Sylvandire

A Romance of the Reign of Louis XIV

By Alexandre Dumas

2001

First Published

3.95

Average Rating

431

Number of Pages

13H09M

Audio Length

The reign of Louis XIV is divided into three periods, dominated by three influences - three stars, three women. The first is the epoch of half-Spanish, half-French gallantry. It is personified in Mademoiselle de la Valliere. The second period of the reign is symbolized by Madam de Montespan - who exults in being queen, by grace of love. With her opens the military epic, the era of conquest. The tendency is to materialism of the heart, too paganish of sentiment. It is the age of action, of maturity, of strength. Everything yields to the victorious king - citadels and women. The third and last part of the reign is summed up in Madam de Maintenon. Sensual mysticism has replaced the pomp and activity of the old court. The dying century becomes a hermit, glory takes the veil . . . Louis XIV, that king over whom a woman reigns, droops slowly toward his grave. . . Madam de Maintenon is the hand by which the Gallican church sways the old age of Louis XIV. Quietism offends the shrewd, powerful, intriguing woman, who bears, not without dignity, the weight of the crown. That uncrowned queen gives its shape, as they said in those days, to the close of the reign. . . Everything assumes the mast of piety.

Avg Rating

3.95

Number of Ratings

5 STARS

29%

4 STARS

44%

3 STARS

22%

2 STARS

1 STARS

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Author

Alexandre Dumas

Author · 172 books

This note regards Alexandre Dumas, père, the father of Alexandre Dumas, fils (son). For the son, see Alexandre Dumas fils. Alexandre Dumas, père (French for "father", akin to Senior in English), born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie, was a French writer, best known for his numerous historical novels of high adventure which have made him one of the most widely read French authors in the world. Many of his novels, including The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers, The Man in the Iron Mask, and The Vicomte de Bragelonne were serialized. Dumas also wrote plays and magazine articles, and was a prolific correspondent. Dumas was of Haitian descent and mixed-race. His father, General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie, was born in the French colony of Saint-Domingue (present-day Haiti) to Alexandre Antoine Davy de la Pailleterie, a French nobleman, and Marie-Cessette Dumas, a black slave. At age 14 Thomas-Alexandre was taken by his father to France, where he was educated in a military academy and entered the military for what became an illustrious career. Dumas' father's aristocratic rank helped young Alexandre Dumas acquire work with Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orléans, then as a writer, finding early success. He became one of the leading authors of the French Romantic Movement, in Paris. Excerpted from Wikipedia.