|
Shop for superhero products, collectibles, books,
toys, and more.
Search
for Superhero Merchandise
Buy
Comic Books
THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK (Annotated)
Buy Now or get more info at Amazon
Editorial Review:
Product Description:
This unique version also includes the following bonus annotations:
- Biography of the author
- Historical context of the book
- Literary critique
The Man in the Iron Mask (died 19 November 1703) was a prisoner who was held in a number of jails, including the Bastille and the Fortress of Pignerol (today Pinerolo), during the reign of Louis XIV of France. The identity of this man has been thoroughly discussed and been the subject of many books, mainly because no one ever saw his face, which was hidden by a mask of black velvet cloth.
In his Questions sur l'Encyclopédie (French for "Questions on the Encyclopaedia"), published in 1771, the writer and philosopher Voltaire claimed that the prisoner wore an iron mask and was the older, illegitimate brother of Louis XIV. In the late 1840s, the writer Alexandre Dumas elaborated on the theme in the final installment of his Three Musketeers saga: here the prisoner is forced to wear an iron mask and is Louis XIV's twin brother.
What actual facts are known about this prisoner are based mainly on correspondence between his jailer and his superiors in Paris.
The first surviving records of the masked prisoner are from late July 1669, when Louis XIV's minister the Marquis de Louvois sent a letter to Bénigne Dauvergne de Saint-Mars, governor of the prison of Pignerol, then part of France. In his letter, Louvois informed Saint-Mars that a prisoner named Eustache Dauger was due to arrive in the next month or so.
Louvois instructed Saint-Mars to prepare a cell with multiple doors, one closing upon the other, which were to prevent anyone from the outside listening in. Saint-Mars himself was to see Dauger only once a day in order to provide food and whatever else he needed. Dauger was also to be told that if he spoke of anything other than his immediate needs he would be killed, but, according to Louvois, the prisoner should not require much since he was "only a valet".
Historians have noted that the name Eustache Dauger was written in a different handwriting to the rest of the text, suggesting that while a clerk wrote the letter under Louvois's dictation, a third party, very likely the minister himself, added the name afterwards.
The man himself was arrested by Captain Alexandre de Vauroy, garrison commander of Dunkirk, and taken to Pignerol where he arrived in late August. Evidence has been produced to suggest that the arrest was actually made in Calais and that not even the local governor was informed of the event — Vauroy's absence being explained away by him hunting for Spanish soldiers who had strayed into France via the Spanish Netherlands.
The first rumours of the prisoner's identity (as a Marshal of France) began to circulate at this point. According to many versions of this legend, the prisoner wore the mask at all times. It is more probable that he was masked only during transport, such as when he was taken from prison to prison, and when there were outside visitors to the jail.
|
|
Write a review
of this product!
Visit the
Comic book
Superhero Collectibles Forum
Comic Books Looking for a certain comic book, got news about a hot
collectible, or want to recommend a graphic novel that is for sale.
Movie
and DVD Reviews Discuss movies, TV shows, etc at the
theatre and on DVD here. Discuss
poster collecting
Superhero & SCI-FI Clothing Discuss t-shirts, caps, and other superhero
clothing here. If you are looking for a particular item post your hunted item
here or let others know what clothing collectibles you bought that rocked.
Toy Collectibles Discuss the latest
Superhero and SCI-FI Toys, Action Figures, and Collectibles here.
Video Games Discuss and review upcoming
and current video games
|
