vive
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00:03:32,579 --> 00:03:35,340
la différence
but Louie was passionate
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00:03:35,340 --> 00:03:37,980
about outdoor pursuits
he really enjoyed
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00:03:37,980 --> 00:03:40,650
country life
he began to spend more and
65
00:03:40,650 --> 00:03:44,209
more time at Versailles
66
00:03:44,670 --> 00:03:47,700
Loui expected his courtiers to join him
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00:03:47,700 --> 00:03:51,959
but
not everybody wanted to travel out
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00:03:51,959 --> 00:03:56,130
into the sticks you really are out in
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the wilds here
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00:03:57,180 --> 00:04:00,240
that's
a porous non-existent the sooner
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00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:03,780
we
return to pass the better and even
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00:04:03,780 --> 00:04:06,240
after the Dukes and duchesses the counts
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00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:08,520
and
mark eases had made it out to
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00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:10,739
Versailles there was no a decent for
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00:04:10,739 --> 00:04:14,250
them to stay
according to Matt under 7 a
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00:04:14,250 --> 00:04:15,780
after one
visit to Versailles the
77
00:04:15,780 --> 00:04:18,329
courtiers were in a fury
because they
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00:04:18,329 --> 00:04:20,100
said the
King didn't take care of any of
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00:04:20,100 --> 00:04:22,530
them and there was scarcely a
hole to
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00:04:22,530 --> 00:04:24,930
take shelter
in the courtiers came up
81
00:04:24,930 --> 00:04:28,200
with a new witticism
a bon mo Versailles
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00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:32,870
they said is a mistress without merit
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00:04:33,889 --> 00:04:36,809
but the modest hunting lodge was about
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00:04:36,809 --> 00:04:40,949
to have a makeover
when I hosted a party
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00:04:40,949 --> 00:04:42,930
here a few years ago we did not have the
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00:04:42,930 --> 00:04:45,539
room to
accommodate my friends most of
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00:04:45,539 --> 00:04:48,180
them had to take rooms in town so I'm
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00:04:48,180 --> 00:04:51,509
building
some myself 400 apartments will
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00:04:51,509 --> 00:04:53,749
talk
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Loui incorporated this hunting lodge
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into
his plans and it's still there
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00:05:01,340 --> 00:05:03,500
right at the heart of the later building
93
00:05:03,500 --> 00:05:05,930
Louie added additions that are still
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00:05:05,930 --> 00:05:07,730
known
as the envelope literally
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00:05:07,730 --> 00:05:10,700
enveloping
the original building from
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sleeping a cozy
15 or so extra guests
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this first phase of construction
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provided room at Versailles for 600 of
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00:05:19,010 --> 00:05:21,800
loonies closest friends
and that was
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00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:25,460
just the start but Louie didn't build
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00:05:25,460 --> 00:05:28,970
Versailles to be nice to his chums
he
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00:05:28,970 --> 00:05:33,520
did it for
the survival of the monarchy
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00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:38,660
you might be
forgiven for wondering why
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00:05:38,660 --> 00:05:41,450
Louie the 14th would go to such lengths
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00:05:41,450 --> 00:05:44,240
to keep his throne safe as a royal
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00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:46,460
historian it's hard to think of
another
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00:05:46,460 --> 00:05:49,430
ruler
who comes across as so supremely
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00:05:49,430 --> 00:05:52,700
confident
Louie inherited from his
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mother
a passionate belief in the Divine
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Right
of Kings the idea that Kings were
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00:05:58,910 --> 00:06:01,630
like little
mini gods who ruled on earth
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00:06:01,630 --> 00:06:04,370
in case anyone had missed the point but
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00:06:04,370 --> 00:06:06,170
Louise Berthe
he was given the name of
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dear dawn a given by God this
is because
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00:06:10,450 --> 00:06:13,220
miraculously he was his parents
first
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surviving child
after 23 years of
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00:06:16,280 --> 00:06:20,000
marriage a gift from God indeed Lois
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took these ideas
very much to heart
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00:06:25,190 --> 00:06:30,070
Louis self-glorification knew no bounds
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00:06:30,070 --> 00:06:32,870
he had himself painted in the guise of
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00:06:32,870 --> 00:06:36,860
Roman
emperors as Alexander the Great
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even as the omnipotent Greek god Zeus
no
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00:06:41,840 --> 00:06:44,990
hero was too glorious
no God to mighty
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00:06:44,990 --> 00:06:49,310
to escape the comparison
and Louie took
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00:06:49,310 --> 00:06:52,040
his his personal emblem a symbol he
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00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:55,070
fought fitting for his dazzling
godlike
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00:06:55,070 --> 00:06:57,070
status
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00:06:57,070 --> 00:07:00,000
the
son
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00:07:01,550 --> 00:07:07,340
the Sun is
this Center the heart the
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00:07:07,340 --> 00:07:10,250
mother of the universe without its
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00:07:10,250 --> 00:07:14,060
warmth and light
all life is gone man
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will cease to
exist one could almost
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00:07:17,659 --> 00:07:21,159
believe he was talking
about him
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00:07:21,370 --> 00:07:25,660
Louie
was a master of propaganda but
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00:07:25,660 --> 00:07:28,060
then let all this grandstanding deceive
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00:07:28,060 --> 00:07:30,729
you in some ways
it was a sign of
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00:07:30,729 --> 00:07:33,580
weakness if he had been absolutely
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00:07:33,580 --> 00:07:36,250
powerful
and totally secure on his phone
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00:07:36,250 --> 00:07:41,800
then he didn't have bothered Louie had
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00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:45,010
learned that being
King was a dangerous
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business are you scared of course you
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00:07:53,889 --> 00:08:00,580
are if history
teaches us one thing it
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00:08:00,580 --> 00:08:07,770
is this terrible things
happen to Kings
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00:08:13,639 --> 00:08:16,789
Luise greatest fears were founded in the
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00:08:16,789 --> 00:08:19,310
deep divisions within the country he
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00:08:19,310 --> 00:08:22,909
inherited in the 17th
century France
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wasn't by any means the unified nation
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00:08:24,949 --> 00:08:27,529
we know today different regions have
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00:08:27,529 --> 00:08:30,379
different laws customs even different
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languages
and vast parts of the country
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00:08:33,500 --> 00:08:35,958
were controlled
not directly by the king
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but by great noblemen the north and east
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who defies me they're the Duke of
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00:08:44,750 --> 00:08:47,269
Cassell
Sam to my mind the commands
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great influence
half the nobility are in
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his
debt
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his family have occupied
those lands
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since before memory these Nobles had
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huge
independent powers in the regions
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00:08:57,769 --> 00:09:00,019
they dominated
they didn't even have to
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00:09:00,019 --> 00:09:03,019
pay the Kings taxes so the
king was
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00:09:03,019 --> 00:09:04,880
locked in a
deadly power struggle
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00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:07,360
constantly competing
with the nobles
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00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:10,579
Louie knew only too well how vulnerable
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00:09:10,579 --> 00:09:13,370
he was and he'd known it pretty much
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00:09:13,370 --> 00:09:17,209
since
the day he was born during Louie's
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childhood the monarchy had tried to
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00:09:19,130 --> 00:09:22,160
wrest control from the nobles the result
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00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:26,899
was a bitter
civil war in 1651 while
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Louie was staying in
Paris a riot
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erupted
the violence came a little too
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close to home
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the mob broke into the palace
and
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demanded
to see the young king they
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marched
into his bedroom where Louie
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00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:45,470
pretended to be asleep
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the royal family managed to escape
but
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Louis was traumatized
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the incident had a profound effect
on
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Louie
from that moment on he saw Paris
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00:10:04,430 --> 00:10:06,920
as a crucible
of danger where the people
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00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:09,670
and the nobles could plot against him
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00:10:09,670 --> 00:10:12,920
never again would he let chaos and
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00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:16,760
violence
threaten his very being for
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Louie
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the safest place from which to rule was
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not Paris
but Versailles mislay our own
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foundation here what are
you so because
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I will not
be the king of Paris I know
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who I am
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I'm louis xiv I'm king of France
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to prove who was in charge
Louis made
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himself an absolute monarch he declared
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he was
the sole ruler of France and set
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about reining in the power of the nobles
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this is your king's new law stripping
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00:11:04,279 --> 00:11:05,930
away
the dignity of a true noble
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00:11:05,930 --> 00:11:07,699
defiling the reputation of a man whose
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00:11:07,699 --> 00:11:10,070
family
forms the bedrock of this country
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00:11:10,070 --> 00:11:12,949
now once not long
ago we knew where we
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00:11:12,949 --> 00:11:15,620
stood
but now we must prove ourselves
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00:11:15,620 --> 00:11:17,930
now we must sing for
our suppers now the
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00:11:17,930 --> 00:11:21,199
king says I am France but I say it is we
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00:11:21,199 --> 00:11:24,579
who are France
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00:11:29,670 --> 00:11:33,480
in this
battle Louis had some subtle new
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00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:37,590
tactics
in his armoury Louis solution to
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00:11:37,590 --> 00:11:39,510
the problem of his
neighbors shows just
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00:11:39,510 --> 00:11:41,310
how good he was
at wielding what you
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00:11:41,310 --> 00:11:44,790
might call soft power
keep watched and
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00:11:44,790 --> 00:11:46,650
learn from the mistakes
of other Kings
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00:11:46,650 --> 00:11:48,330
like Charles the first of England for
212
00:11:48,330 --> 00:11:51,180
example he had taken up arms to defend
213
00:11:51,180 --> 00:11:53,550
his
royal prerogative and look what
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00:11:53,550 --> 00:11:57,900
happened
to him but Louie wanted to wage
215
00:11:57,900 --> 00:12:00,930
war with refinement
he planned to
216
00:12:00,930 --> 00:12:03,090
devastate his enemies with his
217
00:12:03,090 --> 00:12:05,130
hospitality he was going to overwhelm
218
00:12:05,130 --> 00:12:07,770
them with fancy titles that didn't
219
00:12:07,770 --> 00:12:10,530
necessarily mean
anything and above all
220
00:12:10,530 --> 00:12:14,010
he intended
to emasculate them by making
221
00:12:14,010 --> 00:12:16,080
them do trivial jobs in his household
222
00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:19,110
here at his new country home of
223
00:12:19,110 --> 00:12:21,590
Versailles
224
00:12:27,980 --> 00:12:30,690
it's no bigger than a broom cupboard
as
225
00:12:30,690 --> 00:12:32,190
a matter of fact I
believe it was a
226
00:12:32,190 --> 00:12:34,190
broom cupboard
227
00:12:34,190 --> 00:12:44,490
welcome to versa
Louie loved to play the
228
00:12:44,490 --> 00:12:47,910
host
he kept his course he is busy with
229
00:12:47,910 --> 00:12:52,079
gambling
feasting hunting and to top it
230
00:12:52,079 --> 00:12:56,209
all fabulous parties
231
00:13:11,950 --> 00:13:15,380
Louie made sure his dazzling hospitality
232
00:13:15,380 --> 00:13:18,560
would always be remembered
let's have a
233
00:13:18,560 --> 00:13:20,660
look at our massive book of pictures
of
234
00:13:20,660 --> 00:13:23,150
one of Louie's parties
and here is
235
00:13:23,150 --> 00:13:26,000
Versailles
looking extremely splendid
236
00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:29,360
these specific drawings were of an
237
00:13:29,360 --> 00:13:31,550
entertainment called
the pleasures of
238
00:13:31,550 --> 00:13:33,710
the enchanted island
that's a very
239
00:13:33,710 --> 00:13:36,200
alluring name
ain't it it is although
240
00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:37,760
after six whole days and six whole
241
00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:39,590
nights I'm not sure how alert
anyone
242
00:13:39,590 --> 00:13:44,060
would have felt it was an epic party
243
00:13:44,060 --> 00:13:46,670
based on an epic poem the frenzy of
244
00:13:46,670 --> 00:13:50,810
Orlando the lead role was Roger could it
245
00:13:50,810 --> 00:13:52,370
be possible that Roger himself was
246
00:13:52,370 --> 00:13:54,170
played by
the king I think you might
247
00:13:54,170 --> 00:13:56,300
have spotted Louie's role for himself
248
00:13:56,300 --> 00:13:58,450
here right in the middle on his
249
00:13:58,450 --> 00:14:01,790
magnificently rearing horse
is Roger I
250
00:14:01,790 --> 00:14:05,080
wonder who is in charge
of casting
251
00:14:08,769 --> 00:14:16,069
Louie
was a natural showman he had a
252
00:14:16,069 --> 00:14:25,279
reputation as
a fine dancer and he never
253
00:14:25,279 --> 00:14:27,319
missed an opportunity
to display his
254
00:14:27,319 --> 00:14:36,050
talents but
here the real star of the
255
00:14:36,050 --> 00:14:40,399
show was
Versailles oh look at this this
256
00:14:40,399 --> 00:14:42,529
is
the marble courtyard in the heart of
257
00:14:42,529 --> 00:14:44,540
the palace
isn't it decorated with
258
00:14:44,540 --> 00:14:47,120
orange trees on either side
to make it
259
00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:48,939
look even more beautiful
260
00:14:48,939 --> 00:14:51,920
splendid hundreds of candles all
around
261
00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:54,110
the top
look at them standing on the
262
00:14:54,110 --> 00:14:56,779
ledges inside the windows
it's true it
263
00:14:56,779 --> 00:14:58,790
was beautiful enough before but now it's
264
00:14:58,790 --> 00:15:01,490
transformed into a nighttime
spectacular
265
00:15:01,490 --> 00:15:03,620
and look here's an orchestra say this is
266
00:15:03,620 --> 00:15:05,779
a musical performance
and they seem to
267
00:15:05,779 --> 00:15:07,910
be dancing on the stage oh it says it's
268
00:15:07,910 --> 00:15:09,019
a ballet
that's right
269
00:15:09,019 --> 00:15:13,600
and a ballet
al says a tragedy in music
270
00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:16,819
composed by
Louie's own court composer
271
00:15:16,819 --> 00:15:18,740
jean-baptiste
Lully one of the greatest
272
00:15:18,740 --> 00:15:21,139
musicians of his day only the very best
273
00:15:21,139 --> 00:15:25,610
for Louie the King was at pains to make
274
00:15:25,610 --> 00:15:27,670
sure his guests didn't miss a single
275
00:15:27,670 --> 00:15:30,600
detail of his palace
276
00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:33,630
one visitor gushed
that the festivities
277
00:15:33,630 --> 00:15:36,400
astonished the spectators by their
278
00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:41,490
magnificence
novelty and pomp
279
00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:47,329
now this really is
a scene isn't it a
280
00:15:47,329 --> 00:15:49,910
nighttime scene of fireworks
and
281
00:15:49,910 --> 00:15:51,829
illuminations
the palace in the
282
00:15:51,829 --> 00:15:53,779
background
the fountains in the
283
00:15:53,779 --> 00:15:56,240
foreground
what do you think Helen was
284
00:15:56,240 --> 00:15:58,339
the point of this book of
engravings
285
00:15:58,339 --> 00:16:01,910
this is a big PR exercise these are
286
00:16:01,910 --> 00:16:04,100
impressive
pictures even centuries later
287
00:16:04,100 --> 00:16:07,040
in black and white but for the rest of
288
00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:10,459
Europe in 1664 this is how you do it so
289
00:16:10,459 --> 00:16:13,160
Louie
compiled all the engravings gave
290
00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:15,350
them
to ambassadors who then take them
291
00:16:15,350 --> 00:16:17,149
home to their own European king or queen
292
00:16:17,149 --> 00:16:19,759
and say
look and learn this is how they
293
00:16:19,759 --> 00:16:21,500
do
it in France this is the way to hold
294
00:16:21,500 --> 00:16:24,790
a party
and not just in France but
295
00:16:24,790 --> 00:16:27,560
specifically at Versailles forget Paris
296
00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:30,470
that was yesterday's news Louis wanted
297
00:16:30,470 --> 00:16:32,810
the eyes of the world to be on the
298
00:16:32,810 --> 00:16:37,579
palace
that he was building once Louie
299
00:16:37,579 --> 00:16:39,709
had
captivated his courtiers with the
300
00:16:39,709 --> 00:16:42,649
entertainment
server-side he found other
301
00:16:42,649 --> 00:16:49,010
ways
to keep them in full to him to keep
302
00:16:49,010 --> 00:16:51,350
everybody
in their places Louie
303
00:16:51,350 --> 00:16:53,329
turned his life into
a kind of public
304
00:16:53,329 --> 00:16:56,779
spectacle every minutes of every day was
305
00:16:56,779 --> 00:16:59,000
filled with
these weird rituals
306
00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:01,790
something quite ridiculous which all the
307
00:17:01,790 --> 00:17:04,520
courtiers had to follow as if it were a
308
00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:08,869
religion all the
noblemen that caught
309
00:17:08,869 --> 00:17:10,699
him
are required to present themselves
310
00:17:10,699 --> 00:17:12,770
at the appointed hour Dukes before
311
00:17:12,770 --> 00:17:15,490
Marquis I believe
312
00:17:15,490 --> 00:17:19,179
I'm with the
Duke only a few however
313
00:17:19,179 --> 00:17:21,898
will be
given the privilege of entering
314
00:17:21,898 --> 00:17:24,299
observing
and in some cases
315
00:17:24,299 --> 00:17:28,270
participating taking
part in Louie's
316
00:17:28,270 --> 00:17:30,880
daily routines
was a strictly controlled
317
00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:34,330
business
only a chosen a lease could
318
00:17:34,330 --> 00:17:38,169
share in his more intimate moments
the
319
00:17:38,169 --> 00:17:40,240
most important ceremony was
the king's
320
00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:48,190
levy his rising in the morning it was as
321
00:17:48,190 --> 00:17:51,100
essential
to life at Versailles as the
322
00:17:51,100 --> 00:17:53,770
rising of the
Sun at eight o'clock sharp
323
00:17:53,770 --> 00:17:56,320
the curtains of the state bed were drawn
324
00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:59,649
back to reveal the king he may not have
325
00:17:59,649 --> 00:18:01,270
slept here but he had to get back in
326
00:18:01,270 --> 00:18:03,760
time and then
he was greeted by his
327
00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:06,299
valet
good morning
328
00:18:06,299 --> 00:18:09,909
next
in came the Kings physician to
329
00:18:09,909 --> 00:18:12,159
check him over his chamber pot was
330
00:18:12,159 --> 00:18:15,039
carried out and this
is really nice in
331
00:18:15,039 --> 00:18:17,260
came the
Kings nurse that he'd had since
332
00:18:17,260 --> 00:18:19,360
he was a child to give him his good
333
00:18:19,360 --> 00:18:20,289
morning kiss
334
00:18:20,289 --> 00:18:22,960
then came the privileged few
who had the
335
00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:24,460
right to
attend what was known as the
336
00:18:24,460 --> 00:18:27,669
gand entree they were all highborn
337
00:18:27,669 --> 00:18:30,520
nobles and they helped the king into his
338
00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:31,510
shirt
339
00:18:31,510 --> 00:18:36,299
it sounds menial
but it was a huge honor
340
00:18:38,430 --> 00:18:42,040
all you do is
designed to be seen and
341
00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:45,490
admired
dressing shaving drinking and
342
00:18:45,490 --> 00:18:48,910
eating they are no
longer actions but a
343
00:18:48,910 --> 00:18:55,480
performance everything you do is a
344
00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:59,350
display of
wealth authority harmony and
345
00:18:59,350 --> 00:19:05,100
modesty
and last but by no means least
346
00:19:05,100 --> 00:19:08,100
Pyatt
347
00:19:10,309 --> 00:19:13,140
Louis thought of himself
as a god and
348
00:19:13,140 --> 00:19:18,660
now he was worshipped like one
even the
349
00:19:18,660 --> 00:19:20,820
most
powerful nobles were forced to bow
350
00:19:20,820 --> 00:19:25,650
and
scrape but observing Louis strict
351
00:19:25,650 --> 00:19:30,210
daily routine could reap rewards the
352
00:19:30,210 --> 00:19:32,610
clockwork timing
of Louise day meant the
353
00:19:32,610 --> 00:19:34,980
courtiers always knew exactly
where the
354
00:19:34,980 --> 00:19:37,710
king was and what he was doing and that
355
00:19:37,710 --> 00:19:39,480
meant they could engineer meetings with
356
00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:42,030
him opportunities
to ask for the favors
357
00:19:42,030 --> 00:19:49,530
that
only the King could give like other
358
00:19:49,530 --> 00:19:51,330
monarchs
the King had the power to
359
00:19:51,330 --> 00:19:57,750
transform a courtiers fortunes but Louis
360
00:19:57,750 --> 00:20:00,300
had his own special
criteria for
361
00:20:00,300 --> 00:20:05,309
granting requests as Louie progressed
362
00:20:05,309 --> 00:20:07,790
for mass courtiers would line his route
363
00:20:07,790 --> 00:20:10,500
pressing on either side desperate for a
364
00:20:10,500 --> 00:20:13,200
word in the Kings ear
if they succeeded
365
00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:15,270
in catching his attention they might ask
366
00:20:15,270 --> 00:20:16,410
a favor for a friend
367
00:20:16,410 --> 00:20:18,480
but if Louis thought that that
368
00:20:18,480 --> 00:20:20,280
particular nobleman hadn't spent enough
369
00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:22,470
time at Versailles he turned the request
370
00:20:22,470 --> 00:20:25,740
down with the words
we never see him I
371
00:20:25,740 --> 00:20:27,480
don't
know him
372
00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:29,640
it was as if that noble had never
373
00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:33,870
existed
the message was clear
374
00:20:33,870 --> 00:20:36,210
Porteous had better sharpen their elbows
375
00:20:36,210 --> 00:20:38,160
and fight their way to the
front of the
376
00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:40,440
queue
if they wanted to get ahead in
377
00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:42,630
life
they had to put in the hours at
378
00:20:42,630 --> 00:20:46,200
Versailles
Nobles were now too busy
379
00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:48,540
vying for the Kings attention to plot
380
00:20:48,540 --> 00:20:50,490
against him
and they weren't allowed to
381
00:20:50,490 --> 00:20:52,140
go back to their country seats where
382
00:20:52,140 --> 00:20:54,000
they could have
fermented rebellion it
383
00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:56,280
was all part
of this strange cult that
384
00:20:56,280 --> 00:20:59,130
the Sun King it's as if Louie used his
385
00:20:59,130 --> 00:21:02,460
magnetism
to trap his Nobles here in the
386
00:21:02,460 --> 00:21:06,050
gilded cage of Versailles
387
00:21:08,010 --> 00:21:11,140
now
Louie could get on with enjoying the
388
00:21:11,140 --> 00:21:14,220
pleasures of
life
389
00:21:20,900 --> 00:21:23,150
and there was nothing
he enjoyed more
390
00:21:23,150 --> 00:21:28,280
than
the ladies he pursued one beauty
391
00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:31,030
after
another married and single
392
00:21:31,030 --> 00:21:34,730
highborn and low not for nothing was his
393
00:21:34,730 --> 00:21:40,360
time in power known as the
reign of love
394
00:21:40,779 --> 00:21:45,850
here are some
of Louie's leading ladies
395
00:21:45,850 --> 00:21:50,000
now
kings of fonts often has two wives
396
00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:53,809
one a wife the business in Louie's case
397
00:21:53,809 --> 00:21:57,380
it was
Maria Teresa of Spain it was her
398
00:21:57,380 --> 00:21:59,210
job to represent an alliance with
399
00:21:59,210 --> 00:22:00,950
another
country and to give him his
400
00:22:00,950 --> 00:22:05,059
official children or heirs
but then he
401
00:22:05,059 --> 00:22:07,909
would
have a wife for fun a mistress or
402
00:22:07,909 --> 00:22:12,559
in Louie's case mistresses at any one
403
00:22:12,559 --> 00:22:15,350
moment the chief of them was called the
404
00:22:15,350 --> 00:22:18,470
Mitra Steckler ray the declared mistress
405
00:22:18,470 --> 00:22:20,960
I think it's very French
but she had the
406
00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:25,940
sort
of semi official job title louise
407
00:22:25,940 --> 00:22:29,149
de la Valliere
was louise first Mitra
408
00:22:29,149 --> 00:22:33,200
Steckler a the story of
Louise de la
409
00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:35,510
Valliere
is intertwined with the story
410
00:22:35,510 --> 00:22:38,480
of first sight itself because Louie was
411
00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:40,370
falling in
love with her at the same
412
00:22:40,370 --> 00:22:42,200
time as he was
falling in love with the
413
00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:45,620
idea
of his palace they held twists
414
00:22:45,620 --> 00:22:48,139
there and the Magnificent party the
415
00:22:48,139 --> 00:22:50,090
pleasures of the enchanted
Isle was held
416
00:22:50,090 --> 00:22:53,019
to
celebrate their love
417
00:22:53,019 --> 00:22:56,299
now Louise's position as chief mistress
418
00:22:56,299 --> 00:22:59,389
was far
from secure the other ladies of
419
00:22:59,389 --> 00:23:01,730
the
courts all had their eye on Louis
420
00:23:01,730 --> 00:23:05,360
and he was all too susceptible
when
421
00:23:05,360 --> 00:23:07,669
Louise came
on to the scene knew he was
422
00:23:07,669 --> 00:23:09,889
already having
run on a scandalous
423
00:23:09,889 --> 00:23:12,529
relationship
with Honorius of England
424
00:23:12,529 --> 00:23:15,919
she was wait for this his brother's wife
425
00:23:15,919 --> 00:23:20,200
and his own first cousin
426
00:23:25,780 --> 00:23:29,110
springers from
427
00:23:32,290 --> 00:23:33,790
and there were
plenty of other
428
00:23:33,790 --> 00:23:36,130
contenders vying for
luiz de la
429
00:23:36,130 --> 00:23:40,860
Vallieres prized role of chief mistress
430
00:23:41,070 --> 00:23:46,420
enter attend ace
the Montes pan how many
431
00:23:46,420 --> 00:23:51,040
of you had I do
not call because why
432
00:23:51,040 --> 00:23:55,720
would one more make any difference hard
433
00:23:55,720 --> 00:23:59,580
to say without partaking why is that
434
00:23:59,580 --> 00:24:01,990
surely after a certain time it's just a
435
00:24:01,990 --> 00:24:07,090
number is it not it depends on the
436
00:24:07,090 --> 00:24:12,760
number pattern aris was devastatingly
437
00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:16,920
intelligent and confident
and prissy and
438
00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:19,480
manipulative she made
friends with
439
00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:22,210
Louise in order to get close to their
440
00:24:22,210 --> 00:24:28,780
king false friend I am boring and you
441
00:24:28,780 --> 00:24:30,760
are funny
perhaps when he returns make
442
00:24:30,760 --> 00:24:32,950
between
a good mood for me talk to him
443
00:24:32,950 --> 00:24:35,740
make him laugh
if he's naked humor I
444
00:24:35,740 --> 00:24:38,830
might just have a chance did
you do that
445
00:24:38,830 --> 00:24:42,480
it was like a try
446
00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:51,270
now Louie didn't stand a chance
he fell
447
00:24:51,270 --> 00:24:54,330
under
the spell of attorneys very soon
448
00:24:54,330 --> 00:24:57,660
he just had to make love to her three
449
00:24:57,660 --> 00:25:00,510
times
a day and he was so keen that he
450
00:25:00,510 --> 00:25:03,390
would start to undress her even before
451
00:25:03,390 --> 00:25:07,559
her ladies had left the
room and she was
452
00:25:07,559 --> 00:25:09,960
equally enthusiastic
it was said that
453
00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:21,240
her powder lit very easily it wasn't
454
00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:23,880
long before
attorneys usurped her
455
00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:27,030
so-called friend Louise and took her
456
00:25:27,030 --> 00:25:30,440
place at the top table
457
00:25:43,039 --> 00:25:46,470
battening reigned supreme as official
458
00:25:46,470 --> 00:25:55,529
mistress
for the next decade and it was
459
00:25:55,529 --> 00:25:58,380
during this time
that lois fulfilled his
460
00:25:58,380 --> 00:26:02,250
dream of creating a palace
not just fit
461
00:26:02,250 --> 00:26:05,580
for any
old king but fit for the sun
462
00:26:05,580 --> 00:26:11,340
king now the gardens on this side will
463
00:26:11,340 --> 00:26:14,370
extend from
here to here very good sire
464
00:26:14,370 --> 00:26:17,279
what is this large rectangle here
a lake
465
00:26:17,279 --> 00:26:20,580
you wish to put a lake in this area the
466
00:26:20,580 --> 00:26:24,440
area is the lake that is a big lake yes
467
00:26:24,440 --> 00:26:28,470
sire
a lake that size would dwarf any
468
00:26:28,470 --> 00:26:30,779
structure
that looks out upon it that
469
00:26:30,779 --> 00:26:33,740
depends on the structure
does it not
470
00:26:33,740 --> 00:26:36,600
nothing could stand in the way of Louise
471
00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:40,950
grand plans
he drained swamps move
472
00:26:40,950 --> 00:26:44,490
forests and
diversity rivers to make way
473
00:26:44,490 --> 00:26:47,460
for the world's most opulent royal
474
00:26:47,460 --> 00:26:51,000
playground
its size and splendor
475
00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:54,360
trumpeted Louise wealth and power
but a
476
00:26:54,360 --> 00:26:57,149
project worthy of such a prince required
477
00:26:57,149 --> 00:27:00,659
a
workforce to match
478
00:27:00,659 --> 00:27:02,820
palace was under scaffolding for years
479
00:27:02,820 --> 00:27:03,779
at a time
480
00:27:03,779 --> 00:27:05,789
and the gardens here looked pretty much
481
00:27:05,789 --> 00:27:09,509
like a quarry up to 36,000 people were
482
00:27:09,509 --> 00:27:11,759
slaving away here
and they were laboring
483
00:27:11,759 --> 00:27:13,409
under conditions you could only describe
484
00:27:13,409 --> 00:27:19,080
as horrendous Builders toiled from dawn
485
00:27:19,080 --> 00:27:21,840
till dusk
a common bricklayer earned
486
00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:25,289
five sous
a day about the cost of a tiny
487
00:27:25,289 --> 00:27:29,700
piece of
butter accidents were so
488
00:27:29,700 --> 00:27:32,460
frequent
that three hospitals were built
489
00:27:32,460 --> 00:27:36,119
to deal with the casualties and even in
490
00:27:36,119 --> 00:27:38,429
his exalted position
Louis could not
491
00:27:38,429 --> 00:27:40,679
quite
escape the hardships that his
492
00:27:40,679 --> 00:27:43,609
workers endured
493
00:27:47,410 --> 00:27:51,460
you say you are
France if attorney were
494
00:27:51,460 --> 00:27:54,880
hick no are suffering it feed it in your
495
00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:59,520
bones
and you take that pain away
496
00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:02,140
builders went on strike in a bid to
497
00:28:02,140 --> 00:28:06,970
improve their lot the grievance is not
498
00:28:06,970 --> 00:28:09,730
many
sire many suffer from injuries
499
00:28:09,730 --> 00:28:12,070
sustained at their work
but are as yet
500
00:28:12,070 --> 00:28:16,120
untreated they claim that working
501
00:28:16,120 --> 00:28:17,680
conditions are too harsh
not enough
502
00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:19,330
attention
is paid to their safety is
503
00:28:19,330 --> 00:28:20,370
this true
504
00:28:20,370 --> 00:28:23,770
we lose half a dozen men per week
sire
505
00:28:23,770 --> 00:28:28,570
many more injured from the archives I've
506
00:28:28,570 --> 00:28:30,100
dug out a document
that gives a
507
00:28:30,100 --> 00:28:33,070
real-life example
of Louis being brought
508
00:28:33,070 --> 00:28:35,620
face to
face with the human cost of
509
00:28:35,620 --> 00:28:40,720
Versailles in the summer of
16 68 there
510
00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:42,760
was an accident involving
some of the
511
00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:44,650
heavy machinery in use at Versailles
512
00:28:44,650 --> 00:28:46,600
that's reported
here in the gazette of
513
00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:49,210
amsterdam we're told that there was an
514
00:28:49,210 --> 00:28:51,720
accident and some debris fell and
515
00:28:51,720 --> 00:28:55,390
underneath it
were caught five or six
516
00:28:55,390 --> 00:28:58,930
workmen
who VA who were crazy de su it
517
00:28:58,930 --> 00:29:01,720
caused a what
this crush crushed crushed
518
00:29:01,720 --> 00:29:04,390
underneath crushed to death
I will think
519
00:29:04,390 --> 00:29:06,430
of them five or six and that's all we're
520
00:29:06,430 --> 00:29:08,740
told one sentence at this point but
we
521
00:29:08,740 --> 00:29:11,440
get a little
bit more detail a few days
522
00:29:11,440 --> 00:29:14,230
later when the King was confronted by
523
00:29:14,230 --> 00:29:16,930
the mother of one of these poor dead
524
00:29:16,930 --> 00:29:19,480
workmen she managed to get close enough
525
00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:23,620
to ask the King if she could have the
526
00:29:23,620 --> 00:29:26,440
body
of her son back the newspaper says
527
00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:28,720
with many insults directed at the
king
528
00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:31,090
now whether that's exaggeration for
529
00:29:31,090 --> 00:29:33,550
journalistic effect or what the King
530
00:29:33,550 --> 00:29:35,500
felt
had happened you think it was quite
531
00:29:35,500 --> 00:29:37,000
shocking that she just got close enough
532
00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:39,370
and dared to speak to him absolutely
533
00:29:39,370 --> 00:29:41,260
that someone of her status
should be
534
00:29:41,260 --> 00:29:43,120
able
to speak directly to the king
535
00:29:43,120 --> 00:29:45,280
himself in terms that
were not
536
00:29:45,280 --> 00:29:48,190
complimentary and it didn't go well for
537
00:29:48,190 --> 00:29:50,230
her we're told that
she was put in
538
00:29:50,230 --> 00:29:53,560
prison where she still is locked up
the
539
00:29:53,560 --> 00:29:55,180
newspaper says
stay hang on
540
00:29:55,180 --> 00:29:57,280
Louise machine has crushed to death this
541
00:29:57,280 --> 00:29:59,710
woman's son
she is asked for his dead
542
00:29:59,710 --> 00:30:00,710
body
and
543
00:30:00,710 --> 00:30:02,539
that she's
been put in prison she has
544
00:30:02,539 --> 00:30:05,480
the human cost of
his great enterprises
545
00:30:05,480 --> 00:30:08,929
is irrelevant to Louie in comparison
546
00:30:08,929 --> 00:30:11,510
with
his ground purposes the question is
547
00:30:11,510 --> 00:30:14,870
to what extent
this is representative of
548
00:30:14,870 --> 00:30:17,870
something
bigger more characteristic of
549
00:30:17,870 --> 00:30:19,940
Louie's rule as a whole
well I guess you
550
00:30:19,940 --> 00:30:22,549
could say
this is an absolute monitoring
551
00:30:22,549 --> 00:30:24,860
his job
the needs of the state must come
552
00:30:24,860 --> 00:30:26,990
first
he has the power to override the
553
00:30:26,990 --> 00:30:28,970
trivial needs of the individual but
he
554
00:30:28,970 --> 00:30:30,590
does seem
to me that there's something
555
00:30:30,590 --> 00:30:33,860
really cold and uniquely determined
556
00:30:33,860 --> 00:30:39,950
about
Louie himself I will not be pushed
557
00:30:39,950 --> 00:30:45,100
into
the sea by a builder on a scaffold
558
00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:50,100
Louise determination and his
559
00:30:50,100 --> 00:30:53,700
ruthlessness
made him many enemies but
560
00:30:53,700 --> 00:30:56,370
he had ways of keeping one step ahead of
561
00:30:56,370 --> 00:31:01,320
anyone who might plot against him you
562
00:31:01,320 --> 00:31:03,120
might think that surveillance
is a
563
00:31:03,120 --> 00:31:05,610
modern concept
but Louie who was
564
00:31:05,610 --> 00:31:08,309
insecure
to the point of paranoia kept a
565
00:31:08,309 --> 00:31:14,420
watchful eye
on everyone no one
566
00:31:14,420 --> 00:31:17,280
understood better than Louie that
567
00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:24,690
information was power
that is one of 948
568
00:31:24,690 --> 00:31:27,710
journals gathered by
our services
569
00:31:27,710 --> 00:31:29,970
detailing every single member of your
570
00:31:29,970 --> 00:31:34,020
court the height weight hair and eye
571
00:31:34,020 --> 00:31:37,290
color
their daily movements from your
572
00:31:37,290 --> 00:31:41,640
valet to your cooks assistant
Madeleine
573
00:31:41,640 --> 00:31:46,559
Dubois
and Louie even knew everyone's
574
00:31:46,559 --> 00:31:50,250
inner most thoughts
how because all male
575
00:31:50,250 --> 00:31:54,200
to and from Versailles was intercepted
576
00:31:54,200 --> 00:31:56,970
historian
James de Bell is guiding me
577
00:31:56,970 --> 00:31:59,360
through the lost world of 17th century
578
00:31:59,360 --> 00:32:03,230
espionage this is so much more
579
00:32:03,230 --> 00:32:05,610
significant
anomalous atmospheric than
580
00:32:05,610 --> 00:32:08,400
licking
the fluff as it is it is we
581
00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:11,580
really feel like this is a special thing
582
00:32:11,580 --> 00:32:14,130
to do now we're going to get our seal
583
00:32:14,130 --> 00:32:18,390
which is
a fleur-de-lis peel it away
584
00:32:18,390 --> 00:32:20,790
slowly and there we are
585
00:32:20,790 --> 00:32:24,480
that's
not married so if we got this
586
00:32:24,480 --> 00:32:26,250
letter in
the post you would know that I
587
00:32:26,250 --> 00:32:28,350
had sent it
and that's it hadn't been
588
00:32:28,350 --> 00:32:29,880
tampered
it couldn't be tampered with
589
00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:34,530
yes theoretically it's secure but at the
590
00:32:34,530 --> 00:32:36,480
course of Versailles we know that
591
00:32:36,480 --> 00:32:39,929
Louie's espionage masters were reading
592
00:32:39,929 --> 00:32:41,820
the letters
how did they do that when
593
00:32:41,820 --> 00:32:43,710
they were sealed up with wax this is a
594
00:32:43,710 --> 00:32:47,130
dark
art we have an example of a letter
595
00:32:47,130 --> 00:32:50,160
from
a court here close to the king in
596
00:32:50,160 --> 00:32:52,710
which she warns a German cousin
about
597
00:32:52,710 --> 00:32:54,900
this opening of letters and she writes
598
00:32:54,900 --> 00:32:57,300
just
because letters are poorly sealed
599
00:32:57,300 --> 00:32:58,850
does not mean anything
600
00:32:58,850 --> 00:33:01,370
they have a material
made of mercury and
601
00:33:01,370 --> 00:33:03,230
other stuff that
can be pressed onto the
602
00:33:03,230 --> 00:33:05,930
seal
where it takes on the shape of the
603
00:33:05,930 --> 00:33:08,240
seal
after they've read and copied
604
00:33:08,240 --> 00:33:11,150
letters they neatly resend them and no
605
00:33:11,150 --> 00:33:14,200
one
can see that they have been opened
606
00:33:14,200 --> 00:33:16,850
so
that method involves making a replica
607
00:33:16,850 --> 00:33:19,610
of the original seal absolutely and once
608
00:33:19,610 --> 00:33:22,250
you have
that you're then able to open
609
00:33:22,250 --> 00:33:24,890
and reseal people's correspondence
all
610
00:33:24,890 --> 00:33:27,560
the time
that's pretty sneaky stuff and
611
00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:29,390
James what
happened to the people whose
612
00:33:29,390 --> 00:33:31,640
mail
was red then countries are their
613
00:33:31,640 --> 00:33:33,940
knowledge once he found that you were
614
00:33:33,940 --> 00:33:37,310
talking
in a critical tone about his
615
00:33:37,310 --> 00:33:40,490
court his policies his friendships you
616
00:33:40,490 --> 00:33:42,620
would be out
of favor and so many
617
00:33:42,620 --> 00:33:45,530
courtiers were destroyed in this
way
618
00:33:45,530 --> 00:33:48,500
this surveillance state that he develops
619
00:33:48,500 --> 00:33:50,990
in the
17th century is incredibly
620
00:33:50,990 --> 00:33:53,840
powerful and it's used to keep tabs on
621
00:33:53,840 --> 00:33:56,990
the courtiers at the very heart of his
622
00:33:56,990 --> 00:34:00,520
power base at Versailles
623
00:34:02,530 --> 00:34:04,700
disloyal courtiers
624
00:34:04,700 --> 00:34:07,400
wise up so Louise tactics and found
625
00:34:07,400 --> 00:34:15,560
other ways
to convey their messages with
626
00:34:15,560 --> 00:34:17,418
all this
surveillance going on there was
627
00:34:17,418 --> 00:34:19,969
only
one way to keep a secret you had to
628
00:34:19,969 --> 00:34:28,010
write it in
cipher secret I have
629
00:34:28,010 --> 00:34:30,830
identified
this as a Cistercian codex in
630
00:34:30,830 --> 00:34:33,889
the
Low Countries very rare almost
631
00:34:33,889 --> 00:34:35,840
forgotten
used it appears as an
632
00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:39,710
alternative to Roman numerals so these
633
00:34:39,710 --> 00:34:41,810
are merely numbers which correspond to
634
00:34:41,810 --> 00:34:44,389
letters but
lui
635
00:34:44,389 --> 00:34:46,969
Beach the quarters of their own game by
636
00:34:46,969 --> 00:34:49,429
employing
cryptographers to crack the
637
00:34:49,429 --> 00:34:52,629
codes
the first message is very simple
638
00:34:52,629 --> 00:34:57,380
kill the men will bring this map the
639
00:34:57,380 --> 00:35:00,950
second one is more intriguing
the riddle
640
00:35:00,950 --> 00:35:03,580
in fact
641
00:35:06,620 --> 00:35:13,790
the end is
near make your peace with God
642
00:35:17,580 --> 00:35:20,470
to make sure his own messages
remained
643
00:35:20,470 --> 00:35:23,110
secret
you engaged the services of
644
00:35:23,110 --> 00:35:28,600
Antoine Lawson yong hwa senior was the
645
00:35:28,600 --> 00:35:30,640
greatest cryptographer
of the 17th
646
00:35:30,640 --> 00:35:33,070
century he came up with a code that was
647
00:35:33,070 --> 00:35:35,650
so complex that after it fell out of
648
00:35:35,650 --> 00:35:38,470
regular use it baffles cryptographers
649
00:35:38,470 --> 00:35:42,070
for centuries
it was called the great
650
00:35:42,070 --> 00:35:47,890
cipher all this secrecy sounds extreme
651
00:35:47,890 --> 00:35:52,260
but it worked after
all Louis wasn't
652
00:35:52,260 --> 00:35:55,260
assassinated
653
00:35:55,869 --> 00:35:59,410
but the
Kings paranoia grew in this
654
00:35:59,410 --> 00:36:03,069
world of fear and intrigue who could he
655
00:36:03,069 --> 00:36:12,130
rely on as so often
Louie didn't put his
656
00:36:12,130 --> 00:36:13,900
trust in the most
powerful men in the
657
00:36:13,900 --> 00:36:17,589
land potential rivals all but those with
658
00:36:17,589 --> 00:36:19,630
whom
he spent his most intimate hours
659
00:36:19,630 --> 00:36:28,029
his chosen servants and there was one
660
00:36:28,029 --> 00:36:31,259
servant who was
forever by Louis side
661
00:36:31,259 --> 00:36:35,549
his valet for over 40 years
662
00:36:35,549 --> 00:36:39,759
Alexander Banton
bomb top was the first
663
00:36:39,759 --> 00:36:41,499
to see the
King in the morning and the
664
00:36:41,499 --> 00:36:44,410
last to tuck him up in bed at night he
665
00:36:44,410 --> 00:36:46,599
was one of
the few people allowed to go
666
00:36:46,599 --> 00:36:48,190
through
the gate in the golden
667
00:36:48,190 --> 00:36:51,519
balustrade into the
king's private area
668
00:36:51,519 --> 00:36:53,890
that the bedchamber bond told himself
669
00:36:53,890 --> 00:36:57,099
slept just here on a camp bed
670
00:36:57,099 --> 00:36:59,680
the
first Valley was the only person
671
00:36:59,680 --> 00:37:01,869
allowed to sleep in the Kings bedchamber
672
00:37:01,869 --> 00:37:04,799
not even the Queen could do that
673
00:37:04,799 --> 00:37:08,079
constantly
vigilant attentive to every
674
00:37:08,079 --> 00:37:17,829
need
he was like a faithful old hound my
675
00:37:17,829 --> 00:37:24,150
god Charlotte yes it's a ray of sunshine
676
00:37:25,170 --> 00:37:27,489
Bolton's devotion to
Louis
677
00:37:27,489 --> 00:37:29,619
dominated his life
almost to the
678
00:37:29,619 --> 00:37:32,529
exclusion of his own family when asked
679
00:37:32,529 --> 00:37:34,569
one day
how his wife was doing he
680
00:37:34,569 --> 00:37:38,489
automatically replied I'll ask the
king
681
00:37:38,489 --> 00:37:42,009
you have
a woman my wife lives in Paris
682
00:37:42,009 --> 00:37:45,519
with you
I live with the king now I am
683
00:37:45,519 --> 00:37:46,210
confused
684
00:37:46,210 --> 00:37:49,630
wherever the Kingsley precisely as this
685
00:37:49,630 --> 00:37:52,619
is as far
as I go
686
00:37:53,630 --> 00:37:59,070
his bed must
be very crowded Banton knew
687
00:37:59,070 --> 00:38:01,680
everything about the Kings most private
688
00:38:01,680 --> 00:38:04,890
affairs
all personal correspondence went
689
00:38:04,890 --> 00:38:07,320
through his hands
and he acted as a
690
00:38:07,320 --> 00:38:10,830
go-between for Louie and his lovers it
691
00:38:10,830 --> 00:38:13,290
was said that
bond tom was most secret
692
00:38:13,290 --> 00:38:16,470
most faithful and entirely devoted to
693
00:38:16,470 --> 00:38:20,310
the King this was one of Louie's closest
694
00:38:20,310 --> 00:38:25,310
relationships
pull up a chair
695
00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:31,490
I said a chair not still a chair with
696
00:38:31,490 --> 00:38:33,670
arms
697
00:38:38,890 --> 00:38:42,020
their King may sit next to his majesty
698
00:38:42,020 --> 00:38:43,760
in
the chow hall you are more than a
699
00:38:43,760 --> 00:38:46,030
king
700
00:38:46,600 --> 00:38:50,080
you're my friend
701
00:39:02,830 --> 00:39:05,990
so could louis xiv and his trusty valet
702
00:39:05,990 --> 00:39:08,180
really have been friends what do you
703
00:39:08,180 --> 00:39:10,340
think
Kings were surrounded by servants
704
00:39:10,340 --> 00:39:12,830
all the time there was huge intimacy
705
00:39:12,830 --> 00:39:15,500
there but real friendship
the difference
706
00:39:15,500 --> 00:39:17,150
in status made that much more
707
00:39:17,150 --> 00:39:18,050
complicated
708
00:39:18,050 --> 00:39:20,660
it does seem though that
Louis was more
709
00:39:20,660 --> 00:39:22,910
at ease with his retainers than almost
710
00:39:22,910 --> 00:39:25,040
anyone else
ah and there is the evidence
711
00:39:25,040 --> 00:39:27,710
of the Duke of San Simeon who says that
712
00:39:27,710 --> 00:39:29,600
the
King loved his servants more than
713
00:39:29,600 --> 00:39:33,410
his own children
in return for his
714
00:39:33,410 --> 00:39:36,410
devoted
service Louis showered bontar
715
00:39:36,410 --> 00:39:39,650
with gifts of
land titles and lucrative
716
00:39:39,650 --> 00:39:44,030
posts
Banton could even afford a
717
00:39:44,030 --> 00:39:47,090
townhouse
in Paris with his own staff of
718
00:39:47,090 --> 00:39:51,530
twelve Louie didn't just elevate his
719
00:39:51,530 --> 00:39:53,810
personal servants he made a point of
720
00:39:53,810 --> 00:39:55,790
promoting ministers for more humble
721
00:39:55,790 --> 00:39:57,950
backgrounds
and his decision to promote
722
00:39:57,950 --> 00:40:00,140
them at the expense
of his Nobles
723
00:40:00,140 --> 00:40:02,360
brought
about a change in the way that
724
00:40:02,360 --> 00:40:04,490
fonts was governed it began what the
725
00:40:04,490 --> 00:40:06,170
resentful
sassy monk called
726
00:40:06,170 --> 00:40:12,730
the reign of the
vile bourgeoisie Louie
727
00:40:12,730 --> 00:40:15,290
transformed life at court
down to the
728
00:40:15,290 --> 00:40:19,490
smallest detail
he even changed what
729
00:40:19,490 --> 00:40:23,000
people wore from the hats on their heads
730
00:40:23,000 --> 00:40:27,280
to
the shoes on their feet
731
00:40:27,470 --> 00:40:31,259
Luise own love of drama and splendor was
732
00:40:31,259 --> 00:40:34,730
reflected
in his wardrobe
733
00:40:43,520 --> 00:40:47,790
this was power dressing
Louie the 14th
734
00:40:47,790 --> 00:40:50,420
style
735
00:40:50,670 --> 00:40:53,730
I must tell you all
I believe that very
736
00:40:53,730 --> 00:40:55,380
soon we shall have a revolution in our
737
00:40:55,380 --> 00:40:59,910
country the world knows France to be a
738
00:40:59,910 --> 00:41:02,549
master of
the battlefield the one
739
00:41:02,549 --> 00:41:04,260
glimpse around this glorious
place will
740
00:41:04,260 --> 00:41:07,109
tell you soon it will
be our textile
741
00:41:07,109 --> 00:41:09,029
Mercer's and our master tailors who
742
00:41:09,029 --> 00:41:11,430
shall transform the world
our fashions
743
00:41:11,430 --> 00:41:13,650
will be revered just as much for their
744
00:41:13,650 --> 00:41:19,859
beauty elegance
refinement and grace the
745
00:41:19,859 --> 00:41:24,750
finest in the world to
achieve his ends
746
00:41:24,750 --> 00:41:29,000
Louis introduced a strict new dress code
747
00:41:29,000 --> 00:41:31,650
we are trying it on for size with the
748
00:41:31,650 --> 00:41:35,839
help of costume historian
Mark Wallace
749
00:41:35,839 --> 00:41:39,420
how did he make his Porteous look the
750
00:41:39,420 --> 00:41:41,760
way
that he wanted them to by the Royal
751
00:41:41,760 --> 00:41:43,589
edict
you cannot wear anything not made
752
00:41:43,589 --> 00:41:45,240
of French manufacture so if you're
753
00:41:45,240 --> 00:41:46,260
caught wearing
something made from a
754
00:41:46,260 --> 00:41:47,640
different
country if we take off and
755
00:41:47,640 --> 00:41:50,609
burnt and find of
course - it is
756
00:41:50,609 --> 00:41:51,990
something that never had happened before
757
00:41:51,990 --> 00:41:54,480
we should to invent a court uniform
758
00:41:54,480 --> 00:41:56,490
covers just a court a breve now these
759
00:41:56,490 --> 00:41:59,460
coats are entirely new made of blue
760
00:41:59,460 --> 00:42:02,160
cloth covered in gold and silver
lined
761
00:42:02,160 --> 00:42:04,589
with red only
fifty men the king they're
762
00:42:04,589 --> 00:42:06,779
all
Dukes the princes etc were allowed
763
00:42:06,779 --> 00:42:09,000
to
wear this coat that really showed you
764
00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:10,349
were in
with the in crowd and if you
765
00:42:10,349 --> 00:42:12,210
died your coat we handed on to the next
766
00:42:12,210 --> 00:42:13,980
person
considered suitable enough to
767
00:42:13,980 --> 00:42:16,109
wear
it so he sees hidden the carrot and
768
00:42:16,109 --> 00:42:18,000
the stick they want to look like that
769
00:42:18,000 --> 00:42:19,380
part of the club they want to look
good
770
00:42:19,380 --> 00:42:21,480
and if they break the rules they get
771
00:42:21,480 --> 00:42:21,960
fined
772
00:42:21,960 --> 00:42:23,849
yes
and of course it suited Louis ego
773
00:42:23,849 --> 00:42:25,680
the more
splendid his court looked the
774
00:42:25,680 --> 00:42:27,569
better he looked and was the envy
of all
775
00:42:27,569 --> 00:42:31,500
Christian
princes thanks to Louie France
776
00:42:31,500 --> 00:42:33,390
became the capital of
oak Kuchar
777
00:42:33,390 --> 00:42:36,319
something it's remained to this
day and
778
00:42:36,319 --> 00:42:38,910
Louis
found that forcing his courtiers
779
00:42:38,910 --> 00:42:43,670
to follow fashion had other advantages
780
00:42:45,610 --> 00:42:47,620
so how much
of an investment would an
781
00:42:47,620 --> 00:42:49,060
outfit like
this of be so you have
782
00:42:49,060 --> 00:42:50,830
around your your
color of is Bertha as
783
00:42:50,830 --> 00:42:52,270
it's known this would be the equivalent
784
00:42:52,270 --> 00:42:54,730
around your shoulders of
perhaps very
785
00:42:54,730 --> 00:42:56,620
expensive sports car
perhaps even a
786
00:42:56,620 --> 00:42:57,070
yacht
787
00:42:57,070 --> 00:42:59,410
you also have lace upon your gown down
788
00:42:59,410 --> 00:43:01,180
the
front and all around the hem of the
789
00:43:01,180 --> 00:43:04,120
skirt
again just to show your wealth or
790
00:43:04,120 --> 00:43:05,530
your husband's wealth and your
791
00:43:05,530 --> 00:43:08,620
extravagance
how turning to Lucy again
792
00:43:08,620 --> 00:43:10,390
with
your coat made of silk and of
793
00:43:10,390 --> 00:43:12,460
course the gold galloon running down the
794
00:43:12,460 --> 00:43:15,220
front vertically on your coat
the
795
00:43:15,220 --> 00:43:17,950
wonderful detail lots of buttons
made in
796
00:43:17,950 --> 00:43:20,380
France of gold so really everything is
797
00:43:20,380 --> 00:43:22,630
the
best yet you've got to afford not
798
00:43:22,630 --> 00:43:24,820
just one outfit you had to have lots of
799
00:43:24,820 --> 00:43:26,260
different
outfits for lots of different
800
00:43:26,260 --> 00:43:30,000
occasions
all of which cost a fortune
801
00:43:34,470 --> 00:43:38,260
this one is nice
will be more than just
802
00:43:38,260 --> 00:43:40,420
a dress
a filigree bracelet and a
803
00:43:40,420 --> 00:43:43,210
necklace of diamonds believe me
but how
804
00:43:43,210 --> 00:43:48,570
will we pay me worry about that
805
00:43:50,060 --> 00:43:52,470
what happened if they couldn't
afford it
806
00:43:52,470 --> 00:43:53,910
we're so expensive it would bankrupt
807
00:43:53,910 --> 00:43:56,010
people so you borrow from the king at a
808
00:43:56,010 --> 00:43:57,810
certain interest level
and that gets you
809
00:43:57,810 --> 00:44:00,090
deeper in
your a roll circle of debt on
810
00:44:00,090 --> 00:44:01,320
you it's
incredible how he managed it
811
00:44:01,320 --> 00:44:04,910
like the spider and the great golden web
812
00:44:06,290 --> 00:44:10,110
it was typically clever
of Louie to use
813
00:44:10,110 --> 00:44:12,600
fashion to
show off his courtiers wealth
814
00:44:12,600 --> 00:44:15,480
while at the same
time stripping it away
815
00:44:15,480 --> 00:44:18,270
from them
as one Marquess said no one at
816
00:44:18,270 --> 00:44:20,490
Versailles was really rich because
817
00:44:20,490 --> 00:44:25,040
they'd spent their fortunes
on all this
818
00:44:32,780 --> 00:44:36,480
the ruthless side of Louie's nature was
819
00:44:36,480 --> 00:44:38,460
also evident in
his treatment of his
820
00:44:38,460 --> 00:44:42,710
closest relative his brother Philippe
821
00:44:42,710 --> 00:44:45,540
now give
it to me I knew it the minute
822
00:44:45,540 --> 00:44:48,800
you
get the chance you belittle me again
823
00:44:48,800 --> 00:44:53,250
brother the magic word what is it do not
824
00:44:53,250 --> 00:44:56,360
forget who addresses you
825
00:45:04,540 --> 00:45:08,500
you never
were good at sharing
826
00:45:09,550 --> 00:45:12,110
throughout history
the relationship
827
00:45:12,110 --> 00:45:13,910
between a king and his younger brother
828
00:45:13,910 --> 00:45:17,630
has been tricky it's no fun being the
829
00:45:17,630 --> 00:45:20,150
spare when he want to
be the heir and
830
00:45:20,150 --> 00:45:22,820
the relationship between Louis and his
831
00:45:22,820 --> 00:45:27,400
younger brother
was understandably tense
832
00:45:38,380 --> 00:45:42,410
it's hard to be a king try being a
833
00:45:42,410 --> 00:45:47,120
king's brother for a day the differences
834
00:45:47,120 --> 00:45:49,280
between Louie and Philippe were clear
835
00:45:49,280 --> 00:45:54,110
from very early
on here's Louie as a
836
00:45:54,110 --> 00:45:56,390
little boy and he's already
dressed as a
837
00:45:56,390 --> 00:45:58,550
little king in his beautiful leather
838
00:45:58,550 --> 00:46:00,890
boots
his red breeches with gold
839
00:46:00,890 --> 00:46:03,770
fringing his hat
with the white plume
840
00:46:03,770 --> 00:46:06,830
and at first
glance you might assume
841
00:46:06,830 --> 00:46:09,500
that
this is his sister he looks like a
842
00:46:09,500 --> 00:46:12,110
girl with pink cheeks and wearing a
843
00:46:12,110 --> 00:46:14,990
dress
but actually it's Louie's younger
844
00:46:14,990 --> 00:46:18,290
brother
Philippe now don't read too much
845
00:46:18,290 --> 00:46:20,120
into this little boys in the 17th
846
00:46:20,120 --> 00:46:22,550
century were put in dresses until they
847
00:46:22,550 --> 00:46:24,410
were
old enough to be breached at the
848
00:46:24,410 --> 00:46:26,840
age of
7 put into a man's clothing or
849
00:46:26,840 --> 00:46:29,510
breeches but in this case the boy's
850
00:46:29,510 --> 00:46:31,520
mother
was determined that Philippe
851
00:46:31,520 --> 00:46:33,980
should never present a threat to Louie
852
00:46:33,980 --> 00:46:37,310
to this end she nurtured his feminine
853
00:46:37,310 --> 00:46:40,610
side she called him my little girl and
854
00:46:40,610 --> 00:46:42,620
she always encouraged him to
wear
855
00:46:42,620 --> 00:46:46,880
dresses this
had a lasting impact on
856
00:46:46,880 --> 00:46:50,800
Philippe Philippe
you don't
857
00:46:53,130 --> 00:46:56,160
as an adult
Felipe's sometimes chose to
858
00:46:56,160 --> 00:46:59,190
dress
up as a woman and he loved ladies
859
00:46:59,190 --> 00:47:01,849
clothing
860
00:47:02,280 --> 00:47:05,740
one quart chronicler said that he would
861
00:47:05,740 --> 00:47:08,680
always decked out
like a woman covered
862
00:47:08,680 --> 00:47:10,600
everywhere with rings bracelets
and
863
00:47:10,600 --> 00:47:13,540
jewels with a long black wig
he also
864
00:47:13,540 --> 00:47:16,240
wore such high heels that
he looked like
865
00:47:16,240 --> 00:47:18,970
he was
wearing stilts so good of you to
866
00:47:18,970 --> 00:47:19,510
come
867
00:47:19,510 --> 00:47:26,700
pleasure he spent
15,000 on shoes well
868
00:47:26,700 --> 00:47:30,029
you haven't
seen the shoes
869
00:47:30,029 --> 00:47:32,819
madame de lafayette said that the
870
00:47:32,819 --> 00:47:35,279
miracle of inflaming the
heart of this
871
00:47:35,279 --> 00:47:40,279
prince was not reserved for any woman
872
00:47:40,279 --> 00:47:43,049
Philippe was married to Henriette of
873
00:47:43,049 --> 00:47:45,959
England
but his true love was the
874
00:47:45,959 --> 00:47:49,009
Chevalier de Lorraine
a handsome
875
00:47:49,009 --> 00:47:52,319
blond-haired nobleman
of princely rank
876
00:47:52,319 --> 00:47:55,289
he'd lived with Philippe
who was a sort
877
00:47:55,289 --> 00:47:59,059
of male official mistress
878
00:47:59,450 --> 00:48:03,730
it was a crowded
marriage
879
00:48:05,460 --> 00:48:08,540
phillipe flaunted his femininity
880
00:48:08,540 --> 00:48:11,220
everybody knew that he had male lovers
881
00:48:11,220 --> 00:48:13,170
on the
one hand this was an
882
00:48:13,170 --> 00:48:15,390
embarrassment
to Louie but on the other
883
00:48:15,390 --> 00:48:17,970
it meant that Philippe served as a foil
884
00:48:17,970 --> 00:48:20,280
to the king they were two halves of a
885
00:48:20,280 --> 00:48:22,830
whole
a perfect double act Philippe's
886
00:48:22,830 --> 00:48:25,200
lack of manliness only served to
887
00:48:25,200 --> 00:48:29,820
emphasise Louie's masculinity but as it
888
00:48:29,820 --> 00:48:32,010
turned out and perhaps surprisingly for
889
00:48:32,010 --> 00:48:33,740
a man who loved shoes so much
890
00:48:33,740 --> 00:48:36,780
Philippe would upstage his brother in
891
00:48:36,780 --> 00:48:41,040
one
crucial area Philippe dreamed of
892
00:48:41,040 --> 00:48:47,280
being a soldier
in the 1670s when France
893
00:48:47,280 --> 00:48:49,890
was
at war with Holland he demanded to
894
00:48:49,890 --> 00:48:57,119
join the action I have a sort armor and
895
00:48:57,119 --> 00:48:59,849
a horse why the delay
when will I go to
896
00:48:59,849 --> 00:49:03,420
war
the king is not yet sir to date what
897
00:49:03,420 --> 00:49:06,440
am I
supposed to do until then
898
00:49:07,940 --> 00:49:11,760
in the spring of 1677
the French
899
00:49:11,760 --> 00:49:13,920
launched a rapid
attack on enemy-held
900
00:49:13,920 --> 00:49:17,450
towns in northern France
901
00:49:20,330 --> 00:49:23,240
Philippe was finally posted to the front
902
00:49:23,240 --> 00:49:25,480
line
903
00:49:28,359 --> 00:49:31,460
at the Battle of Cassell he commanded
904
00:49:31,460 --> 00:49:35,890
the troops
and personally led the charge
905
00:49:44,249 --> 00:49:46,509
eyewitnesses said that he charged
like a
906
00:49:46,509 --> 00:49:48,819
grenadiers Phillippe fought so bravely
907
00:49:48,819 --> 00:49:51,190
that his troops were inspired to perform
908
00:49:51,190 --> 00:49:53,430
miracles
909
00:49:58,430 --> 00:50:01,190
the result a complete victory
against
910
00:50:01,190 --> 00:50:03,460
the
Dutch
911
00:50:05,300 --> 00:50:07,470
afterwards
on the road back to Paris
912
00:50:07,470 --> 00:50:09,750
people shouted long live the king and
913
00:50:09,750 --> 00:50:13,410
Monsieur who won the battle Louie didn't
914
00:50:13,410 --> 00:50:16,070
like
the sound of that
915
00:50:25,750 --> 00:50:28,550
Louie made sure that when the Battle of
916
00:50:28,550 --> 00:50:31,640
castle was painted it represented his
917
00:50:31,640 --> 00:50:35,810
version of events
in this glorious
918
00:50:35,810 --> 00:50:38,810
painting the battle rages
a gun is fired
919
00:50:38,810 --> 00:50:42,500
and a soldier falls and here in the
920
00:50:42,500 --> 00:50:44,690
thick of
the fighting is the king on his
921
00:50:44,690 --> 00:50:49,190
walls in his white plumed hat but in
922
00:50:49,190 --> 00:50:52,340
life not art
Louie wasn't even there the
923
00:50:52,340 --> 00:50:54,260
hero of
the hour was Philippe and
924
00:50:54,260 --> 00:50:59,480
where's he here stuck in the corner in
925
00:50:59,480 --> 00:51:02,020
his brother's shadow
926
00:51:03,340 --> 00:51:05,800
Sene nursing a bump on the head at
927
00:51:05,800 --> 00:51:08,440
Versailles
Louis receives word of his
928
00:51:08,440 --> 00:51:12,700
brother's victory we report with joy the
929
00:51:12,700 --> 00:51:14,650
success of the Kings in future
he
930
00:51:14,650 --> 00:51:17,650
against the troops of
the Spanish siege
931
00:51:17,650 --> 00:51:20,170
is now laid to the tone of
Cambre at
932
00:51:20,170 --> 00:51:24,250
last
some good news most remarkable of
933
00:51:24,250 --> 00:51:26,950
all heroes present in the King's name is
934
00:51:26,950 --> 00:51:29,620
His Majesty's own brother
Prince Philip
935
00:51:29,620 --> 00:51:32,680
the
Duke of all Lille who has shown
936
00:51:32,680 --> 00:51:34,300
bravery on the battlefield
937
00:51:34,300 --> 00:51:37,150
that's enough news whenever a true and
938
00:51:37,150 --> 00:51:41,230
everlasting hero
I said enough and so it
939
00:51:41,230 --> 00:51:44,380
was in real life Louis was so jealous of
940
00:51:44,380 --> 00:51:46,210
his little
brothers achievement that he
941
00:51:46,210 --> 00:51:48,430
never again put him in charge
of an army
942
00:51:48,430 --> 00:51:53,100
no one could outshine the Sun King
943
00:51:53,680 --> 00:51:56,920
if Louie was the
Sun Philippe was the
944
00:51:56,920 --> 00:51:59,740
moon only
allowed to shine in his
945
00:51:59,740 --> 00:52:03,270
brothers reflected glory
946
00:52:12,850 --> 00:52:16,790
at first sigh everyone revolved around
947
00:52:16,790 --> 00:52:20,540
the Sun King Louie officially moved the
948
00:52:20,540 --> 00:52:22,460
seat of
government and installed his
949
00:52:22,460 --> 00:52:26,780
court here in 1684
and for the remaining
950
00:52:26,780 --> 00:52:30,110
30 years of his reign he only returned
951
00:52:30,110 --> 00:52:30,920
to Paris
952
00:52:30,920 --> 00:52:33,760
eight times
it was a staggering
953
00:52:33,760 --> 00:52:35,660
transformation in the way
the French
954
00:52:35,660 --> 00:52:39,410
monarchy ruled Louis had created the
955
00:52:39,410 --> 00:52:42,590
ultimate power base five thousand souls
956
00:52:42,590 --> 00:52:46,690
living firmly underneath
the royal thumb
957
00:52:46,690 --> 00:52:49,700
it's tempting to
see all this crazy
958
00:52:49,700 --> 00:52:52,520
ritual
and extravagance as just another
959
00:52:52,520 --> 00:52:55,460
example of absolute power corrupted
960
00:52:55,460 --> 00:52:57,980
absolutely you'd think that this
961
00:52:57,980 --> 00:53:01,160
combination
of luxury and cruelty would
962
00:53:01,160 --> 00:53:03,890
lead to
violent collapse but in Louie's
963
00:53:03,890 --> 00:53:06,710
case it didn't
the country was no longer
964
00:53:06,710 --> 00:53:09,620
torn apart by feuding Nobles and France
965
00:53:09,620 --> 00:53:11,960
became renowned for
its culture and
966
00:53:11,960 --> 00:53:14,810
sophistication
on his deathbed Louis
967
00:53:14,810 --> 00:53:17,990
pronounced
I depart but the states will
968
00:53:17,990 --> 00:53:21,620
always remain
well remain it did at
969
00:53:21,620 --> 00:53:24,170
least for a while
and what will surely
970
00:53:24,170 --> 00:53:27,230
always remain is Louie's Palace of
971
00:53:27,230 --> 00:53:29,740
Versailles
972
00:53:41,960 --> 00:53:44,450
could you survive as a court yet at the
973
00:53:44,450 --> 00:53:47,089
Sun
King in Versailles go online and
974
00:53:47,089 --> 00:53:50,780
test yourself
at BBC couch UK / I wonder
975
00:53:50,780 --> 00:53:53,089
and the first episode of BBC Two's
976
00:53:53,089 --> 00:53:55,460
sumptuous an epic new drama
Versailles
977
00:53:55,460 --> 00:53:59,830
is available now on BBC iPlayer
978
00:54:00,600 --> 00:00:00,000
you
110836