Gédéon

A contribution to the #AtoZchallenge 2024 Les précieuses In 17th century Paris, a group of intellectual, witty women known as les précieuses developed a culture of lively conversations and playful word games. These gatherings were frequently held in a lady’s bedroom, referred to as a salon. The lady, reclining on her bed, would receive close friends…

A contribution to the #AtoZchallenge 2024 Background After the Wars of Religion, and as Protestants in many parts of France were deliberately terrorised and pressurised to abjure their faith, many tried desperately to escape. Le refuge About 200,000 Huguenots settled in non-Catholic Europe: the United Provinces (Netherlands), Germany, especially Prussia, Switzerland, Scandinavia; and even as…

A contribution to the #AtoZchallenge 2024 Imagine being married to a double first cousin as a peace offering. King Philip IV of Spain accepted his prime ministerial proposal that his daughter, the devout Maria Theresa, should marry the son of his sister, Queen Anne of Austria, namely the flamboyant King Louis XIV of France. The…

A contribution to the #AtoZchallenge 2024 Religious tension in France simmers In 1589 the Protestant Henry de Bourbon, King of Navarre, inherited the French throne as Henry IV, and later converted to Catholicism, less by conviction than as an act of political expediency. But in 1598, Henry issued the Edict of Nantes which gave the…

A contribution to the #AtoZchallenge 2024 A climate of art King Louis XIV, the “Sun King,” was famous for his lavish and extravagant lifestyle. He cultivated an image of personal magnificence and majesty and built several opulent palaces. He was a great lover of music, dance and actively promoted ballet and opera. History of French…

A contribution to the #AtoZchallenge 2024 During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, members of the religion prétendue réformée (so-called reformed religion) endured tremendous pressure from King Louis XIV to abjure their faith and sign a writ to say they were now Catholics. Many did this, often unwillingly. Such people were referred to as Nouveaux or…

A contribution to the #AtoZchallenge 2024 Background Élisabeth Marguerite d’Orléans, also known as Isabelle d’Orléans, was was a first cousin of Louis XIV of France. She was acquainted with the young Louise Françoise de La Vallière, one of Louis XIV’s early mistresses. Although handicapped by a humpback, Élisabeth was known for her intelligence, wit, and strong personality….

A contribution to the #AtoZchallenge 2024 Early life The Marquis de Louvois began his life as François-Michel Le Tellier. His father, Michel Le Tellier, was the long-term secretary for war under Louis XIV and one of the wealthiest and most powerful officials in France. He groomed his son as his replacement. The task was no easy…

A contribution to the #AtoZchallenge 2024 “L’État, c’est moi!” Everyone knows something about King Louis XIV, his many mistresses and the grandiose palace of Versailles he built. Here are some details you may not have known. Why was he called the Sun King? As a child, Louis’s main hobbies were painting, dance, and ruling. When…

A contribution to the #AtoZchallenge 2024 Who would have thought a humble pedlar from the tiny village of La Grave in the Oisans region of the French Hautes-Alpes would leave a mark on history? Travelling back and forth between his home and the cities of Lyon, Grenoble, Geneva, and Turin, Jean Giraud enjoyed the unique…