The Real Versailles
As BBC 2 premieres its new play set at the surroundings of Versailles, Lucy Worsley and also Helen Castor tell the stories behind one of earth's greatest buildings. They disclose the colourful world of intrigue, drama and gender that Louis XIV and his courtiers inhabited. Lucy untangles Louis realm of court etiquette, fashion and feasting, while Helen unpicks the Machiavellian world of court legislation and delves in to the archives that Louis created. We meet the people behind the on screen characters and discover what drove Louis to glorify his reign to the scale unmatched by any preceding monarch, examine the tension between Louis and his brother Philippe, a conflict hero and overt homosexual, plus they meet the coterie of women who competed for Louis's attention. We note that Louis was ruthless in his pursuit of glory in beating his enemies, and succeeded. France became renowned because of the culture and sophistication.
Released: 2016-05-30