15 thoughts on “5 Things About Versailles, the Series

  1. ‘A small role on vikings’ HE WAS THE HEART AND SOUL OF THAT SERIES.

    I watched the whole first season of Versailles online months ago. It’s very good! I really enjoyed the women’s outfits. They looked alright to me, but I’m not so knowledgable beyond the general shape. Henrietta of England has a storyline and I’m delighted. I’ve been fascinated by her since I read Jean Plaidy’s book about Charles II.

  2. I’m not usually one for pretty, slim boys, but oh-la-la, I would genuflect for George Blagden as Louis… errm, something like that….

  3. I’m really excited about this show. I hope it delivers!
    Also, on a totally different note, and at the risk of sounding nitpicky… Philippe, Duke of Orléans (the brother of Luis XIV) is, indeed, the founder of the House of Orléans, but he is certainly not the founder of the House of Bourbon. The House of Bourbon descends from St. Luis IX of France himself (13th century). It was founded as a minor branch of the ruling Capetian Line, and started gaining importance during the late 15th century, when the Bourbons became Kings of Navarre. And during the mid-16 century, they would become Kings of France through the marriage of Henri of Bourbon (Henri IV of France) to Marguerite of Valois.
    Philippe was part of that House, certainly not the founder.
    I’m a bit of a history nitpick, sorry…

    1. Thank you, Alba! I was about to jump in about the House of Bourbon gaffe. I also wonder why anyone would think a fictional character from northern France could possibly be called the “Duke of Cassel” when Cassel was a small duchy in the Holy Roman Empire.

      I’ll give the first episode a go, but if too much is historically off, I’m not going to waste my time.

  4. Saw the first two eps. Biggest complaint: no hats! There are far too many scenes where the men should be wearing them and they’re not. Whether it will be mentioned or not, it has been thought by many that “Monsieur” (Phillipe) poisoned his wife, “Minette,” possibly because she got in the way of his affaires. There has never been any suggestion that she was the King’s mistress. Her mother Henriette Marie, former Queen of England, also died in the French court, but mostly from despair and neglect, She was pretty much treated as the poor relation.

  5. At this point, we should be seeing wigs, to which the hats were often pinned. For an excellent description of later 17th-century life details, read “The Devil In Velvet” by John Dickson Carr.

  6. I don’t understand why the story line is so fictionalized – the truth was scandalous enough!

  7. NOOOOO!!!!!! I’ve been waiting for this show forever, and just realized this weekend that I don’t have ovation. Let the wait continue… :(. Slightly devastated her.

  8. I was a bit surprised I enjoyed this show so much. I try not to be upset over wonky clothes as I know there are several factors at play when deciding on costumes. And I quite liked the costumes- there has been some thoughts on character and status. But they play hard and fast with historical facts and that usually irks me. Somehow it was done in a way I could live with. :)

    I admit I got a good laugh when a character contemplates a painting of two of Louis daughters who at this point of the narrative isn’t even born yet.

  9. Good thing there is a lot of costume porn because the people are mostly boring and the women are interchangeable. To me, the only interesting character so far (I’ve finished 5 episodes — can’t binge-watch because I’m bored) is Phillipe. I’m wondering how such a prat as Louis could morph in the Sun King. The men are prettier than the women too. Yawn.

  10. The series only touched lightly on the biggest ever scandal in French history: the Affair of the Poisons. As far as I know, it has been filmed only once in France and never done in English. There are two books by that title and both are worth reading. The story of the nuns of Loudoun hasn’t been done all that much either, and it was another big scandal/ Aldous Huxley covered it in a book, “The Devils of Loudoun” and Ken Russell filmed it as “The Devils.” It was a part of the witch-mania that swept over Europe rather ironically in the Age of Enlightenment, and came to these shores both in the colonies of Massachusetts and New York, where the only burning of a witch took place in this country. It was so horrific that it was never done again.

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