Versailles
“Those who come after us will think that they are just fairy tales...”
About
The story of a young Louis XIV on his journey to become the most powerful monarch in Europe, from his battles with the fronde through his development into the Sun King. Historical and fictional characters guide us in a world of betrayal and political maneuvering, revealing Versailles in all its glory and brutality.
Cast
George Blagden
as Louis XIV
Alexander Vlahos
as Philippe d'Orléans, aka 'Monsieur'
Tygh Runyan
as Fabien Marchal
Stuart Bowman
as Alexandre Bontemps
Elisa Lasowski
as Queen Marie-Thérèse of Austria
Anna Brewster
as Athénaïs de Montespan
Evan Williams
as The Knight of Lorraine
Maddison Jaizani
as Sophie de Clermont, Duchess of Cassel
Steve Cumyn
as Jean-Baptiste Colbert
Joe Sheridan
as François de Louvois
Pip Torrens
as Cassel
Noémie Schmidt
as Henriette d'Angleterre
Amira Casar
as Béatrice de Lorraine, Madame de Clermont
Sarah Winter
as Louise de La Vallière
Gilly Gilchrist
as Jaques
Anatole Taubman
as Montcourt
Alexis Michalik
as Louis de Rohan
Lizzie Brocheré
as Claudine, King's doctor
Seasons
Season 1
Versailles, 1667. King Louis XIV is a 28-year-old monarch on the cusp of greatness. A ruthless leader, he will stop at nothing to achieve his vision of creating the most beautiful palace in Europe and seizing absolute control of France and his enemies. In order to rule over the nobility and to permanently impose his absolute power, he launches the construction of Versailles, like one sets a trap. Louis XIV is a young king haunted by childhood trauma, the Fronde, a rebellion of the nobility against his father Louis XIII… Outstanding political strategist, manipulator, Machiavellian, he will “invent” Versailles in order to keep the Nobles away from Paris and under control
Season 2
Versailles, 1671. Louis has completed the first phase of his project the building far from Paris, of the most beautiful palace in Europe where he will effectively lock up the nobility to exercise absolute control over them. Unexpectedly, his project turns against him. Versailles is riddled with corruption. Louis has created a new civilization, where the courtesans are desperate to get close to the Sun. Behind the rules of etiquette imposed on the court, they dream of elevating their social status, wealth and power. Any and all means of doing so are utilized which inevitably results in the deterioration of morality and the spread of dangerous and poisonous behaviour… Blinded by the love for his favorite courtesan, Madame de Montespan, Louis remains deaf to the Church’s injunctions. The greatest enemy that stands before Louis is no longer the nobility, nor Guillaume d’Orange, it is God who now threatens the Sun King.
Season 3
Louis XIV is ascendant after winning the war with Holland and solving the Affair of the Poisons -- but his angry citizens are fomenting rebellion.
Episodes
Season 1
Welcome to Versailles
In 1667 in France, Louis XIV is a young king who wants to impose his power whereas he is traumatized by the Fronde (the revolt of nobility during Louis XIII's reign) and despite the attacks of conspirators. Then, Louis XIV decides to establish the seat of the power out of Paris, in Versailles. At that time, Versailles is just a hunting lodge but Louis XIV radically wants to transform this castle.
I Am the State
The Queen gave birth to the first royal baby and it triggers some rumors. Besides, Louis XIV's counselors advice him to go to war in order to impose his power. Furthermore, Louis XIV's brother Philippe dreams of glory and wants to be on the field of the future battles.
Mirror for Princes
Louis XIV wants the nobility to live at his side in Versailles. But noblemen and noblewomen have to prove their noble origin to obtain this privilege. Montcourt is one of them, but he can't prove his noble rank. Then, Montcourt meets a strange Duke called Cassel to help him. Besides, Louis XIV asks the Queen to welcome Annaba, an African prince.
The Road
Cassel's brigands continue to slaughter visitors to Versailles including the king's god-daughter though Fabien has his suspicions as to their identity and arrests a likely suspect, aiming to trap the murderers. Philippe is declared a hero, following his actions at the siege of Cambrai and Louis sends his brother's lover the Chevalier to join him though not before Chevalier has played the king's mistresses against him as several ambitious women arrive at court. Louis visits his brother on the eve of a battle and is taught that, of the two of them, Philippe is clearly the better soldier.
Bow to Your King
Philippe returns to Versailles, a super-confident war hero, ready to challenge his brother as the peace treaty with Spain is signed. Louis plans a celebratory party but the attacks on the highway continue and Fabien believes there could be another attempt to kill Louis. Suspicious of Cassel, who refuses to attend the party,as being behind the attacks, the king sends glamorous mistress Athenais de Montespan, accompanied by naive young Sophie de Clermont, to tell Cassel that he must turn up or host it at his own expense. Dangling Sophie as bait Athenais succeeds in forcing Cassel's attendance and obeisance to the king. However the sound of fireworks has a traumatic effect on Philippe, recalling gunfire whilst Sophie shocks her ambitious mother with an unwise liaison and Cassel returns to what is left of his home to find the king has well and truly beaten him.
Invalides
Ex-soldiers working on construction at the palace feel aggrieved at their treatment and down tools. On advice from gardener and confidant Jacques, who suggests a war hero act as intermediary, Louis is nonetheless jealously intransigent when Philippe offers his services. The king's bullying also extends to his refusal to allow ex-mistress Louise de la Valliere to leave for a convent whilst Athenais conducts her own agenda and Cassel, his home burned to the ground, is forced to move into the palace from where he continues to scheme. Louis is ultimately forced to bring Philippe in for a public relations exercise as he breaks the strike, after which Philippe makes his own plans to leave Versailles.
Revelations
Louis is struck down with fever and, whilst the official version is that he has had a hunting accident, the courtiers are suspicious and Philippe lets slip to Rohan that, if his brother dies, he will be regent. When the delirious Louis runs round the palace in his night shirt the facts become visible and the queen, Cassel and others meet secretly to plan ahead should he not survive but Louis recovers, thanks to Claudine Masson, daughter of the late court doctor whom Louis now appoints as his physician. Due to Fabien's spy network he also exposes the conspirators, in particular the CHevalier, and orders arrests to be made whilst finally releasing Mademoiselle de Clermont to become a nun on her request.
Diplomacy
With his lover in prison and his wife Henriette surviving a miscarriage Philippe is not a happy man but Louis, buoyant at overcoming his enemies, is keen for an alliance with England for an invasion of the Netherlands and sends Henriette to London to see her brother Charles II and negotiate terms. Cassel and others plot to kill her but the conspiracy is denounced to the king by Montcalm, anxious to be reinstated at court. Fabien survives an attempt to kill him whilst Louis has a job offer for Philippe.
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