La Garde Ecossaise Historical Fiction and Early Modern Studies Newsletter

Welcome

A warm welcome to the La Garde Ecossaise Historical Fiction newsletter – this is your fortnightly update on the novel series and early modern studies.

New Releases from La Garde Ecossaise

Audio Guide Chapter 21 Intelligence.

Podcast Season 2, Episode 1 Louis XIV and St Germain en Laye.

Quote

‘I walked in and as I looked around the room, I instantly noticed that it was full of books, with wall to wall bookshelves around the whole room. To the left of me there was an oak table draped with ornate red and gold damask and sitting on this table was a whole manner of astronomical and scientific instruments, a spyglass and a quill and some old leaves of paper’.

La Garde Ecossaise Book 1 p.46.

Early Modern Digest

Late 17^th century Ukrainian Sabre displayed in London https://glavnoe.in.ua/en/news-en/historic-ukrainian-sabre-on-display-at-the-tower-of-london-for-the-first-time

The Hapsburgs genetic deformities https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/history/horrifying-reason-historic-royal-family-31608330

The 17^th century travelling Japanese poet who is a towering figure in early modern Japanese literature. https://theboar.org/2024/11/the-unlikely-modernity-of-matsuo-basho-the-17th-century-travelling-poet/

Oldest firearms in the US date from a sixteenth century battle between the Native Americans and the Spanish https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/oldest-firearms-ever-found-in-us-were-abandoned-by-spanish-in-16th-century-battle-against-native-americans  

The island that formerly held the prisoner ‘The Man in the Iron Mask’ during the reign of Louis XIV is now a luxurious private island resort. https://galeriemagazine.com/hotel-of-the-week-le-grand-jardin-cannes-2/

 Did You Know?

The city of Qalhat in Oman never recovered from a devastating earthquake in the sixteenth century which destroyed the entire city. Read more about it here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1040618223001787

Feature Article: The Palace of St Germain en Laye as a royal residence under Louis XIV c. 1643-c1682. 

The Chateau at Saint-Germain-en-Laye occupies a curious place within the reign of Louis XIV. It was the birthplace of both Louis XIV and his brother Phillipe and was a place of shelter for Louis XIV during the Fronde.[1] In the latter part of Louis XIVs reign it became a royal residence for the exiled King James VII/II.[2] However, the chateau is often overlooked and rarely associated with the Sun King’s court even though Louis XIV did not officially move his court permanently to Versailles until 1682. However, the Chateau of Saint Germain-en-Laye, was not simply a stopgap until Versailles became the centre of Louis XIVs power but was a fully functioning royal residence used to project Louis XIVs majesty.

Furthermore, much of what Louis XIV learned during his time at the Palace of Saint-Germain en Laye, the good and the bad, was to be transferred to Versailles after 1682. Of course, before 1682, Louis XIV also used other palaces such as the Louvre, Fontainebleau and the hunting lodge that was later to become the Palace of Versailles. However it was at the Chateau at Saint-Germain en Laye that the reign of the Sun King began and allowed Louis XIV to develop, evolve and promote his royal authority by laying the foundations for the glorious image of the sun king at Versailles after 1682.[3]  

I will illustrate this by using documents from the Gallica collection of the BnF. Please take time to click on the links below which will take you directly to the documents under discussion.

Geography and Terrain: The Foundations of Monarchy

The Chateau at St Germain was surrounded by lush forests that were part of the Royal Domaine. As already discussed in a previous newsletter the term ‘royal domaine’ does not just refer to the lands and property which the French kings owned for their own use but were far more than this, the royal domaine were lands which French kings used for State or public uses. The seventeenth-century definition of ‘domain’ is built around the feudal structure of lords and vassals, which would still apply in a royal context, but also describes inherited property imbued with history and heritage. Again, given that royal property was inherited and were often buildings and land of historical significance for the French kingdom, this meaning of ‘domaine’ also applies when examining royal lands and estates.[4]

For Louis XIV the royal lands were financial assets that could be developed to project the greatness of monarchy and add further financial value to the asset itself. In 1681 the King had clearly ordered a survey of the forest of St Leger which was part of the assets of the Palace of the St Germain en Laye.  This is the year before Louis XIV permanently moved his court to the Palace of Versailles, showing that even though he had extensively redeveloped and rebuilt the hunting lodge at Versailles he was still interested in the other assets within the Royal Domaine. Indeed, the hand drawn survey of the land is chiefly concerned with the value or ‘cost’ of the land. The building of Versailles would have been dependent on the management of all the assets in Royal Domaine, including all the assets associated with the Chateau of Saint Germain en Laye.[5] 

However, it would be wrong to see the Chateau of St Germain en Laye as simply as an asset used to finance the building of the Palace of Versailles. The grounds of the new palace at St Germain were extensive and exceptional under Louis XIV. This engraving from 1655 shows the extent and beauty of the gardens. Indeed, if you look closely at the boxes at the side of the map you will see that details are given about the size of the features in the garden on the left side and on the right, the different sections of the garden, its key uses and features. Clearly, there is some bragging going on here! This print would have been published in Paris and distributed throughout the kingdom as a symbol of royal power. It would be wrong not to mention that it was Andre Le Nôtre who designed these gardens. Of course, he would also design the gardens of Marly and Versailles.[6]  

We know that the Bourbons had a deep affection for the new chateau of St Germain en Laye as illustrated by this engraving done by Louis, the dauphin [Louis XIV’s son and heir] in 1677. The grand size and features of the palace are well captured in this illustration as well as the extensive gardens along the river Seine. In contrast to the image above, this appears to be a more cherished personal and private item. This shows that this was not just a royal palace for show, but a deeply cherished family home admired for its classically inspired architecture. Indeed, the inclusion of the boats and boatmen below show that the palace was not divorced from the surrounding communities and ordinary people of France. Yet, at the same time, with the palace towering over these figures in the boats, it also represents the ‘great chain of being’ and the towering presence of the monarchy in France.[7]

Viewing the chateaux and their external grounds we should not view them as the ‘poor relation’ of the later Palace of Versailles but instead view it as contemporaries viewed it at the time. Peter Heylin was very impressed with the Chateau of Saint-Germain en Laye and its surroundings:

Heylin was also impressed with the waterworks in the garden of the new chateau and gives us a guided tour with vivid descriptions:

It is clear that such mechanical water features and beauty should not only be associated with the Palace of Versailles. By 1676, the surrounding area of the chateau still had a lot of charm even though the chateau had seen better days as A Tour in France and Italy published that year makes clear:

Therefore the gardens were grand befitting that of a monarch but what role did the chateau itself play in projecting Louis XIVs authority? 

The Chateaux of St Germain en Laye and the Projection of Royal Authority

The Chateau of St Germain en Laye was also a royal residence which sought to project royal authority. It could be a place of state ceremony and government. This print dating from 1668 shows the pageantry around the baptism of Louis, the dauphin of France.  Indeed, the fact that this print exists shows that Louis XIV was keen to project a sense of kingly authority through pageantry to the wider population of France. It is significant that instead of being a written account of events that it is a visual representation which would have been accessible to all French subjects. Long before moving his court permanently to Versailles, Louis XIV was a king who was keen on grand ceremony and display to project his authority.[11]

The palace when the King or any the Estates were present was a seat of Royal government and authority. There are declarations and acts from the King himself that are issued from Saint Germain en Laye.[12] The palace could also act as a meeting place for the Assembly of the Clergy, as it was symbolically in 1680 when the clergy reaffirmed their loyalty to Louis XIV in his dispute with the Pope over the Regale. Written as a letter to Louis XIV himself and signed by the major figures in the French church it was designed to bolster Louis XIV’s authority over the French church.[13]

The interiors of the chateau may have been past their best, but they were still used to project royal authority, either through decoration or through the actions of the monarch himself. The author of A Tour in France and Italy states:

Long before the famed Hall of Mirrors at Versailles Louis XIV liked to use mirror glass and gilding to reflect and project kingly authority.

Heylin was equally impressed when he visited the king’s apartments:

It was clear that Louis XIV was keen to project his kingly authority through paintings and drawings in his bedchamber. However, this combination of paintings, gilding and mirrors will be very familiar to those of you who have visited the King’s bedchamber at the Palace of Versailles. It is clear that Versailles was just a continuation of the projection of authority already seen in the Palace of St Germain en Laye.

Yet, what was the purpose of this beyond impressing visitors to the palace. Indeed, the palace was a public place where visitors were able to see the royal residence belonging to the King of France. Again, this was all about projecting royal authority. This was a daily and ongoing occurrence in Louis XIV’s France as even the King’s daily routine at the palace was used to project his authority. This is most clearly recalled by the philosopher John Locke:

St Germain en Laye to Versailles: A cast off?  

Reflecting on the above evidence despite being ‘out of fashion’ by the 1670s Louis XIV was keen to project his authority at the Palace of Saint-Germain and it functioned as a proper royal residence. In 1682, Louis XIV permanently moved his court to the Palace of Versailles and in 1688 gave the old chateau to his cousin King James II/VII when he was exiled from Britain after the revolution in 1688. It continued to function as a royal residence, albeit for a different king. James II and his family had kitchens, stores, barbers, residences for nobility and members of their court and royal chambers for the Royal Family themselves. It functioned as any royal court would, albeit in exile.[17]

By this time, Louis XIV was established in Versailles and in gifting his cousin James II/VII the chateau it could be seen as simple act of benevolence. However, it was also designed as an irritant to Louis XIV’s rival William of Orange. James II/VII was a legitimate ruler and Orange’s father-in-law with a fully functional court and a large number of followers. This overshadowed William’s rule in Britain. Indeed, after James II lost to William of Orange at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 Louis XIV doubled down on the generosity shown to his cousin. As Cronin states:

Indeed, we know that James’s presence in Saint Germain en Laye had got under Orange’s skin to such an extent that as part of the Peace of Ryswick in 1697 Louis XIV promised to recognise William of Orange’s claim to the British and Irish thrones. Thus, making James II/VII claim to the British and Irish thrones as ‘illegitimate’ in an international legal framework and treaty. Orange was exceptionally clever indeed.[19] 

I hope you have enjoyed the latest edition of the newsletter. If you are reading this newsletter on the web and have any questions please leave a comment below or you can email me at [email protected]  

[1] Nancy Nicols Barker, Brother to the Sun King: Philippe Duke of Orleans (Baltimore, 1989) 3; Josephine Wilkinson, Louis XIV: The Power and the Glory (London, 2019) Loc 684 [Kindle]; Vincent Cronin, Louis XIV (London, 1966) 21-22.

[2] Edward Corp, A Court in Exile: The Stuarts in France, 1689-1718 (Cambridge, 2004).

[3] William Beik, Louis XIV and Absolutism: A Brief Study with Documents (Boston MA, 2000) 51;  Nicols Barker, Brother to the Sun King 7.

[4] Le Robert Dictionaire, ‘Domaine’ https://dictionnaire.lerobert.com/en/definition/domaine Accessed 16/06/2025.

[5] BnF Gallica, ‘Plan des Environs du chasteau de St Germain en Laye costé de St Legér’ 1681 Plan des environs du chasteau de St-Germain-en-Laye du costé de St-Léger : [dessin] | Gallica Accessed 05/08/2025.

[6] BnF Gallica, ‘Les Chateaux Royaux de Saint Germain en Laye’ 1655 https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8442422r.r=Ch%C3%A2teau%20de%20Saint-Germain-en-Laye?rk=150215;2 Accessed 05/08/2025 ; Nancy Mitford, The Sun King (London, 1994) 40.

[7] BnF Gallica, ‘Vue du Chateau Neuf de Saint Germain en Laye’ [Vue du Chateau Neuf de Saint-Germain-en-Laye] : [estampe] / [dessiné et gravé par Louis de France, assisté d'Israël Silvestre] | Gallica Accessed 05/08/2025.

[8] Peter Heylin, A Survey of the Estate of France (London, 1656) 60-61.

[9] Heylin, A Survey of the Estate of France 61.

[10] Anon, A TOUR in France & Italy, Made by an English Gentleman, 1675 (London, 1676) 8.

[11] BnF Gallica, ‘Veue et perspective des 2 chasteau royaux de S.t Germain en Laye où est représenté la cérémonie faite au baptesme de Monsigneur le Dauphin’  Veue et Perspective des 2 chasteaux royaux de S.t Germain en Laye, où est représenté la cérémonie faite au baptesme de Monseigneur le Dauphin dans la court du vieux chasteau le 24 mars 1668 : [estampe] / Brissard in. et sculp. | Gallica Accessed 6 August 2025.

[12] BnF Gallica ‘Edict du Roy et Arrest du Conseil d Etat’ 1669 (Arrêt du Conseil d'Etat portant suppression des maîtrises particulières des eaux et forêts de Chaumont en Vexin, Laon, Chaulny, Calais, Nemours, Provins, et autres.) | Gallica

[13] A LETTER Written to the French King, By the LORDS Sprirtual The ARCH-Bishops And the BISHOPS (London, 1680).

[14] A Tour in France and Italy 8.

[15] Heylin, The Survey of the Estate of France 61.

[16] David L. Smith, Louis XIV (Cambridge, 1992) 101.

[17] Corp, A Court in Exile: The Stuarts in France, 1689-1718 76-103.

[18] Cronin,  Louis XIV 294.

[19] Pierre Gobert, Louis XIV and Twenty Million Frenchmen (London, 1966) 202-204.