Versailles

In 1667 in France, Louis XIV is a young king who wants to impose his power whereas he is traumatized by the Fronde (the revolt of nobility during Louis XIIIs reign) and despite the attacks of conspirators. Then, Louis XIV decides to establish the seat of the power out of Paris, in Versailles. At that time, Versailles is just a hunting lodge but Louis XIV radically wants to transform this castle.

Louis XIV wants the nobility to live at his side in Versailles. But noblemen and noblewomen have to prove their noble origin to obtain this privilege. Montcourt is one of them, but he cant prove his noble rank. Then, Montcourt meets a strange Duke called Cassel to help him. Besides, Louis XIV asks the Queen to welcome Annaba, an African prince.

Philippe returns to Versailles, a super-confident war hero, ready to challenge his brother as the peace treaty with Spain is signed. Louis plans a celebratory party but the attacks on the highway continue and Fabien believes there could be another attempt to kill Louis. Suspicious of Cassel, who refuses to attend the party,as being behind the attacks, the king sends glamorous mistress Athenais de Montespan, accompanied by naive young Sophie de Clermont, to tell Cassel that he must turn up or host it at his own expense. Dangling Sophie as bait Athenais succeeds in forcing Cassels attendance and obeisance to the king. However the sound of fireworks has a traumatic effect on Philippe, recalling gunfire whilst Sophie shocks her ambitious mother with an unwise liaison and Cassel returns to what is left of his home to find the king has well and truly beaten him.

Louis is struck down with fever and, whilst the official version is that he has had a hunting accident, the courtiers are suspicious and Philippe lets slip to Rohan that, if his brother dies, he will be regent. When the delirious Louis runs round the palace in his night shirt the facts become visible and the queen, Cassel and others meet secretly to plan ahead should he not survive but Louis recovers, thanks to Claudine Masson, daughter of the late court doctor whom Louis now appoints as his physician. Due to Fabiens spy network he also exposes the conspirators, in particular the CHevalier, and orders arrests to be made whilst finally releasing Mademoiselle de Clermont to become a nun on her request.

Louis believes to triumph diplomatically when his queen Henriette negotiates an alliance with England against the Dutch for cash and a guard for her brother, English king Charles II, but when William of Orange personally comes question the Stuart reunion, Charles offers him a princesss hand. Rohan continues to elude Marchals efforts to dismantle the secret society in Oranges service, even arranges the escape of a traitor locked up for torture. Marchal, who is losing Louis confidence, proves the Pau ladies frauds, discretely executes the mother, his lover and the poison monger, and chases the daughter. Chevalier convinces Philippe not to resent Louis demand to devise elaborate court etiquette but to enjoy becoming the aristocracy at courts puppeteers, while Louis proudly radiates as a heliocentric sun.

Though his palace continues to expand and receive admiration from around the world, Louis is still plagued by nightmares.

A cool welcome awaits Princess Palatine both in the palace salons and her new husbands bed, but Sophies destiny is worst. Marchal finds a prime suspect for the poisonings.

King Louis XIVs continued insomnia makes him increasingly volatile, meaning Marchals loyalty counts for nothing. Claudine continues to investigate the mystery toxin, while Sophie seeks a solution to her situation.

Louis meets Guillaume dOrange in a relentless combat and returns to Versailles full of new energy. The court is in shock of two new deaths and Montespan feels herself increasingly isolated.

Louis has Phillipe get close to the spy. This ignites the Chevaliers jealousy. Fabien learns what Father Etienne does with the children he rescues. Montespan is desperate to reclaim the kings love, but Louis falls for someone more pious.

Louis welcomes Leopold, the Emperor vanquished of the Holy Empire, to Versailles. Philip, victorious in the war, was given the task of selecting prisoners to deport them to the colonies. But the presence of a mysterious prisoner with a masked face awakens his suspicions.

In Paris, Fabien finds it difficult to maintain order. At court, Louis rejects Maintenon when his troubled past is exposed to the light. Philippe is attacked after spotting the man with the iron mask. At the Vatican, Cardinal Leto wishes to hand over the King of France in his place.

Maintenon returns to the palace and encourages Louis to put his plans into action. Louis wants to discredit Leopold, and makes a secret pact with Barek, the Ottoman emissary. Philippe understands that the Church is at the origin of the conspiracy of the man in the iron mask, and suspects Louis to take part. Marie-Thérèse falls seriously ill.

The burning question remains: who is the man with the iron mask? Leto decides to bring the man with the iron mask to Versailles, but Bontemps feels the danger. With the help of Fabien, he removes the prisoner and brings him to Louis and Philippe. The truth is finally revealed.

Fabien knows Louis has killed the prisoner and deduces the truth about the Man in the Iron Mask. Philippe decides to leave the court. Leto convinces Maintenon to support the marriage of Louis and the Infanta Isabella. But against all odds, Louis marries Maintenon and proclaims himself head of the Church of France. Louis accelerates his campaign of expansion in Europe and persecutes the Protestants.