THE MISTRESSES OF THE KING - IN THE SHADOW OF THE SUN KING (1/3)

THE MISTRESSES OF THE KING - IN THE SHADOW OF THE SUN KING (1/3)

Episode One looks at an era when mistresses rise to the level of official office at the royal court. Louis XIV, who for political reasons married a Spanish princess, considers his 'dangerous liaisons' so vital that he risks a breach with both church and public opinion. This episode recounts the story of the Sun King's first official mistress, Madame de Montespan, and her adversaries. Montespan survives attacks from the queen and the church, only to be brought down by gossip and slander orchestrated, ironically, by her best friend and childminder, Mme de Maintenon. With a reputation for piety and virtue, Maintenon eventually becomes the king's last mistress and, after the queen's demise, even his secret wife.