April 27, 1672 - Versailles
The palace at Versailles was bustling in activity, and the thunderous sounds of nervous footsteps echoed throughout the gilded halls of Europe’s greatest palace. Under the crystal chandeliers and gold emblazoned doors, servants and courtiers ran about, some carrying vases filled with carefully pre-arranged tulips for the gardens and others holding priceless paintings and cutlery. The King was holding one of his famous balls tonight, and already a line of carriages were waiting outside in a line that stretched for a fifth of a mile. They were the Nobles and Dukes from all over France, and tonight, Versailles would represent the complete concentration of power of a single kingdom under one room, where nobles from all over the kingdom were summoned to court. Such was the way of King Louis.
The King himself was a country man, and in the first years of his reign, he had "traveled back and forth between Paris and the Great Royal Chateaux outside the city, but Kings of France, especially great kings, had built palaces to reflect their own personal glory. So Louis ordered his chief architect, Le Vau, to build. The work had taken fifteen years, at the cost of thousands of lives and millions of francs, but by the time it was done, Louis had the greatest palace in the world. There were no ramparts, Louis had purposely built this palace in the open country, completely undefended, to demonstrate the absolute power of a monarch who needed no moats or walls to protect his person.
Covering over one fifth of a mile, the Palace contained enormous public galleries, council chambers, libraries, ball rooms, private apartments, a private chapel, not to mention dozens of stairways, corridors and ballrooms. The decoration was said to have been the most conspicuous consumption of art since the days of Rome. Throughout the palace, gold and velvet covered the walls, which were paneled in marble. Around the corridors, were statues, priceless paintings and carvings, often in the shape of the flaming sun of Apollo. Artists such as Raphael, Titan, Rubens and Van Dyck all had their works of art displayed in Versailles, it was even said that Louis had the Mona Lisa hanging in his very own room.
This dominating and glorious atmosphere was appreciated with awe by the nobles as they entered the palace gardens, each one in their own personal carriage. There, a small army of valets attended to their needs, opening doors, and announcing the guests who had arrived. It was a mix of nobles, some minor, and others famed throughout Europe.
One such Royal Carriage arrived with an escort of blue-uniformed French dragoons. As it stopped in front of the palace, a guard riding a horse beside the carriage dismounted and opened the side of the carriage to reveal an expensive and lavish interior.
"Announcing Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne, Vicomte de Turenne.” The doorman shouted in a firm voice as the man left his coach.
The Marshal nodded politely at the doorman as he made his way into the Palace. He was a huge man, with a well built body and a face darkened by years of campaigning. Though he was of noble blood, he rejected the luxurious trappings of that station had devoted his life to training his body and honing his skills at war.
He first took the field in the great Dutch revolt, fighting as a captain under the Great Dutch Captain Frederick of Nassau. Spurred by the chance of promotion, he joined the French Army in 1630, where Cardinal Richelieu promoted him on the spot to Colonel. From then on his rise was meteoric.
Having fought and won several prominent victories in the 30 years war, such Breisach and Nordlingen, he became a field marshal. Then, when Louis XIV reached his majority, the field marshal smashed his rival, the famed Conde, securing Louis his throne and for the marshal, his gratitude.
Marhsal Turenne entered the banquet hall in the palace, which was quickly becoming crowded with guests. The busy sounds of servants were suddenly muffled out by the wave of conversations that filled the ball. Mixed in with that, was the distinct and soft melody of a violin quartet, which played with skilled precision for the benefit of the crowds of dancing men and women as the ball began.
As the Marshal made his way through the ball, he gave brief nods and salutes to various officers he saw on the dance floor. It was an odd sight, the Marshal thought, such pomp and pageantry for the men on the eve of a war.
He himself had brought along a friend of his, François Michel le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois . He was a general and diplomat and a good friend that Turenne could trust.
Holding the position of Secretary of State for war, It was Louvois who supervised the reorganization of the French Army, from the formerly undisciplined bands of mercenaries and corrupt contractors, the French army was now the first one to be organized by professional regiments of soldiers loyal to the king. Aside from discipline, Louvois also made sure France's army was the best armed and fed. Huge portable ovens and a system of depots and fortresses allowed France's armies mobility no other European army had enjoyed, and the production of the new flintlock muskets and bayonets made the French army a formidable foe on any battlefield.
They walked shortly to the table and on the way were greeted by a courtier carrying a tray of appetizers and wine glasses.
"Messieurs Turenne, Louvois? Would you gentlemen like some refreshment?" the waiter asked in a heavily accented French voice.
"Yes, please, and please advise his majesty that Marshal Turenne and Monsieur Louvois have arrived." said Marshal Turenne.
The courtier gave a slight bow, skillfully balancing the many delicacies on his platter. "Of course messieurs, the King is expecting you. Please, make your way to the grand table."
Turrenne gave the courtier a nod to show that he could go, but not before relieving the courtier of a glass of
Chateau de Ferrand.
Turenne and Louvois moved to the table and sat down. King Louis was indeed chatting away at the table, along with another guest, Lady Mariana, a countess from Bearn that had recently been the talk of the court. To the Marshal, she seemed the epitome of many a youthful passion he could recall from his earlier days. Indeed, rumors passed throughout Versailles, some calling her a 'Pocket Venus'. It was no surprise to anyone that she was sitting next to the King tonight.
"Ah, it is good to see you Monsieur Turenne, Louvois," Louis XIV said in French, delightfully clapping away at the nearby orchestra which, on the kings command, now switched into the more uplifting music as the orechestra switched into a pastorale.
"Thank you sire." The two men took a swift bow before the King. "I do hope we haven't arrived at an inconvenient time."
"Nonsense Messieurs." The King said lightly as he brushed Madame Mariana away. The Countess nodded obediently, quickly getting to her feet, but not before the King pulled her towards his shoulder and whispered something into her ears, and the king was quickly repaid by a small giggle from the countess as she blew the king a kiss before departing.
"Now then Gentlemen, to affairs of state. I am sure you have met my friend here?" Louis asked, gesturing towards another general who sat next to the king. "He is one of your associates is he not Louvois?"
Marshal De Luxembourg nodded at his benefactor, for it was Louvois who had secured the Marshal a command in the upcoming campaign.
"This is François Henri de Montmorency-Bouteville, the Count of Luxembourg and general of its armies."
"Bonjour, Messieurs" he said politely in French, nodding towards the two men as they sat down. The food came in a few minutes later and they began their feast. From the kitchens, came plates of soups, salads, pheasants, pastries, mutton and fruit. The Marshal himself had a bisque served to him as he sat.
"Sire, I am pleased to be hear at this banquet but I am wondering, what are we here for?" Turenne asked.
Louis, famous for his love of food, put down the roasted partridge on his plate and wiped his hands on the napkins. "My dear General, always to the point. It is good that you do not wander from the matter at hand. My purpose in bringing you here is simple," he began.
"Two days ago I received a letter from Johan de Witt of the United Provinces, he wishes my support for his faction in the coming election in the States-General. He proposes a renewal of the treaty of friendship and commerce to solidify his position."
"Against the young William I presume?" Louvois asked curiously. Every diplomat or politician in Europe knew of the internal strife of the United Provinces, and paid particular close attention to the struggle between the De Witt faction and the House of Orange, both vying for supreme power in the parliament.
"The States General promises us their support for our claims in Franche Compte against Spain." Louis said bitterly. Just five years ago, the French armies had successfully torn Franche Compte away from the Spaniards, but the success and speed of the French conquests had frightened the Dutch, so much so that they had turned on their former friends, then the French, and forced them to sign a treaty giving the territories away, or be threatened by an even larger war involving England and Sweden. With a heavy heart, Louis signed away the region, but was allowed to keep Lille and the border fortresses south of Spanish Belgium.
It was an insult he would not forget.
"Yes, I have heard much of this proposal, the Dutch ambassadors have been regular visitors to court nowadays. It seems the de Witts are growing quite desperate, enough to even give up what they had taken from us five years ago."
"Yes," said the King. "I have been thinking of what action to take and decided to bring the matter to you, Louvois, and now that you are here, Turenne, you as well."
Louis put down his own food and began to speak.
"We have tolerated the Dutch perfidy long enough, years ago when our armies came to assist them against the Spanish, we fought as common allies, and helped liberate them and establish their government. We lived as neighbours for the last few decades and watched as the Dutch grow rich and fat off our people's hard work and labour. It is time gentlemen. Holland is not only an affront to France's greatness, but it is also a sin against her religion. She must be dealt with."
"Delenda est Amsterdam." Louis finished off rather amusingly in latin.
"Indeed sire," said de Luxembourg. "If this is the case, I would also recommend making overtures to the English, as well as their allies. I am sure they would be as eager to have at their main commercial competitor."
Louvois nodded. "I have had the pleasure of dining with Lord Arlington of the English foreign Ministry. He tells me that King Charles is more than willing to ratify his part in the treaty." The 'treaty' in question, was the treaty of Dover, negotiated in secret for years as a defensive alliance between France and England.
"My staff have been going over the details these past few days, but I believe his majesty Charles II requires a considerable sum of funds and a detachment of 6,000 troops at his disposal. This will free him from depending on the actions of his parliament considerably."
"Charles wishes to have me pay for his soldier's accroutements again I see." Louis gave a weary sigh. "Sometimes I do believe why we bother with the English at all, if they have not prepared the proper finances to deploy their own fleet."
"They are the only ones with enough ships to challenge the Dutch sire." Turenne added.
"Yes, beggars cannot be choosers. Very well Louvois, see to it that Charles gets his funds, so long as his cannon keep the Dutch fleet occupied."
"And on the other front sire?" De Luxembourg remarked. "I hear that Brandenburg has recently signed an alliance with the Dutch. And there is also Austria."
"That would be your department General. I myself would like to put in some imput," the King said. "Brandenburg is detached and removed from our theatre of war. It is highly unlikely that Emperor Leopold would allow their armies to march freely within the Empire, at least, not without some disturbance."
"The Dutch sire." Louvois countered. "also have ambassadors in Vienna pleading for an alliance."
"You see gentlemen? How can we trust these people when they offer friendship on one hand, and stab us in the back with the other?" Louis said in disgust. "Austria will not move, it is almost certain. I hear the turks are acting up again in the Balkans, and Leopold is no fool to move his army several hundred miles to the Rhine while the Ottoman is eyeing Hungary."
"Indeed," said De Luxembourg.
"And the Spaniards sire?" Turenne asked.
"Spain is weaker than Holland and their armies in Belgium are in serious disarray. They have been at war across all of Europe with dozens of states for years. They will be demoralized and exhausted. France Compte and Brabrant will be easier targets than Holland though you may not think so." De Luxembourg said in a confident tone.
Before Turenne could even respond to that accusation, Louis had already cut in.
"Brilliant gentlemen. Brilliant, get this on paper quickly and I will send this out to every general so that he is prepared for the coming storm." The Sun King casually stabbed his dinner knife down and proceeded to finish the last of his partridge
"Now..." the King said as he stared at the young Mariana who was waiting patiently by the corridor leading to the king's private suites... "I believe it is time to retire. Good night, gentlemen, I wish you the pleasures of the night. Enjoy the party."
"Thank you, your majesty," Louvois gratefully concluded.
"Yes, thank you," put in Turenne
The King walked off and Turenne took a glimpse at the Lady Mariana.
"Charming woman, isn't she?" The Marshal replied.
"The King certainly thinks so." Louvois shook his head, already used to the palace intrigues of Versailles.
There was much work to do.
***
