The Lost King of France: Revolution, Revenge and the Search for Louis XVII

The Lost King of France: Revolution, Revenge and the Search for Louis XVII

by Deborah Cadbury (Author)

Synopsis

A true story of royalty, revolution and mystery - the detective story of the brief life and many possible deaths of Louis XVII, the son of Marie Antoinette. Louis-Charles Bourbon enjoyed a charmed early childhood in the gilded palace of Versailles. At the age of four, he became the Dauphin, heir to the most powerful throne in Europe. Yet within five years, he was to lose everything. Drawn into the horror of the French Revolution, his family was incarcerated and their fate thrust into the hands of the revolutionaries who wished to destroy the Monarchy. In 1793, when his mother was beheaded at the guillotine, she left her adored eight-year-old son imprisoned in the Temple Tower. Far from inheriting a throne, the orphaned boy-King had to endure the hostility and abuse of a nation. Two years later, the Revolutionary leaders declared Louis XVII was dead. No grave was dug, no monument built to mark his passing. Immediately, rumours spread that the Prince had, in fact, escaped from prison and was still alive. Others believed that he had been murdered, his heart cut out and preserved as a relic. In time, his older sister, Marie-Therese, who survived the Revolution, was approached by countless 'brothers' who claimed not only his name, but also his inheritance. Several 'Princes' were plausible, but which, if any, was the real Louis-Charles? This book interweaves a pivotal moment in France's history with a compelling detective story involving pretenders to the crown, royalist plots and bizarre legal battles. The quest for the truth finally runs to the present day. Using modern DNA testing, the strange odyssey of a stolen heart found within the royal tombs was to lead to an exciting conclusion to the 200-year-old mystery of the "Lost King of France".

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More Information

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 352
Edition: First Edition
Publisher: Fourth Estate
Published: 07 Oct 2002

ISBN 10: 1841155888
ISBN 13: 9781841155883

Media Reviews
Advance praise for THE LOST KING OF FRANCE: * 'Absolutely stupendous...This is history as it should be. I can't praise it highly enough. It is stunningly written, I could not put it down. This is the best account of the French Revolution I have ever read.' Alison Weir, author of Henry VIII, King and court * Unputdownable. For sheer escapism and some fascinating insights into history, I cannot recommend this too highly. Maureen Waller, author of 1700: Scenes from London Life '* A fascinating story...extremely well told.' Ian Dunlop, author of Louis XIV * 'A first-class read -- informative, entertaining, and a great, grand adventure. Most noteworthy.' Margaret George, author of THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF HENRY VIII Praise for THE DINOSUAR HUNTERS: This is a tale of intrigue and deception, of burning ambition and failed dreams...exquisitely portrayed by Deborah Cadbury in this scholarly yet exhilarating book.' Independent 'Cadbury is a wonderful writer, weaving natural history, human history and science together in a smooth, flowing tapestry that keeps you turning the pages as if her book were a thriller.' The Times
Author Bio
Deborah Cadbury is the award-winning TV science producer for the BBC, including Horizon for which she won an Emmy . She is also the highly- acclaimed author of 'The Feminisation of Nature' and 'The Dinosaur Hunters'.