What His Majesty King Louis XIV Was at the Age of Twenty-Two explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• The Nature of Kingship

  Louis XIV's struggle for authority is evident as he feels overshadowed by Mazarin and asserts his will by leaving the reception, marking his early steps toward absolute rule.

• Court Intrigue and Deception

  The seating arrangement designed to humiliate the king, Mazarin's manipulation of the nobles, and the historical memory of the Guise assassination all underscore the deceptive and dangerous nature of court life.

• Class and Social Mobility

  The presentation of provincial nobles and the contrast between Parisian and Blois fashions highlight the social hierarchies and the gap between the court and the provinces.

Characters to notice

• Louis XIV

  The young king, aged twenty-two, is short but noble, observant of court dynamics, and feels overshadowed by Mazarin. He is bored by the provincial reception and asserts his authority by leaving early.

• Gaston d'Orléans

  The Duke of Orléans, uncle of the king, welcomes Louis to Blois with dignity and later shows him the site of the Duc de Guise's assassination.

• Henrietta of England

  Madame, the king's aunt, hosts the reception and presents the ladies of the court to Louis, including Louise de La Vallière.

• Jules Mazarin

  Cardinal Mazarin is present, overshadowing the king with his knowledge of the provincial nobles and their affairs, reinforcing his political dominance.

• Louise de La Vallière

  A young Blaisoise lady presented to the king; she is timid and graceful, catching Louis's attention despite Madame's mundane introduction.

• Mademoiselle de Montalais

  Presented as a young lady of rank and good attendant to Madame; she curtsies deeply, hiding her amusement at the formalities.

• D'Artagnan

  The officer of the musketeers who reads the king's desire to leave and boldly commands 'On the king's service,' enabling Louis to exit the reception.

• Anne of Austria

  The queen mother is present, exchanging looks with Mazarin when the king decides to leave, showing her role in the court's power dynamics.

Key passages

• “the most skillful physiognomists, those divers into the soul, on fixing their looks upon it, if it had been possible for a subject to sustain the glance of the king—the most skillful physiognomists, we say, would never have been able to fathom the depths of that abyss of mildness.”

  Even the most perceptive observers, if they dared to meet the king's gaze, could not penetrate the profound calm in his eyes.

  Describes the enigmatic and serene quality of Louis XIV's gaze, hinting at hidden depths.

• “It was with the eyes of the king as with the immense depths of the azure heavens, or with those more terrific, and almost as sublime, which the Mediterranean reveals under the keels of its ships in a clear summer day, a gigantic mirror in which heaven delights to reflect sometimes its stars, sometimes its storms.”

  The king's eyes were like the vast blue sky or the Mediterranean Sea, reflecting both calm and turmoil.

  A poetic comparison emphasizing the duality and majesty of the king's expression.

• “the king remarked that his mother and he scarcely knew the names of any of the persons who were presented to them; whilst the cardinal, on the contrary, never failed, with an admirable memory and presence of mind, to talk to everyone about his estates, his ancestors, or his children, some of whom he named, which enchanted those worthy country gentlemen, and confirmed them in the idea that he alone is truly king who knows his subjects, from the same reason that the sun has no rival, because the sun alone warms and lightens.”

  The king and his mother barely knew the names of those presented, while Cardinal Mazarin impressed everyone by recalling details about their families and estates, reinforcing the belief that he was the true ruler.

  Highlights Mazarin's political acumen and the contrast with the young king's inexperience.