Stills of Man in the Iron Mask
The True Identity of the Man in the Iron Mask is one of the most enduring mysteries in history. Dumas's novel The Viscount brag long makes it an immortal work in literature. Ten years later, the true picture behind this legend has proven to be notoriously difficult to determine. Here are 10 facts about France's most famous prisoners.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="13" >1</h1>
A Liebig card depicting the "Man in the Iron Mask"
Although best known for being a fictional character created by Dumas, the Man in the Iron Mask is a real person. Voltaire studied the legends of the Bastille, Provence and the island of Saint-Marguerite, and falsely deduced that this mysterious prisoner must have been an important figure.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="5">2.Dauger or Danger?</h1>
The mysterious prisoner was a man named Eustach-Doug or Tangier. The first version of his name may have been a mistake, or the result of a false 'u', as variants of Dancer (d'Anger, d'Angers, Dangers) with 'n' appear most frequently in official letters.
But eventually, he will lose his name altogether and be called the prisoner of antiquity, or, as his jailers liked, "my prisoner."
Celestial Beast
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="9" >3. Eustach was secretly detained</h1>
Ostash's ordeal began on 19 July 1669, when he was arrested in Calais by Sergeant Major Alexandre de Voloi of Dunkirk. Escorted by a small convoy, he was taken to Pinheirole in batches, a journey of about three weeks. Here he was placed under the care of Saint-Mars, who was the former sergeant of the Musketeers. Saint-Mars was ordered to prepare a special cell for Eustach, closed behind three doors, and in such a good location that if a prisoner tried to shout or otherwise get the attention of others, he could not hear it.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="18" >4. </h1>
Although the original letter authorizing his arrest stated that Louis XIV was not satisfied with Eustash's conduct, he may not have been Louis's prisoner. The Minister of War, Louvois, was so concerned about Eustash that he even added secret orders to his dictated letter to his secretary. He may have been the one who first applied to the king for a coronation letter.
Once in prison, Ostash is at the mercy of Saint-Mars, who will enjoy fame and fortune as a jailer for outstanding prisoners. Once they were dead or released, he took Eustach as a mystery, encouraging people to think that he must also be a man of status. As a result, Saint-Mar insisted that Eustash be with him when he was promoted to governor of the Bastille.
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Anonymous prints of The Man in the Iron Mask of 1789 (etched and clip-on versions, hand-colored).
Even in prison, a person's social status is preserved and he or she is treated accordingly. Ostash was described as "just a male servant", which was reflected in his prison experience.
experience. He was kept in a miserable cell, ate poorly and provided cheap furniture. Later, he was even sent to work as a maid to another high-ranking prisoner.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="23" >6</h1>
During his 34-year career as a state prisoner, Eustach was held in four prisons. Pignerol in the Italian Alps; Exilles, also in the Italian Alps; Sainte-Marguerite off the coast of Cannes; and the Bastille on the eastern edge of Paris at the time.
Of these, two still exist today. Exilles, although it underwent extensive renovations in the 19th century, no longer resembled the fortress that Eustach knew. The second is in Sainte-Marguerite. Now a maritime museum, visitors can see the cell that is said to have been kept inside Eustach.
The Iron Mask man in the prison on the island of Saint-Margaret, created by Hilaire Thierry, after Jean-Antoine Laurent, has a painted frame.
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Of the many candidates who were proposed as men in the Iron Mask, the first was the Duke of Beaufort, whose name was mentioned in a rumor begun by Saint Mas in 1688. The most recent (so far) is the famous musketeer d'Artagnan, a theory proposed by Roger Macdonald.
As early as 1890, however, the lawyer and historian Jules-Lyle had identified Ostash as the Man in the Iron Mask and had first linked it. Most scholars and researchers, however, rejected his findings, arguing that the now-legendary prisoner could not have been a low-level servant.
As a result, the search for the "real" Man in the Iron Mask continues. Still, the answer to this mystery lies in official records and letters that anyone has been able to read for nearly two centuries.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="30" >8. </h1>
The Iron Mask Woman
In the 19th century, those who favored a constitutional monarchy based on the Orléans family exploited the legend of the Iron Mask for their own purposes. They claim that the mysterious prisoner was actually the daughter of Louis XIII and Anne of Austria, born to the couple after a 23-year childless marriage. Believing that they would not have a son, they hid their daughter and chose a boy to replace her, and they raised him to become Louis XIV.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="31" >9</h1>
The iron mask worn by the prisoner is said to add an element of horror to his intriguing story; however, this belongs to legend, not history. In his last years in captivity, Eustach did wear a mask when he wanted to be seen by others, such as when he walked through the courtyard of the prison for Mass, or when he had to be seen by a doctor. It was a Lu-style mask made of black velvet that covered only the upper part of his face.
Invented by Voltaire, the Iron Mask may be based on a contemporary story from Provence that Eustach was forced to cover his face with an iron mask on his way from Exir to Saint-Marguerite. However, there is no historical basis for this.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="34" >10, death, and burial</h1>
In 1703, Eustash died suddenly of illness in the Bastille. He was buried in saint-paul-des-Champs, the parish church of the fortress, with a false name filled in the register. The name bears a striking resemblance to the name of a more prominent prisoner before, suggesting that the cunning Saint-Mars was still using disguise to enhance his prestige. Unfortunately, the church and its courtyard no longer exist, and the area has been developed in modern times.