Versailles: A History

by Robert B. Abrams

King Louis XIV had many loves, but none as compelling as Versailles, the modest country estate he transformed into one of the world's most spectacular palaces. Here is the dramatic - and tragic - story of Versailles and the men and women who made it their home.

Genres: History, France, Nonfiction, World History, Art, Historical, Royalty

125 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 10, 2017

Reviews

[Jim Swike · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Great read on Versailles. I think you will really like it if you have visited, I have. Enjoy!

[Mal Warwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

How much of what passes for history comes to us through the pages, and now the screens, of drama? And how much do the creators get wrong? Well, often a great deal, as we might expect. Even William Shakespeare, who read history carefully, distorted the facts as he knew them not just for dramatic effect but also to please the court of Elizabeth I. So, why should Netflix's Versailles be any different? Could we expect historical truth in a lavish costume drama about Louis XIVon a popular streaming service? But is it reasonable to hope that the company's presentation of the king and his court in Versailles would stick at least to the basic facts? Apparently not.

So, what's the problem? Shouldn't we be satisfied by the gorgeous costumes, handsome actors, and magnificent setting in Netflix's Versailles? Well, after reading Robert B. Abrams's excellent short history of the palace, Versailles: A History, and doing some research online, I don't think so. With the liberties taken by the producers, the series veers sharply into fantasy. And the biggest example of that is in the long-running subplot that centers around the legendary Man in the Iron Mask.

The biggest error in Netflix's Versailles

The Man in the Iron Mask looms large in Versailles. In Netflix's version, Louis and his brother Philippe personally murder the man in the belief that he is their older, illegitimate brother whose existence endangers Louis's right to the throne. Of course, this is nonsense. Voltaire created the myth that the man was the king's brother. But even he didn't pretend that Louis would have him killed, much less personally do the deed. And in my book, setting up that murder goes far beyond the need for dramatic effect.

But the depiction of Louis XIV on-screen is problematic as well.

Sorry, Netflix: Louis XIV was a glutton

In the Netflix production, the king is slender and eats sparingly. The truth is otherwise, as we might already have known from the portraits of Louis IV as an obese old man. Here's how Abrams describes a typical late-evening supper:

He would begin with four big bowls of different thick soups . . . After the soups, the king would devour a whole bird—partridge, chicken, or duck—a large salad, followed by mutton flavored with garlic, and two thick slices of ham. These courses were usually followed by pastry, preserves, and candied fruit.

As Louis's long-time mistress often "said, disapprovingly, that if she ate half as much, she would be dead within a week."

Netflix's Versailles gets a lot wrong

There are lots of other distortions and misrepresentations in the Netflix production, so don't watch the series as a guide to history. It's visually glorious, and the acting is, for the most part, excellent. So, just think of it as enjoyable fiction. Read Abrams's Versailles: A History for the reality.

[Jocelyn Nielson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm going to start by saying that I did enjoy reading this book. My nerdy architecture-loving side absolutely adored the descriptions of what was being built, the designs, all the things. I so enjoyed learning about the Sun King and the other royal court members. The book wasn't dense (or didn't feel too dense) and was very, VERY descriptive (as mentioned), which helped so much (as there were few images and only at the end. That being said, while I enjoyed the text on its own, it would have been far better if this were a coffee-table type book, with tons of pictures throughout (not to lessen the value or importance of the text) but to help show off the people and places that were being mentioned. I recognized a few of the names, but most were unfamiliar to me (again, I was grateful when the heavy use of descriptions came into play and helped me figure out who was who, but still, more pictures would have helped as well).

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is exactly as the title says: A History of Versailles. It is a quick read and it doesn't get into much history other than as it relates to Versailles but there are loads of books, etc. for those that are looking for more of an encyclopedia of Versailles and all that surrounded it. It was perfect from my perspective. I knew a modest amount but learned a lot more and was amazed at the extravagance of the maintenance and unbelievable showiness of the palace. The French Revolution becomes much more understandable when you read about the disparity between the royalty, nobility and every day citizen and the francs that were spent to keep the upper class in their finery. Actually, very despicable. The European politics was fascinating as well as the palace intrigue. Both were also pretty despicable! A recommended easy read.

[Amanda Pittar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Versailles Explained

A good start on the palace at Versailles. I wanted way more plans, diagrams and stories about the architects, masons and builders. I wanted more about the gardeners and the water engineers. I also wanted to know about the people who RAN Versailles- the maids, cooks, servants & valets who had to see to the day to day running of such a huge building. This is mainly about LouisXIV - VI and their building work & lives. Fine, but a wee bit unsatisfying. This could be augmented with four more chapters and I would be happy. Also for a book on one of the worlds most iconic palaces it is woefully short on photographs.

[Sirilee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting, nicely written. It was somewhat hard to keep track of the king’s descendants - a new dauphin / dauphine and another one, someone called Monsieur and his descendants. It might have been easier for a reader not so familiar with the legitimate and illegitimate offspring of the king and his brother to use their names with the hereditary title, even if that might have been quite repetitive.
I would have liked to see more pictures of Versailles, inserted in appropriate places in the text, rather than a few at the end of the book.
Thus not 5 but 4 stars.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have liked to have seen a history not only of the buildings, but also of the personalities who lived in those buildings of Versailles. This was a whirlwind history of the design and construction of the Palace of Versailles, from its humble beginnings to its glorious acme during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. In my opinion, delving into the personalities of its residents would have made for a much richer read.

[Subhangi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating read,,,

I bought this book because I was going for a vacation to Paris, Loire Valley, and neighboring areas, and seeing Versailles Palace was in my to dos list. I have to say I was completely absorbed in the book! Beautifully written, it gives a wonderful and short guide to French history linked to the Palace. It is presented as a story, very informative, and reading it definitely enriched my experience of my French tour. I highly recommended the book,,,

[Kathy P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, historical read

Though there were parts of the book that were cumbersome, overall it offered a historical and intimate view into France's Royal life. I was interested in the palace because I had an opportunity to see it in 1982, and my memories of it gave me the desire to know more about it. I was glad the author included photos in the back of the book.

[Stacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was interested in the history after visiting the palace but found this book less than thrilling. Found the names difficult to follow and keep straight at times. Would have liked some info about what happened to the Queen after her capture.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. More of a gossipy retelling of the loves of various French kings, I’d have preferred actual architectural descriptions and minutiae. Still, the best part was the restoration to original form by Nolhac

[Len · Rating 3 out of 5]

Way too brief, but tantalizing enough to make me want to search for a more definitive, in-depth history of this amazing place and time.

[John A · Rating 3 out of 5]

not a bad book. lots of information on the royal family and Versailles. not enough on the building and photos and drawings of the place.

[Toni Aucoin · Rating 4 out of 5]

amazing how much money the rich spend without any concern for the poor.

[Bruce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting. I thought the book would be about Versailles, instead it was about the residents!

[Ray Savarda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good - covers the history through many different kings / leadership. Not much detail about the years of decay and restoration, costs, etc. But a good backgrounder nonetheless.