Versailles is a marquee entity in the world of history. People are endlessly fascinated by the Palace of Versailles (and its endless gardens) and the complex and dramatic court that lived there for over a century. It should come as no surprise then that the period drama Versailles is a very popular show. Set during Louis XIV’s reign, it follows the infamous French king, the building of his palace, and the dramatic episodes of the court. And much of it was actually filmed at Versailles, setting it apart from a lot of period dramas that have subbed backdrops. If you are a fan of Versailles, this is the post for you- these are the best books if you love Versailles. And given that this is going live on 5 September, the anniversary of Louis XIV’s birthday, there is no better day!
Versailles, Colin Jones
Nothing represents the glorious and fraught history of France quite like the Palace of Versailles. Made famous by the absolutist king Louis XIV, Versailles became legendary for the splendor of its revels — but then, after the Revolution of 1789, it fell into disrepute as a reminder of royal excess and abuse of power. Subsequent French governments struggled with how to handle the opulent palace and grounds — should the site be memorialized, trivialized, rehabilitated, or even destroyed outright?
Drawing on a new wave of recent research, historian Colin Jones masterfully traces the evolution of Versailles as a space of royal politics and aristocratic pleasures, a building of mythic status, and one of the world’s great tourist destinations. Accessible and compelling, this book is a must-read for all Francophiles.
Why You Should Read This…
If you are fascinated by the physical palace of Versailles and everything that went into it, this is the book for you. What I loved about this book is that it does cover its beginnings as a hunting lodge, and it’s life as the home of the royal court, but also continues past the French Revolution. Jones does well at balancing the history and detail of Versailles without info-dumping and overwhelming the reader.
Before Versailles: A Novel of King Louis XIV, Karleen Koen
After the death of his prime minister, Cardinal Mazarin, twenty-two-year-old Louis steps into governing France. He’s still a young man, but one who, as king, willfully takes everything he can get—including his brother’s wife. As the love affair between Louis and Princess Henriette burns, it sets the kingdom on the road toward unmistakable scandal and conflict with the Vatican. Every woman wants him. He must face what he is willing to sacrifice for love.
But there are other problems lurking outside the chateau of Fontainebleau: a boy in an iron mask has been seen in the woods, and the king’s finance minister, Nicolas Fouquet, has proven to be more powerful than Louis ever thought—a man who could make a great ally or become a dangerous foe . . .
Why You Should Read This…
Koen brings Louis’ earlier reign to life for us, and I think does the best job at conveying how exciting and meoldramatic life for those around him would have been. While he took the throne as a young child, it wasn’t until his early twenties when he took a truly active role in governing. We know from historical records that people gravitated towards him, but Koen ties that gravitational pull towards Louis with things that are happening outside of his orbit. This is a must-read for anyone who is a fan of The Three Musketeers or The Man in the Iron Mask, as they are also tied in!
Love and Louis XIV: The Women in the Life of the Sun King, Antonia Fraser
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 Louis’s accomplishments and follies, exploring in riveting detail his intimate relationships with women.
The king’s 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-Thérèse, 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 Vallière, who bore him several children before being replaced by the tempestuous and brilliant Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan. Later, when Athénaïs’s reputation was tarnished, the king continued to support her publicly until Athénaïs left court for a life of repentance. Meanwhile her children’s governess, the intelligent and seemingly puritanical Françoise de Maintenon, had already won the king’s affections; in a relationship in complete contrast to his physical obsession with Athénaïs, Louis XIV lived happily with Madame de Maintenon for the rest of his life, very probably marrying her in secret. When his grandson’s child bride, the enchanting Adelaide of Savoy, came to Versaille she lightened the king’s last years—until tragedy struck.
With consummate skill, Antonia Fraser weaves insights into the nature of women’s religious lives—as well as such practical matters as contraception—into her magnificent, sweeping portrait of the king, his court, and his ladies.
Why You Should Read This…
Antonia Fraser remains one of my favourite historians and biographers, and for good reason. Her biographies are well-written, and I’ve never been able to put one down. This Louis XIV biography focuses on the women around him, a novel approach to an oft-discussed king. I will admit, I knew relatively little about Anne of Austria before reading this and would love to read more on our. (Also, I would have loved to see her on Versailles…)
Understandably, Versailles largely focuses on Louis’ love life, and this throws a lot of light onto the historical women. While the show does not show much of their lives outside of the direct plot, you will get to know both his wife and mistresses with Fraser. And it absolutely has changed the way that I view them on the show!
To Dance With Kings, Rosalind Laker
On a May morning in 1664, in the small village of Versailles, as hundreds of young aristocrats are coming to pay court to King Louis XIV, a peasant fan-maker gives birth to her first and only child, Marguerite. Determined to give her daughter a better life than the one she herself has lived, the young mother vows to break the newborn’s bonds of poverty and ensure that she fulfills her destiny—to dance with kings. Purely by chance, a drunken nobleman witnesses the birth and makes a reckless promise to return for Marguerite in seventeen years. With those fateful words, events are set into motion that will span three monarchies, affecting the lives of four generations of women.
Marguerite becomes part of the royal court of the Sun King, but her fairy-tale existence is torn out from under her by a change of political winds. Jasmin, Marguerite’s daughter, is born to the life of privilege her grandmother dreamed of, but tempts fate by daring to catch the eye of the king. Violette, Marguerite’s granddaughter, is drawn to the nefarious side of life among the nobles at Versailles. And Rose, Violette’s daughter, becomes a lady-in-waiting and confidante to Marie Antoinette. Through Rose, a love lost generations before will come full circle, even as the ground beneath Versailles begins to rumble with the chaos of the coming revolution.
Why You Should Read This…
This book covers several generations at Versailles, starting with Louis XIV and going through to the last days of King Louis XVI. (I will be very upfront- this is quite a long book, it is not a “read in an afternoon” book, even if you are a quick reader.) As we often see with books about Versailles, and Versailles itself, romance plays a very big role in this story. However, it definitely is a piece of historical fiction, and is well-grounded in the history of the period.
The School of Mirrors, Eva Stachniak
A scintillating, gorgeously written historical novel about a mother and a daughter in eighteenth-century France, beginning with decadence and palace intrigue at Versailles and ending in an explosive new era of revolution.
During the reign of Louis XV, impoverished but lovely teenage girls from all over France are sent to a discreet villa in the town of Versailles. Overseen by the King’s favorite mistress, Madame de Pompadour, they will be trained as potential courtesans for the King. When the time is right, each girl is smuggled into the palace of Versailles, with its legendary Hall of Mirrors. There they meet a mysterious but splendidly dressed man who they’re told is merely a Polish count, a cousin of the Queen. Living an indulgent life of silk gowns, delicious meals, and soft beds, the students at this “school of mirrors” rarely ask questions, and when Louis tires of them, they are married off to minor aristocrats or allowed to retire to one of the more luxurious nunneries.
Beautiful and canny Veronique arrives at the school of mirrors and quickly becomes a favorite of the King. But when she discovers her lover’s true identity, she is whisked away, sent to give birth to a daughter in secret, and then to marry a wealthy Breton merchant. There is no return to the School of Mirrors.
This is also the story of the King’s daughter by Veronique—Marie-Louise. Well-provided for in a comfortable home, Marie-Louise has never known her mother, let alone her father. Capable and intelligent, she discovers a passion for healing and science, and becomes an accredited midwife, one of the few reputable careers for women like her. But eventually Veronique comes back into her daughter’s life, bringing with her the secret of Marie-Louise’s birth. But the new King—Louis XVI—is teetering on his throne and it’s a volatile time in France…and those with royal relatives must mind their step very carefully.
Why You Should Read This…
This is moving into Louis XIV’s grandson’s reign, aka King Louis XIV. Stachniak is one of my favourite historical fiction authors. She is talented at what she does, and imbues an incredible amount of heart and emotion into this historical settings that can often feel very academic. The School of Mirrors takes us through multiple generations of women living at Versailles, showing us how life at the court would have changed. I also very much appreciated that while the palace is a character of its own, it does not take over the story. (Very common with historic sites like Versailles…) This is one of the best historical fiction books of 2022, a must-read!
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Interested in reading more books related to your favourite period drama? Check out these reading lists!
What would you include on your list of the best books if you love Versailles?
Cheers,
The Historian
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