Download or read book The Man in the Iron Mask the Man s Face Was Hidden by a Mask Annotated Edition written by Alexander Dumas and published by . This book was released on 2020-09-20 with total page 546 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Man in the Iron Mask was a prisoner arrested in 1669 and held in the Bastille and other French jails for more than three decades. His identity has been an enduring mystery because, throughout his imprisonment, the man's face was hidden by a mask, according to Sonnino. The story was even popularized in the 1998 film "The Man in the Iron Mask," starring Leonardo DiCaprio. It's a mystery that evaded even famed philosopher Voltaire and writer Alexandre Dumas. Historians have discounted the theory popularized by Voltaire and Dumas that the masked man was the twin brother of Louis XIV, according to Sonnino.

Download or read book The Man in the Iron Mask Annotated written by Alexandre Dumas and published by . This book was released on 2020-04-29 with total page 535 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Man in the Iron Mask (French: L'Homme au Masque de Fer; c. 1640 - 19 November 1703) was an unidentified prisoner who was arrested in 1669 or 1670 and subsequently held in a number of French prisons, including the Bastille and the Fortress of Pignerol (modern Pinerolo, Italy). He was held in the custody of the same jailer, Bénigne Dauvergne de Saint-Mars, for a period of 34 years. He died on 19 November 1703 under the name Marchioly, during the reign of King Louis XIV of France (1643-1715).Because no one ever saw his face because it was hidden by a mask of black velvet cloth, the true identity of the prisoner remains a mystery; it has been extensively debated by historians, and various theories have been expounded in numerous books and films.Among the leading theories are those proposed by writer and philosopher Voltaire: He claimed in the second edition of his Questions sur l'Encyclopédie (1771) that the prisoner wore a mask made of iron rather than of cloth, and that he was the older, illegitimate brother of Louis XIV. What little is known about the historical Man in the Iron Mask is based mainly on correspondence between Saint-Mars and his superiors in Paris. Recent research suggests that his name might have been Eustache Dauger, a man who was involved in several political scandals of the late 17th century, but this assertion has not been proven.The National Archives of France has made available online the original data relating to the inventories of the goods and papers of Saint-Mars (one inventory, of 64 pages, was drawn up at the Bastille in 1708; the other, of 68 pages, at the citadel of Sainte-Marguerite in 1691). These documents had been sought in vain for more than a century and were thought to have been lost. They were discovered in 2015, among the 100 million documents of the Minutier central des notaires de Paris [fr]. They show that some of the 800 documents in the possession of the jailer Saint-Mars were analysed after his death. These documents confirm the reputed avarice of Saint-Mars, who appears to have diverted the funds paid by the king for the prisoner. They also give a description of a cell occupied by the masked prisoner, which contained only a sleeping mat, but no luxuries, as was previously thought.The Man in the Iron Mask has also appeared in many works of fiction, most prominently in the late 1840s by Alexandre Dumas. A section of his novel The Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years Later, the final installment of his D'Artagnan saga, features the Man in the Iron Mask. Here the prisoner is forced to wear an iron mask and is portrayed as Louis XIV's identical twin. Dumas also presented a review of the popular theories about the prisoner extant in his time in the chapter "L'homme au masque de fer" in the sixth volume of his non-fiction Crimes Célèbres.

Download or read book The Man in the Iron Mask Annotated written by Alexandre Dumas and published by . This book was released on 2020-05-07 with total page 680 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Man inside the Iron Mask (. 1640 - 19 November 1703) become an unidentified prisoner who became arrested in 1669 or 1670 and eventually held in a number of French prisons, including the Bastille and the Fortress of, Italy. He became held inside the custody of the same jailer, Bénigne Dauvergne de Saint-Mars, for a duration of 34 years. He died on 19 November 1703 under the name Marchioly, all through the reign of King Louis XIV of France (1643-1715).--Annotated Classic Edition

Download or read book The Man in the Iron Mask Annotated Edition written by Alexandre Dumas and published by Independently Published. This book was released on 2020-07-03 with total page 546 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The story begins with a man named Baisemeaux and another man, Aramis walking to a prison cell in the Bastille, the largest and most well known prison in all of France. We are told by Baisemeaux's thoughts that he and Aramis used to be good friends, but since Aramis was promoted to a position above him they are no longer close.Baisemeaux brings Aramis to a prison cell where the latter is to hear the confession of a prisoner. But the prisoner, a despairing young man, insists that he does not want to give confession. Aramis admits to the young man that the two of them have met before and that he was formerly one of the King's musketeers. The young prisoner admits that he isn't sure what he was imprisoned for and tells Aramis a story from when he was a boy. He says that while he was growing up he was kept under house arrest and lied to about the identity of his parents. He knows that his father is dead but that his mother is still alive. The prisoner asks Aramis if unveiling his presence to the world would unleash a great scandal. Aramis confirms that it would.Aramis then tells him about the rulers of France. King Louis XIII was the king of France until very recently, but he was a weak ruler and allowed himself to be led around by a man named Cardinal Richelieu.The king was married to a woman named Anne of Austria who gave birth to twins. Shortly after that Louis XIII was replaced by Louis XIV. Aramis hands the young prisoner a portrait of the current king and also a mirror, requesting that he compare his own face to the portrait. The young man is shocked by the similarities in the comparison. Aramis tells the young man that he wishes to put him on the throne of France for he is the king's son. However, the prisoner refuses. Aramis leaves, kissing the young man's hand as a sign of respect.The next day, Aramis goes to visit his friend and fellow former musketeer, D'Artagnan in his home. D'Artagnan is being fitted for a suit. Aramis tells the tailor fitting him (who is also a tailor for the king) that the king's Superintendent of Finances, Nicolas Fouquet plans to present the king with a portrait of himself on the day of the fete and he wishes to know what the king will be wearing that day so that they can match the clothes in the portrait to his actual regal dress. He asks for fabric samples from the suits. This conversation makes D'Artagnan suspicious. Aramis leaves to go and speak to Fouquet. He tells the man how the portrait idea is fairing and requesting for a letter to be given to Monsieur de Lyonne asking for the release of a man named Seldon from the Bastille.Soon, the order comes through and Baisemeaux releases the prison named Seldon but through the clever switching of orders on the part of Aramis, the young man from the beginning of the story is the one that actually gets released. The young man is named Philippe Marchiali. Aramis offers Philippe the use of his carriage and as they drive from the prison, Aramis tells him more of the story of who he truly is and why he was imprisoned.Aramis tells Philippe that the current king, his brother, is a poor ruler and proposes that he, as the kings twin, simply exchange places with him. Philippe is hesitant to agree, as he doesn't know if he wants to be king. However, he finally agrees, asking Aramis what he wants in return. Aramis informs him that he wants to be elected pope or ascend to 'the throne of St. Peter'. Philippe agrees to this as well.Back in the city of Vaux, Fouquet is seeing to the preparations for the king's arrival. Aramis arrives and views the portrait that is to be presented to the king. He and Fouquet agree that it is perfect. The men receive word that the king's men are approaching and Aramis leaves to change his clothes. We learn that his rooms are directly above the kings and that Porthos, one of the other former musketeers, is staying next door to him.

Download or read book The Man in the Iron Mask Annotated and Illustrated Edition written by Alexandre Dumas and published by . This book was released on 2021-04-23 with total page 690 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the months of March-July in 1844, in the magazine Le Siecle, the first portion of a story appeared, penned by the celebrated playwright Alexandre Dumas. It was based, he claimed, on some manuscripts he had found a year earlier in the Bibliotheque Nationale while researching a history he planned to write on Louis XIV. They chronicled the adventures of a young man named D'Artagnan who, upon entering Paris, became almost immediately embroiled in court intrigues, international politics, and ill-fated affairs between royal lovers. Over the next six years, readers would enjoy the adventures of this youth and his three famous friends, Porthos, Athos, and Aramis, as their exploits unraveled behind the scenes of some of the most momentous events in French and even English history.

Download or read book The Man in the Iron Mask Annotated Best Novel written by Alexandre Dumas and published by . This book was released on 2020-05-10 with total page 546 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Man in the Iron Mask is set thirty-five years after the initial appearance of The ThreeMusketeers. Here, the main characters, Athos, D'Artagnan, Aramis, and Porthos are in the court of King Louis XIV. D'Artagnan was not one of the three at the onset of the Musketeers' adventures. Iron Mask is the darkest tale of the Musketeers trilogy. The story gets underway at the Bastille, a French prison. Aramis, a priest and former Musketeer, is hearing the confession of the prisoner Philippe. There is nothing for the man, forced to wear an iron mask, to confess as being the twin brother of the King of France is all he is "guilty" of. Aramis is one of the only people aware of this and hopes to free the prisoner and trade him for the real king. He is planning this with the hope of great rewards once the prisoner becomes the imposter king. Once he has explained to a somewhat skeptical Philippe that by going through with the plot they will be able to achieve much together, Philippe agrees.Aramis decides to make the switch happen at a gala thrown by Fouquet, one of the king's advisors. The king is not pleased with the scope of the party Fouquet has staged and, by citing money that is missing from the treasury, creates grounds for having Fouquet placed under arrest. When D'Artagnan is asked to guard Fouquet for the night, Aramis kidnaps Louis XIV and has Philippe replace him according to plan. As king, Philippe frees Aramis' friend Fouquet. Aramis informs Fouquet about the switching of the kings,expecting to goad him into becoming an accomplice, but instead, it prompts Fouquet to leave in attempt to free the king and fix the situation. Aramis along with fellow former Musketeer, Porthos, is forced to Fouquet's Belle-Isle by fear that the plot is unraveling, and they will be discovered. The king takes Fouquet's money and arrests him. D'Artagnan goes after Fouquet and brings him back to the king.Meanwhile, another of the former Musketeers, Athos, is living with his son Raoul. Raoul remains in love with Louise la Vallerie, who was once with him but is now the king's mistress. Raoul tries to escape his heartache by going to Africa with the hope of being killed in battle. He does not fear losing his life, as he already feels that he cannot go on without Louise. The king has ordered D'Artagnan to find and capture Porthos and Aramis after he takes Philippe to another prison, this one on St. Marguerite. D'Artagnan sets off to capture the pair, but resigns rather than betray his friends. There is a battle in which Aramis and Porthos attempt to defend themselves, leading to the death of Porthos. Aramis escapes to Spain were he becomes a duke. Louis XIV gets D'Artagnan to agree not to resign and to work to support the king's wishes. The king then grants a pardon to Aramis. Raoul dies in Africa in battle. News of Raoul's death causes Athos to lose his will to live, and he dies shortly thereafter. D'Artagnan becomes a leader in the king's army as it attacks Holland and receives a promotion for his service, but is almost immediately killed by cannon fire. As The Man in the Iron Mask reaches its conclusion, Aramis is the only one of the original Musketeers who is still alive.There is an historical basis to the story of The Man in the Iron Mask. An unidentified prisoner was arrested in around 1670 and spent time in several French prisons, including the Bastille. His actual name was never definitively known, and though it is thought that it might have been EustachDauger, in reality, hundreds of guesses have been made about his identity. Whoever the mysterious prisoner was, he remained with one jailer for thirty-four years and died known by the name of Marchioly during the reign of Louis XIV. His face was kept hidden by a velvet cloth. Philosopher and writer Voltaire,in his writings about the prisoner,referred to the mask as being made of iron, and Dumas expanded the story adding, for example, the identical twin plotline.

Download or read book The Man in the Iron Mask written by Wilkinson Josephine and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2021-07-06 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A vivid, dramatic, and eye-opening historical narrative, The Man in the Iron Mask reveals the story behind the most enduring mystery of Louis XIV’s reign. The Man in the Iron Mask has all the hallmarks of a thrilling adventure story: a glamorous and all-powerful king, ambitious ministers, a cruel and despotic jailor, dark and sinister dungeons— and a secret prisoner. It is easy for forget that this story, made famous by Alexandre Dumas, is that of a real person, Eustache Danger, who spent more than thirty years in the prison system of Louis XIV’s France—never to be freed. This narrative brings to life the true story of this mysterious man and follows his journey through four prisons and across decades of time. It introduces the reader to those with whom he shared his imprisonment, those who had charge of him, and those who decided his tragic fate. The Man in the Iron Mask reveals one of the most enduring mysteries of Louis XIV’s reign; but it is, above all, a human story. Using contemporary documents, this book shows what life was really like for state prisoners in seventeenth-century France—and offers tantalising insight into why this mysterious man was arrested and why, several years later, his story would become one of France’s most intriguing legends that still sparks debate and controversy today.

Download or read book The Man in the Iron Mask By Alexandre Dumas Annotated Classic Version Historical Romantic Novel written by Alexandre Dumas and published by . This book was released on 2020-04-16 with total page 622 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Aramis, one of the three musketeers, discovers that the king of France has a twin brother, he plans a coup d'état in an attempt to secretly replace King Louis with his brother Philippe. Entrusting his secret plan to Porthos, Raoul, and D'Artagnan, the friends pit themselves against the power of the French monarchy.The Man in the Iron Mask is the last volume of the D'Artagnan Romances, and has been published on its own and also as the final volume in the The Vicomte de Bragelonne: Ten Years Later, a large novel that encompasses the four final D'Artagnan volumes. The story detailed in this volume inspired the 1998 film The Man in the Iron Mask starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jeremy Irons.

Download or read book The Man in the Iron Mask written by Alexandre Dumas and published by Bibliotech Press. This book was released on 2022-10-06 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Man in the Iron Mask (French L'Homme au Masque de Fer; died 19 November 1703) was an unidentified prisoner of state, arrested in July 1669 under the pseudonym of "Eustache Dauger" and incarcerated for a period of 34 years during the reign of King Louis XIV of France (1643-1715). Known for remaining unidentified throughout his time in prison, he was held in the custody of the same jailer, Bénigne Dauvergne de Saint-Mars, in four successive French prisons, including the Bastille. When he died there on 19 November 1703, his inhumation certificate bore the pseudonym of "Marchialy". The true identity of this prisoner remains a mystery, even though it has been extensively debated by historians, and various theories have been expounded in numerous books, articles, plays, and films. Among the leading theories is one proposed by the French philosopher and writer Voltaire, who claimed in the second edition of his Questions sur l'Encyclopédie (1771) that the prisoner was an older, illegitimate brother of Louis XIV. This assertion of a royal connection was echoed later by authors who proposed variants of this aristocratic solution. What little is known about the prisoner is based on contemporary documents that surfaced during the 19th century, mainly some of the correspondence between Saint-Mars and his superiors, in which the prisoner had been labelled "only a valet" shortly after his arrest. Legend has it that no one is known to have seen his face, as it was hidden by a mask of black velvet cloth, later misreported by Voltaire as an iron mask. Official documents reveal, however, that the prisoner was made to cover his face only when travelling from one prison to the next, or in the final years of his incarceration; modern historians believe the latter measure was imposed by Saint-Mars solely to increase his own prestige at the end of his career, thus causing persistent rumours to circulate about this seemingly important prisoner. In 1932, French historian Maurice Duvivier proposed that the prisoner was Eustache Dauger de Cavoye, a nobleman associated with several political scandals of the late 17th century. This solution, however, was disproved in 1953 based on previously unpublished family letters located by another French historian, Georges Mongrédien, who concluded that the enigma remained unsolved owing to the lack of reliable historical documents about the prisoner's identity and the cause of his long incarceration. The Man in the Iron Mask has been the subject of many works of fiction, most prominently in the late 1840s by Alexandre Dumas. A section of his novel The Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years Later, the final installment of his D'Artagnan saga, features the Man in the Iron Mask. In it, the prisoner is forced to wear an iron mask, and is portrayed as Louis XIV's identical twin. Dumas also presented a review of the popular theories about the prisoner extant in his time in the chapter "L'homme au masque de fer", published in the eighth volume of his non-fiction Crimes Célèbres. This panoramic approach was adopted by many subsequent authors, and speculative works have continued to appear on the subject. (wikipedia.org)

Download or read book The Man in the Iron Mask By Alexandre Dumas Historical Romance Novel Annotated Classic Version written by Alexandre Dumas and published by . This book was released on 2020-05-23 with total page 622 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Aramis, one of the three musketeers, discovers that the king of France has a twin brother, he plans a coup d'état in an attempt to secretly replace King Louis with his brother Philippe. Entrusting his secret plan to Porthos, Raoul, and D'Artagnan, the friends pit themselves against the power of the French monarchy.The Man in the Iron Mask is the last volume of the D'Artagnan Romances, and has been published on its own and also as the final volume in the The Vicomte de Bragelonne: Ten Years Later, a large novel that encompasses the four final D'Artagnan volumes. The story detailed in this volume inspired the 1998 film The Man in the Iron Mask starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jeremy Irons.

Download or read book The Man in the Iron Mask By Alexandre Dumas Historical Romance Novel Annotated Classic Edition written by Alexandre Dumas and published by . This book was released on 2020-05-23 with total page 620 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Aramis, one of the three musketeers, discovers that the king of France has a twin brother, he plans a coup d'état in an attempt to secretly replace King Louis with his brother Philippe. Entrusting his secret plan to Porthos, Raoul, and D'Artagnan, the friends pit themselves against the power of the French monarchy.The Man in the Iron Mask is the last volume of the D'Artagnan Romances, and has been published on its own and also as the final volume in the The Vicomte de Bragelonne: Ten Years Later, a large novel that encompasses the four final D'Artagnan volumes. The story detailed in this volume inspired the 1998 film The Man in the Iron Mask starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jeremy Irons.

Download or read book The Man in the Iron Mask written by Tighe Hopkins and published by . This book was released on 1901 with total page 404 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Man In The Iron Mask written by Alexandre Dumas and published by Prabhat Prakashan. This book was released on 2015-10-02 with total page 553 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Man in the Iron Mask by Alexandre Dumas: "The Man in the Iron Mask" by Alexandre Dumas is a historical adventure novel that is part of the famous "d'Artagnan Romances" series. The story explores the mystery of a prisoner in an iron mask and the adventures of the musketeers. Key Aspects of the Book "The Man in the Iron Mask by Alexandre Dumas": Historical Adventure: Dumas' novel is set in the historical context of the reign of Louis XIV and features swashbuckling adventures, political intrigue, and palace conspiracies. Mystery and Identity: The book centers on the mystery surrounding the identity of the man in the iron mask, leading to questions of royal lineage and hidden secrets. Classic Adventure Literature: "The Man in the Iron Mask" is a beloved classic known for its thrilling narrative and memorable characters. Alexandre Dumas was a French writer known for his historical adventure novels, including the "d'Artagnan Romances." "The Man in the Iron Mask" is one of his iconic works that continues to captivate readers with its intrigue and adventure.

Download or read book The Man In The Iron Mask written by Dumas and published by Jaico Publishing House. This book was released on 2002-01-01 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Who was the man in the iron mask? Why did he wear a mask? Why was he imprisoned and who imprisoned him? Nobody knows. His identity was a mystery when he lived and more than two and a half centuries later, he is still shrouded in mystery. Some people ident

Download or read book The Man in the Iron Mask Annotated New Addition written by Alexandre Dumas and published by Independently Published. This book was released on 2020-07-03 with total page 548 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The story begins with a man named Baisemeaux and another man, Aramis walking to a prison cell in the Bastille, the largest and most well known prison in all of France. We are told by Baisemeaux's thoughts that he and Aramis used to be good friends, but since Aramis was promoted to a position above him they are no longer close.Baisemeaux brings Aramis to a prison cell where the latter is to hear the confession of a prisoner. But the prisoner, a despairing young man, insists that he does not want to give confession. Aramis admits to the young man that the two of them have met before and that he was formerly one of the King's musketeers. The young prisoner admits that he isn't sure what he was imprisoned for and tells Aramis a story from when he was a boy. He says that while he was growing up he was kept under house arrest and lied to about the identity of his parents. He knows that his father is dead but that his mother is still alive. The prisoner asks Aramis if unveiling his presence to the world would unleash a great scandal. Aramis confirms that it would.Aramis then tells him about the rulers of France. King Louis XIII was the king of France until very recently, but he was a weak ruler and allowed himself to be led around by a man named Cardinal Richelieu.The king was married to a woman named Anne of Austria who gave birth to twins. Shortly after that Louis XIII was replaced by Louis XIV. Aramis hands the young prisoner a portrait of the current king and also a mirror, requesting that he compare his own face to the portrait. The young man is shocked by the similarities in the comparison. Aramis tells the young man that he wishes to put him on the throne of France for he is the king's son. However, the prisoner refuses. Aramis leaves, kissing the young man's hand as a sign of respect.The next day, Aramis goes to visit his friend and fellow former musketeer, D'Artagnan in his home. D'Artagnan is being fitted for a suit. Aramis tells the tailor fitting him (who is also a tailor for the king) that the king's Superintendent of Finances, Nicolas Fouquet plans to present the king with a portrait of himself on the day of the fete and he wishes to know what the king will be wearing that day so that they can match the clothes in the portrait to his actual regal dress. He asks for fabric samples from the suits. This conversation makes D'Artagnan suspicious. Aramis leaves to go and speak to Fouquet. He tells the man how the portrait idea is fairing and requesting for a letter to be given to Monsieur de Lyonne asking for the release of a man named Seldon from the Bastille.Soon, the order comes through and Baisemeaux releases the prison named Seldon but through the clever switching of orders on the part of Aramis, the young man from the beginning of the story is the one that actually gets released. The young man is named Philippe Marchiali. Aramis offers Philippe the use of his carriage and as they drive from the prison, Aramis tells him more of the story of who he truly is and why he was imprisoned.Aramis tells Philippe that the current king, his brother, is a poor ruler and proposes that he, as the kings twin, simply exchange places with him. Philippe is hesitant to agree, as he doesn't know if he wants to be king. However, he finally agrees, asking Aramis what he wants in return. Aramis informs him that he wants to be elected pope or ascend to 'the throne of St. Peter'. Philippe agrees to this as well.Back in the city of Vaux, Fouquet is seeing to the preparations for the king's arrival. Aramis arrives and views the portrait that is to be presented to the king. He and Fouquet agree that it is perfect. The men receive word that the king's men are approaching and Aramis leaves to change his clothes. We learn that his rooms are directly above the kings and that Porthos, one of the other former musketeers, is staying next door to him.

Download or read book The Man in the Iron Mask Primary Source Edition written by Alexandre Dumas and published by Nabu Press. This book was released on 2013-11 with total page 468 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ++++ The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to ensure edition identification: ++++ The Man In The Iron Mask; Volume 15 Of The Romances Of Alexandre Dumas Alexandre Dumas Collier, 1910 Social Science; Penology; France; Social Science / Penology

Download or read book The Man in the Iron Mask FreedomRead Classic Book written by Alexandre Dumas and published by . This book was released on 2018-09-19 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Man in the Iron Mask (French: L'Homme au Masque de Fer; c. 1640 - 19 November 1703) is the name given to an unidentified prisoner who was arrested in 1669 or 1670 and subsequently held in a number of Frenchprisons, including the Bastille and the Fortress of Pignerol (modern Pinerolo, Italy). Recent research suggests that his name might have been "Eustache Dauger", but this still has not been completely proven. He was held in the custody of the same jailer, Bénigne Dauvergne de Saint-Mars, for a period of 34 years. He died on 19 November 1703 under the name "Marchioly", during the reign of Louis XIV of France (1643-1715). Since no one ever saw his face because it was hidden by a mask of black velvet cloth, the true identity of the prisoner remains a mystery; it has been extensively debated by historians, and various theories have been expounded in numerous books and films.