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On This Day in the Versailles Century (1682-1789): 30 November

It was on this day 300 years ago, on 30 November, 1718, that Charles XII of Sweden, one of the heroes of the Versailles Century (1682-1789), was killed in action. He was only 36.

Charles XII came to the throne early, succeeding his father, Charles XI, in 1697. He was only fifteen at the time. As a young man, we was nordically handsome, with a lush mane and piercing blue eyes. Charles initially reigned under a regency, but only 7 months after his accession he assumed full power.

Charles XII in his youth. Credit — by Michael Dahl — Nationalmuseum, Domaine public, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52121845

Charles XII was a dedicated soldier who soon led Sweden into the Great Northern War (1700-1721), a lengthy and ultimately ruinous conflict. In the early stages, it went well for Charles and Sweden. The young king won a number of brilliant victories and managed to impose the king of his choice on Poland — Louis XV’s future father-in-law Stanislas Lesczcynski — as well as strengthening his position in the Baltics. In 1709, however, he was decisively defeated by Peter the Great at Poltava, in what we now call Ukraine. This defeat was to mark a watershed in the history of eastern and northern Europe: the Swedish empire, which had dominated the lands around the Baltic Sea for 200 years, came to end, and the Russian empire took its place as the regional hegemon.

November 30, 2018 by David Gemeinhardt

On This Day

On This Day in the Versailles Century (25 February-2 March)

The following events occurred between 25 February and 2 March in different years of the Versailles Century (1682-1789). I find most of them on the English or French wikipedias, but occasionally elsewhere. Whenever possible, I link to further reading in English or recommend a print source.

The Ball of the Clipped Yew Trees, 25-26 February, 1745

It was on this night 273 years ago that Louis XV “hooked up” with Madame de Pompadour, who was then still Mme d’Étioles. The ball took place in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles on the occasion of the wedding of the Dauphin, the King’s son and heir. It was a masked ball, as the King wished to remain anonymous. The festivities got underway at 11pm. Sometime later, eight gentlemen disguised as clipped yew trees entered the hall. One of them, of course, was Louis XV. I can’t do better than to quote Nancy Mitford’s retelling of the scene in her book ‘Madame de Pompadour’:

“A very curious procession lurched blindly into the ballroom; eight yew trees, clipped like those in the garden outside, in the shape of pillars with vases on them. The King had made up his mind that, for once, he would be unrecognizable. In the print by Cochin of the scene in the great gallery, lit by eight thousand candles, many fancy dresses can clearly be made out and the yew trees are mingling with the crowd. Presently one of them went off with pretty Présidente Portail to a dark and solitary corner of the palace. She thought he was the King, and nestled happily among the twigs; but when she returned to the ballroom what was her fury to see that the real King, who had taken off his headdress, was engaged in a laughing conversation with Madame d’Étioles, dressed as Diana and also unmasked. ‘The handkerchief is thrown,’ said the courtiers. It was now clear to them that a love affair was beginning.” (pp 57-58)

The ball did not end until half past eight on the morning of 26 February.

By the end of the year, Mme d’Etioles, newly created Marquise de Pompadour, was ensconced at Versailles in an apartment above the king’s rooms. They would be together until her death nearly 20 years later.

Further reading: ‘Madame de Pompadour’ by Nancy Mitford.

Image: The Ball of the Clipped Yew Trees by Charles-Nicolas Cochin, courtesy of WikiCommons.

Expulsion of the Jesuits from Spain on 27 February, 1767

It was on this day 251 years ago that Charles III, King of Spain, expelled the Society of Jesus from all his dominions, which included most of Central and South America, as well as the Philippines. All the Jesuit houses and schools were closed. Later in the year, the Jesuits were also expelled from the territories of Charles’ younger son, the King of Naples. These expulsions was part of a wave of similar expulsions carried out by the rulers of Portugal (1759), France (1764), and Parma (1768). In 1773, Pope Clement XIV suppressed the Society of Jesus completely. Exiled Jesuits were welcomed, however, by Frederick II of Prussia and Catherine II of Russia, who were glad of their educational skills. The Society slowly worked its way back to favour at the Vatican after its restoration in 1815. The present pope, Francis, is the first Jesuit ever elected to the papacy.

Further reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suppression_of_the_Society_of_Jesus

Image: Expulsion of the Jesuits from Spain by an anonymous artist; Musée de la Révolution française, CC BY-SA 4.0, courtesy of Wikimedia.

Birth of the Future Queen Caroline on 1 March, 1683

It was on this day 335 years ago that Caroline of Ansbach, was born. She would grow up to marry the son and heir of George I, King of Great Britain and Ireland, and Elector of Hanover. When her husband came to the throne in 1727, as George II, Caroline was his most influential advisor and ruled as regent during his frequent absences in Hanover. Her children included a Queen of Denmark, a Princess of Orange, and a Landgravine of Hesse-Kassel, and she was the grandmother of George III. When she was on her deathbed in 1737, George II famously said that he would never marry again and only have mistresses. He was as good as his word.

Further reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caroline_of_Ansbach

Image: Portrait of Caroline by Joseph Highmore, 1735 – The Royal Collection, Public Domain, courtesy of WikiCommons.

Death of the Duc de Saint-Simon on 2 March, 1755

It was on this day 263 years ago that Louis de Rouvroy, Duc de Saint-Simon died in Paris. His modern fame rests on his memoirs of the French court during the later years of Louis XIV’s reign and the Regency. The complete memoirs range from 8 to 12 volumes, depending on the edition, and are the most extensive record of life at Versailles by someone who lived there. He disliked the Sun King and was a partisan of the Duc de Bourgogne until his premature death, and then of the Regent-Duc d’Orléans, who rewarded him with embassies to Rome and Madrid. After Orléans’ death, Saint-Simon retired to his estates to write his memoirs, which were completed about five years before his death. They were not published in full until a century after his death.

Further reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_de_Rouvroy,_duc_de_Saint-Simon

Image: Jean-Baptiste van Loo (1684-1745), portrait of Louis de Rouvroy, duke of Saint-Simon, knight of the King of France’s Orders in 1728. Oil on canvas. Private collection (Le Mallier, matrilineal heirs to the last duke of Saint-Simon, castle of Chasnay), reproduction after a photography of the original painting. Public domain; courtesy of WikiCommons.

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March 2, 2018 by David Gemeinhardt

On This Day

On This Day in the Versailles Century (18 February – 23 February)

The following events occurred between 18 and 23 February in different years of the Versailles Century (1682-1789). I find most of them on the English or French wikipedias, but occasionally elsewhere. Whenever possible, I link to further reading in English or recommend a print source.

Death of the Duc de Bourgogne on 18 February, 1712

It was on this day 306 years ago that the Duc de Bourgogne, eldest grandson of Louis XIV and father of the future Louis XV, died of smallpox at Versailles. The Duchesse de Bougogne, Marie-Adélaïde de Savoie, had died six days earlier. Their elder son soon followed. The Duc’s father, the Grand Dauphin, had died the year before. Consequently, it was the Bourgognes’ younger son, the Duc d’Anjou, who became Dauphin aged two, and then succeeded his great-grandfather on the throne as Louis XV (r. 1715-1774). Although little Anjou was also ill during these terrible weeks, his governess, Mme de Ventadour, succeeded in keeping him away from the inept doctors who were killing off his family.

Further reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis,_Duke_of_Burgundy

Image: The Duc de Bourgogne, courtesy of Wikipedia.

February 23, 2018 by David Gemeinhardt

On This Day

On This Day in the Versailles Century (12-16 February)

The following events occurred in different years of the Versailles Century (1682-1789) between 12 February and 16 February. I compile these events mainly from the English and French wikipedias. Whenever possible, I link to further reading or suggest a print work.

Death of Le Brun on 12 February, 1690

It was on this day 328 years ago that Charles Le Brun, Premier Peintre du Roi (First Painter to the King), died. Le Brun was born into a family of artists and showed early signs of great promise. He came to Louis XIV’s notice in the early 1660s, perhaps because of his work at Vaux-le-Vicomte. He was soon commissioned to work at the royal chateau of St. Germain and at the Louvre. His masterpieces, however, are the ceilings of the Hall of Mirrors, the Salon de Paix, and the Salon de Guerre at Versailles. He died rich and ennobled.

Further reading: An organization called ‘Friends of Charles Le Brun’ maintains a website dedicated to the artist.

http://www.charleslebrun.com/index.htm

Image: A portrait of Le Brun by Largillière, courtesy of Wikipedia.

Proclamation of William and Mary on 13 February, 1689

It was on this day 329 years ago that William of Orange and his cousin-wife Mary Stuart were proclaimed joint sovereigns of England as William III and Mary II. Though Mary’s father, James II, whom she and her husband had deposed, was quite unpopular, he was nonetheless regarded by many as the rightful ruler. The Jacobite (i.e. pro-James) movement would make trouble for William and Mary, and their successors, until the middle of the next century.

Further reading: A good one-volume survey of William and Mary’s reign is the one by John Miller, which was part of a series on British monarchs edited by Antonia Fraser.

Image: Posthumous engraving of William and Mary by R White, engraver, died 1703. Private Collection of S. Whitehead, Public Domain, courtesy of Wikipedia.

Birth of the Future Louis XV on 15 February, 1710

It was on this day 308 years ago that Louis de France, promptly titled Duc d’Anjou, was born at Versailles. At the time, his elder brother, father, and grandfather were still alive and it seemed unlikely that he would ever be called to the throne. Fate had other plans, however. Within 3 years of his birth all of the above-mentioned people would be dead of smallpox, thus leaving little Anjou the sole successor in the direct line of his great-grandfather Louis XIV, whom he duly succeeded in September, 1715, when he was only 5 years old.

Further reading: There are numerous biographies of Louis XV, but my favourite account of him has always been in Nancy Mitford’s Madame de Pompadour, which is almost a dual biography.

Image: Portrait of Louis XV at his accession, aged five, by Hyacinthe Rigaud (detail). © RMN-Grand Palais (Château de Versailles)/Gérard Blot.

Birth of the Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna on 16 February, 1786

It was on this day 232 years ago that the Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna was born to the Tsarevich Paul and his wife Maria Feodorovna. The baby was their third daughter and fifth child. At this time, her grandmother, Catherine II the Great, was still on the throne of Russia, and would remain so for another decade. The little girl grew up to marry the Grand Duke of Saxony-Weimar-Eisenach and became a patroness of the arts, employing Liszt for a time. She was one of the longest-lived of the Emperor Paul’s children, dying in 1859.

Further reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Duchess_Maria_Pavlovna_of_Russia_(1786–1859)

Image: Maria Pavlovna in youth, painted by Vladimir Borovikovsky, courtesy of WikiCommons.

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February 16, 2018 by David Gemeinhardt

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Today in History: Vivaldi’s Birth

Antonio Vivaldi was born on 4 March, 1678, precisely 339 years ago today. He has always been one of my favourite composers. Like just about any Baroque music fancier alive, I never tire of The Four Seasons.

The great man was born in Venice, the day after an earthquake. He was sickly as a child. It’s possible that he was asthmatic. Given both a musical and a religious education, he became a violin virtuoso and an ordained priest. By age 24, he was engaged to teach and compose for the Ospedale della Pietà in Venice, an institution for foundlings and other impoverished children. The orchestra there was made up entirely of girls. It was for them that he wrote most of his early compositions, including the The Four Seasons (1725).

Vivaldi. Credit: Wikipedia.

March 4, 2017 by David Gemeinhardt

Events, On This Day, People, Rulers, Uncategorised

The Golden Gate of Versailles: Today in History

The great golden gate of Versailles: On this fateful day 227 years ago, Louis XVI and his family were escorted through it by the mob on their way to Paris, never to return. Thus ended what I call THE VERSAILLES CENTURY (1682-1789).

The golden gate seen from inside the Cour d’honneur, which is how the King and his family would have seen it on 6 October, 1789, except that it had been broken off its hinges shortly before. You can just make out the great stables through the grille.

The mob had burst through the gate shortly before midnight on 5 October, howling for the Queen’s blood. Marie-Antoinette barely managed to escape from her bedroom through a secret passage to the King’s room. The advance of the mob had been delayed just long enough while they massacred the Swiss guards on duty outside the Queen’s room.

October 6, 2016 by David Gemeinhardt