WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY STELLA TILLYARD During his reign Louis XIV was the
most powerful king in Europe. He presided over a golden age of military and
artistic achievement in France, and deployed his charm and talents for spin
and intrigue to hold his court and country within his absolute control. The
Sun King's universe centred on Versailles, a glittering palace from where
Louis conducted his government and complex love affairs. Nancy Mitford
describes the daily life of this splendid court in sumptuous detail,
recreating the past in vivid colour.