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Love and Louis XIV
Love and Louis XIV: The Women in the Life of the Sun King | Antonia Fraser
The superb historian and biographer Antonia Fraser, author of Marie Antoinette, casts new light on the splendor and the scandals of the reign of Louis XIV in this dramatic, illuminating look at the women in his life. The self-proclaimed Sun King, Louis XIV ruled over the most glorious and extravagant court in seventeenth-century Europe. Now, Antonia Fraser goes behind the well-known tales of Louiss accomplishments and follies, exploring in riveting detail his intimate relationships with women. The kings mother, Anne of Austria, had been in a childless marriage for twenty-two years before she gave birth to Louis XIV. A devout Catholic, she instilled in her son a strong sense of piety and fought successfully for his right to absolute power. In 1660, Louis married his first cousin, Marie-Thrse, in a political arrangement. While unfailingly kind to the official Queen of Versailles, Louis sought others to satisfy his romantic and sexual desires. After a flirtation with his sister-in-law, his first important mistress was Louise de La Vallire, who bore him several children before being replaced by the tempestuous and brilliant Athnas, marquise de Montespan. Later, when Athnass reputation was tarnished, the King continued to support her publicly as Athnas left court for a life of repentance. Meanwhile her childrens governess, the intelligent and seemingly puritanical Franoise de Maintenon, had already won the Kings affections; in a relationship in complete contrast to his physical obsession with Athnas, Louis XIV lived happily with Madame de Maintenon for the rest of his life, very probably marrying her in secret. When his grandsons child bride, the enchanting Adelaide of Savoy, came to Versaille she lightened the Kings last years until tragedy struck. With consummate skill, Antonia Fraser weaves insights into the nature of womens religious lives as well as such practical matters as contraception into her magnificent, sweeping portrait of the king, his court, and his ladies. From the Hardcover edition.
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Chrys
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Pickpick

A well researched & readable book focusing on the ladies in his life rather than just Louis. At times his affairs were so theatrical it sounded like a comedy, I lol‘d when the king, his wife, & 2 mistresses had to share a room while on a military campaign & pretend it was all normal & fine. It did get a bit confusing at the end with the number of people with similar names, but that is not the authors fault. And she does include a list to help.

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Mediaevalgirl
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Pickpick

This was an incredibly solid, well researched, good book. I have been to Versailles and always wanted to know more about Louis XIV, and this book not only provided insight to his life and times, but the women in his life. Louis surrounded himself and was influenced by some incredibly strong women - from his mother, Anne of Austria to his clandestine wife, Madame de Maintenon. The genealogy can get a bit confusing but it‘s worth the perseverance!

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Mediaevalgirl
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This arrived today. Happy Sunday to me! 🤗❤️🇫🇷

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TrishB
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#novemberbythenumbers #fourteen
@JoeStalksBeck @Tiffy_Reads
Brought after Paris trip and still on tbr!!

Cinfhen Great cover 😍awesome choice 6y
LeahBergen His mistresses were fascinating. I should read this! 6y
Caroline2 It's good but a bit long winded and dry at times! 6y
TrishB @Caroline2 I may dip in and out 👍 6y
Cathythoughts Very good 👏👏👏 6y
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actualdisneyprincess
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Pickpick

This was fascinating, and Fraser's writing is eminently readable as well as besutiful, but I'm happy to get back to fiction for awhile. (Although, let's be honest here and say that the court of Louis XIV absolutely would have been the perfect fodder for reality television!) #loveandlouisxiv #antoniafraser

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actualdisneyprincess
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As readable as this is, I really have to admit that I'm still sort of fighting my way through it - it's not that I don't want to read it, because I do, and I want to finish it before it has to go back to the library. I just really want to read all of the novels waiting for me, too. #firstworldproblems #loveandlouisxiv #antoniafraser

VinceReads I‘m familiar with this problem. 6y
actualdisneyprincess @VinceReads there are just so many good things to read!!! 😩 6y
4 likes2 comments
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actualdisneyprincess
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Antonia Fraser makes non-fiction so totally readable. This is such fun. (Thank God; it means I actually have a chance of finishing it before I have to return it! 😂) #loveandlouisxiv #antoniafraser

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actualdisneyprincess
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Finally picking this one up again - because shock of shocks, it's due in three days and has already been renewed twice, since as y'all know, I let my library TBR pile get out. of. control. - and hoping to be able to get this one and the other one in the same situation done by the 8th! (I feel like a failure when I return library books without having read them, especially when I've had them for a w h i l e. 😂) #loveandlouisxiv #antoniafraser

Reviewsbylola I‘d say I️ probably return half of my library books unread. 😂 6y
actualdisneyprincess @Reviewsbylola I try to tell myself it's okay!! 😂 And then I panic and convince myself it isn't. I'm a mess. 😂 6y
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Caroline2
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this book! It gives a very detailed account of life at the court of Louis XIV. It occasionally rambles on and goes into too much detail but still a great read! 👍🏻

rubyslippersreads Such lovely books in the background. 😍 7y
TrishB I've got this ready too after visiting Versailles! Not got to it yet! 7y
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TrishB
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#setinfrance #JubilantJuly
@RealLifeReading
I've read the Marie Antoinette one, the other arrived this week as a must have buy from my recent visit to Versailles!

rubyslippersreads 😍📚😍 7y
LeahBergen Lovely!! 7y
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TrishB
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#whattaman #90sinJuly
@Cinfhen @Robothugs
Come back from Versailles with a 'got to read some more about that nutter King!!' Have ordered this just to know a bit more!

MicheleinPhilly Nutter King! I have a new form of address for our current leader. 🙌🏼 7y
TrishB @MicheleinPhilly amazing how history is littered with power mad leaders.... 7y
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Caroline2 Oh I'm off to Versailles at the end of July and I've got that book on my bedside table ready to take with me!!! 😆👌🏻 7y
TrishB @Caroline2 oh fab!! It will be great to read at the same time. It's an amazing place! BTW - will be emailing tomorrow as I'm just back home! 😀 7y
Caroline2 Okey dokey, no rush tho! I know how hectic it can be when you've just got home, it always seems to take my brain a couple of days to readjust after a holiday! 😆 7y
TrishB @Caroline2 My Litsy emails will be the highlight of my day 😀 7y
DrSabrinaMoldenReads I too came back from Versailles captivated by its stories. 7y
TrishB @Joyfulmimi it's wonderful isn't it 😀 Just walking down the Hall of Mirrors and imagining it then! 7y
DrSabrinaMoldenReads It was many years ago when I went but I read a lot of books about Marie Antoinette. Her story and personality are really interesting to me. @TrishB 7y
TrishB @Joyfulmimi I have read a couple on her - fascinating! 7y
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Librarybelle
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I feel like the sordid royal love affairs, especially the live affairs of long ago, qualify for #taintedlove. So many strings attached, and if the king gets a little tired of you, well.... #JuneTunz

Cinfhen Ha! If they weren't trying to #RuleTheWorld they were trying to #GetYouInBed 7y
Librarybelle That's good, @Cinfhen ! 😆 7y
Andrew65 😂 7y
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actualdisneyprincess
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A perusal of my shelves didn't yield anything that really fit - except "A Thousand Splendid Suns," which I considered, but since I want to read as many new-to-me books as possible for this, I turned to Goodreads and spotted this. Not ~quite as good a match as it could be for the day's theme, but I can't help it - royal history gets me every time. ? #maybookflowers #sunshine

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hollytucker
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Pickpick

The Sun King had so many lovers. Some beautiful, some not, some kind, some ruthless. Fraser does a great job getting them all together in one place. Superb research, though at times dense. # history #france

BethFishReads I've read her before -- Tudors? -- and remember really liking her writing 7y
hollytucker She has amazing breadth. Mostly early English history, so I was initially surprised to see her in France. But this book has become the reference for Louis's love life. 7y
TrishB Loved her Mary Queen of Scots one and Marie Antionette one too. 7y
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DebinHawaii Welcome to Litsy! Great pic! 🎉📚👍😀 7y
readeatretreat You've reminded me to reread The Weaker Vessel! Fraser is brilliant. 7y
zsuzsanna_reads Fraser is one of my favourite authors for historical non-fiction. Her book on the Gunpowder Plot was great too. 7y
LeahBergen I should read this! I read and enjoyed The Wives of Henry VIII and Warrior Queens. 7y
MrBook Welcome to @Litsy !!! We hope you enjoy your stay 😊👍🏻. 7y
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Shazzer
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I was bored by Versailles on BBC. Not sure what the Daily Mail fuss is about. It's just boobs and frocks. Anyhow I saw this book in the library. Really enjoyed it. Interesting how each of his long term lovers were what he needed at that time in his life. Mind you with all the ruling of his people, taking lovers, building Versailles, declaring war on neighbouring countries it's a miracle the man didn't die of exhaustion