Louis XIV’ secret Marriage with Madame de Maintenon

"Will you marry me?" That's not an uncommon question for a lady to hear at some point in her life. However, how many ladies in history heard it coming from a King at a time where royals only married among each other from other courts of Europe. Madame de Maintenon got to hear it from the King of France, and not the least of all: Louis XIV, the "Sun King" himself!

Who could have predicted a little girl who had been born in a prison (her mother had joined her misfit husband in jail) would someday marry the most powerful ruler of his time? Her lucky break came when Madame de Montespan (then official mistress of Louis XIV) hired her services as governess for the illegitimate children she had produced with the King.

He inevitably noticed the genuine affection Madame de Maintenon showed for his children. Louis was then in his forties and his main criteria in ladies were no longer their youth nor their good looks. He fell for the mother figure that could calm him and bring him wisdom. The marriage was secret, she could never be the Queen of France, but she became the Queen of Louis...