The novel by Alexandre Dumas “The Vicomte de Bragelonne” is the last part of the trilogy about the Three Musketeers. In it appears a curious character named Felipe who is supposedly the twin brother of King Louis XIV. The Man in the Iron Mask about
In the aftermath of events, this character ends up being arrested in La Bastilla, where he is secretly imprisoned and his face covered with a mask. This fictional story is based on reality , as at the end of the 17th century a man was imprisoned for over thirty years. However, no one knows with absolute certainty who it is.
He is simply known as the Man in the Iron Mask. Not only is his identity unknown, but the crime he committed and who imprisoned him is also unknown. This historical episode is often remembered on the big screens and on several occasions; the last film of 1998 starring Leonardo di Caprio was titled “The Man in the Iron Mask”.
Two historical testimonies about the strange character
The French philosopher Voltaire was arrested on two occasions. In one of them, some defendants told old stories about a mysterious prisoner who wore a mask during his stay in prison. In his work “The Century of Louis XIV” there were several references to this strange character: he had a majestic appearance, he was very well treated by the jailers, he liked to play the guitar and never left his iron mask that protected his face. . The Man in the Iron Mask about
During the years the mysterious individual remained in prison , one of his jailers surnamed Saint-Mars kept a diary about his work in prison. In this document appeared some data about this enigmatic and curious individual: the mask that covered his face was not of iron, but of velvet; during his stay in prison he was known by the pseudonym Marchioli or else prisoner 64389000; the few visits he received treated him with great respect; he was always watched by two guards who had orders to kill him if he took off his mask.
Conjectures and theories about your identity
Some researchers have tried to bring something new about the identity of the Man in the Iron Mask. It is said that he could have been Louis XIV’s twin brother and that for dynastic reasons he was arrested.
It is also said that he could be the illegitimate son of a recognized member of the nobility or of the Queen of France. The prisoner is said to be Eustache Dauger, an individual who had been a close associate of Cardinal Mazarin’s treasurer. The Man in the Iron Mask about
According to another theory, the prisoner was an Italian diplomat who was arrested for revealing state secrets . One of the hypotheses is that in reality it was a woman .
These and other investigations are part of the field of speculation. However, it is known that the Man in the Iron Mask died in the year 1703 and that in his tomb, in Saint Paul cemetery, simply appeared the name of Marchioli.
