March 2006    

The Man in the Iron Mask: The True Story of the Most Famous Prisoner in History and the Four Musketeers Author: Roger MacDonald Publisher: Carroll & Graf $25.00 Cloth 348 p. ISBN: 0786716061 B&T         YBP The legends and the history of the Man in the Iron Mask and the Three Musketeers come together in this investigative analysis by Roger MacDonald. MacDonald discusses previous theories and claims regarding the mysterious yet infamous seventeenth century prisoner, and by a process of elimination and the interpretation of previously misunderstood documentation, proposes his own solution to the identity of the Man in the Iron Mask. The drama of the masked man was played out in the midst of the corrupt reign of Louis XIV, which we have previously visited in The Affair of the Poisons by Anne Somerset (0312330170). In a time when court funds were low and desire for royal favor was high, scandals and double-dealing were the rule of the day. Those who crossed the king or his high-placed agents risked vanishing from court, whether by death, imprisonment or exile. Thus, the disappearance of prominent court members happened with some frequency. MacDonald reviews the history of the Musketeers who were appointed to guard the kings of France, focusing on the antics of Aramis, Athos, Porthos and d’Artagnan and he provides an overview of the political climate of seventeenth century France. He then turns his attention to four strictly guarded political prisoners who were sentenced to banishment in the prison at Pignerol. In fact, MacDonald’s Man was commanded to arrest and provide an escort for two of these prisoners himself. Nicolas Fouquet, a financial director for Louis XIV, was imprisoned for stealing from the state when it became evident that he had more money than the king. He was permitted to interact with two of the other prisoners and eventually accompanied the Man in the Iron Mask in a transfer to another prison. His death was faked after his hopes of an official pardon were dashed, so he too was a mystery prisoner for a time. Etienne Martin (also known as Eustache Danger) was an accomplice of Fouquet and unexpectedly a double agent for Francois Louvois, the king’s minister of war. Louvois had Martin arrested because he feared that Martin would expose his own indiscretions. Martin’s life was spared because he had skills in using poisons and because his association with Fouquet may have provided him with information on where Fouquet had hidden some of his wealth. Additionally, Martin had spent time in England and knew of a secret plan to reconvert England to Roman Catholicism. In time, Martin was permitted to act as Fouquet’s prison valet when one of Fouquet’s valets died. Martin died at Pignerol via self-administered poison. Antonie Lauzun was the captain of the king’s bodyguards. He was once enlisted to abduct Athenais de Montespan, one of the king’s mistresses. Eventually Lauzun’s arrogant and contemptuous behavior towards Madame de Montespan got him arrested and sent to Pignerol as well. Lauzun suffered the least onerous captivity, as he was allowed to have outdoor recreation and to invite local dignitaries to dinner in the dungeon. When Madame de Montespan fell from favor with the king, Lauzun was permitted to return to Paris, but was no longer a member of the Court. The fourth prisoner, the Man in the Iron Mask, was transported to Pignerol on Louvois’ orders in complete secrecy. The Man was, in fact, alleged to be dead, and the rumor that a prisoner in the Bastille was someone whose death had been faked prompted the Man’s removal to Pignerol. When his jailer, Benigne d’Auvergne Saint-Mars, requested a transfer to a more prestigious appointment, the Man and Fouquet were moved with him to the fortress at Exiles where Fouquet subsequently died. Later the Man and Saint-Mars moved to a prison on the island of Sainte-Marguerite. It was during this second transfer that people managed to see the prisoner wearing his steel mask. This is the point where the rumors about the mystery prisoner started. Finally, Saint-Mars was given the appointment of governorship of the Bastille, and the Man made his last move. It was here that a disgraced regiment captain, Gatien de Courtilz, heard his story and wrote the first biography of the mysterious prisoner, using his real name. The Man’s death was then faked again, for the benefit of his deteriorating guard who could then relinquish his duties to subordinates. He outlived his jailer by nearly three years. The legacy and mystery surrounding the Man in the Iron Mask contributed to several theories regarding his identity after his death, including those proposed by Voltaire, the 18th century author Michel de Cubieres, and eventually Alexandre Dumas. Macdonald’s book may be the last to address the mystery, until the Man decides to offer up more secrets. -- Colleen Duggan Published by YBP Library Services 999 Maple St., Contoocook, NH 03229 USA v: 800.258.3774   f: 603.746.5628 w: www.ybp.com   e: academia@ybp.com All rights reserved.