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Love and Louis XIV: The Women in the Life of the Sun King (Hardcover)

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Product Details

Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Nan A. Talese
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0385509847
ISBN-13: 978-0385509848
Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 16.8 x 4.1 cm
Shipping Weight: 794 g

Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

Amazon.ca Sales Rank: #693,145 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

Prolific royal biographer Fraser (Marie Antoinette) has assiduously researched her measured yet engrossing study, shedding welcome light on the galaxy of influential women who orbited the dazzling Sun King. The most important woman in Louis XIV's life, in Fraser's telling, was probably the first—his mother, Anne of Austria. The voluptuous, pleasure-loving but pious and dignified queen regent inculcated Louis with the notion that he was a godlike miracle who was nevertheless accountable to the deity for his sins. As this narrowly focused history suggests, Louis was constantly trying to reconcile his gargantuan sexual appetite with his duty to his people and his God. Louis gave up his first love, the bold and amusing Marie Mancini, to marry his graceless first cousin, the Spanish princess Maria Teresa. A serious flirtation with his charming sister-in-law Henriette-Anne, sister of England's Charles II, ended when Louis fell for Charles and Henriette's decoy, the timid virgin Louise de La Vallière. In sexual thrall to the intelligent, magnetic Athénaïs, the Marquise de Montespan, the king intriguingly threw her over for Françoise Scarron, the puritanical governess to their bastards. Lastly, Louis gave his heart to his spirited granddaughter-in-law Adélaïde, who died of measles within days of her husband, the Dauphin. (Oct. 17)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

There is so much to France's Sun King that he cannot be depleted of interesting aspects. Fraser, a highly regarded bringer of history to the general reader, has rejuvenated royal lives of the past in the past, most notably in her classic Mary Queen of Scots (1969) but also in Royal Charles (1979) and Marie Antoinette (2001). Louis XIV seems a perfect choice for her new book, and, indeed, the king fairly steps off these detail-rich pages as the high-heeled but decidedly masculine and forceful personality he was. Fraser's biography is specifically focused the women in Louis' life who, in sexual or simply loving relationships, affected his character. These women include his protective mother, Queen Anne; his own queen, Marie-Therese, born an infanta of Spain; his sister-in-law, Henriette-Anne, an English princess; and his two most famous mistresses, the Marquise de Montespan and Madame de Maintenon. Fraser sees that Louis was aware from boyhood of his greatness, his handsomeness, and his power, and, adding an intriguing layer to the story, Fraser also sees that he was aware, as an adult and a very practicing Catholic, of the conflict between his adulterous ways and church doctrine. One of the most enveloping popular histories of the current publishing season. Brad Hooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Louis XIV: the man known as the Sun King, Mar 15 2007

By	J. Cameron-Smith "Expect the Unexpected" (ACT, Australia) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Love and Louis XIV: The Women in the Life of the Sun King (Hardcover)

Louis XIV, styled the Sun King, was the King of France for 72 years (1643 to 1715). At the time of his birth, his mother (Queen Anne) was almost 37, and was childless after 22 years of marriage (to King Louis XIII).

It is no wonder, then, that Louis was styled 'Dieudonne' or 'Deodatus' ('Godgiven'). It is perhaps also unsurprising that Louis's bond with his mother was so strong.

The reign of Louis XIV has been written about by many: there were many achievements during his long reign (including the construction of Versailles, reforms of taxation and administration, and patronage of the arts).

Antonia Fraser has focussed on his relationships with women. From his strong loving relationship with his mother, his kind but formal relationship with his wife Marie-Therese, his multiple and very different mistresses, as well as with the women of his extended family, we obtain a more complete picture of Louis XIV man and king.

I have read, enjoyed and learned from Antonia Fraser's non fiction since 1974. This book does not disappoint. By illustrating Louis XIV's awareness of the conflict between church doctrine, and adultery, Ms Fraser gives us another dimension of insight into this successful monarch's long reign.

Highly recommended to those interested in the life and times of Louis XIV.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The inside scoop on the French monarchy, Dec 18 2006

By	Ian Gordon Malcomson (Smithers, Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Love and Louis XIV: The Women in the Life of the Sun King (Hardcover)

One of Fraser's endearing strengths as a popular historian is that she effectively prepares her reader to intimately enter the tumultuous lives of her many big-name characters such as Mary, Queen of Scots, and Louis XIV. This book, as one such study, oozes with some incredible insights into the functioning of the French court during the time of the Fronde, the first of many revolutionary periods of ferment to come. What I found tremendously intriguing about Louis' love life was how he was able to outmaneuver tradition which dictated the need for arranged marriages and have numerous love affairs with any women in the royal circle. Where Fraser breaks through with her plethora of research is to show how Louis's adulterous intrigues actually shaped and influenced the politics of the day. I highly recommend this book for its quality research and writing style.

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