Nicolas Fouquet - Downfall of a Finance Intendant

For your understanding of the following story, bear in mind it takes place before Louis XIV had started building the palace of Versailles.

By the year 1661, Nicolas Fouquet, the finance minister for King Louis XIV was the wealthiest man in France! So wealthy he built himself "Vaux-le-Vicomte", a magnificent palace in a huge estate. In August that same year, Fouquet gave a magnificent party to honor the King.

Over a thousand guests were entertained with delicious food by master chef Vatel, ballet dances, fountains, fireworks, the whole shebang! Louis XIV was astonished and had a hard time believing any of his "subjects" could be wealthier than himself...

On 5th September 1661, days after the lavish party, Louis XIV issued a "lettre de cachet" (letter of arrest) and Nicolas Fouquet was taken to prison by the musketeers of the King. He spent the rest of his life there. Voltaire who wrote about the event, concluded by stating: "At 6:00pm, Fouquet was greater than the King! At 2:00am, he was nobody!"...