A Guide

Over the years my blog has expanded quite a bit and perhaps you have found it difficult to navigate on the site. If so then you might benefit from this little how-to guide.

The Greatest Court

Since there are quite a few sections under this title, here is quick review of what you will find under each:

Home of Kings: Complete floor plan of Versailles with a description and photo gallery for each room. Includes other royal residences as well as the châteaux of the courtiers

Kings & Queens: Lives and personalities of the men and women who sat on the French throne 

The Royal Family: The immediate family members (not including bastards)

Monsieur & Madame: Characters who lived at court

The King's Favourites: The lives of the King's mistresses

Great Events: great celebrations, monumental moments and fatal occurrences

 

Les Menus-Plaisirs: Names after the department responsible for the court entertainment, it is just that: the celebrations that took place at Versailles

The Court Structure: The departments that made the everyday life at Versailles run - somewhat - smoothly

Court Honours: Rights and privileges 

Madame Etiquette: The strict etiquette observed at court

Gossip, Scandals and Rumours

Courtly Tidbits: Little tales of life at court 

Liaisons: The affairs that were kept not so secret after all

Pamphlets: Mocking caricatures 

Disease, Sickness & the Court: The common diseases of the time and the court

Cuisine de la Cour: Recipes for meals that would have been on the dinner tables at Versailles

The Kingdom is at War!

The Royal Collections: The collections of art and curiosities of the royal family

Focus on Furniture: Furniture found in the specific rooms at Versailles or that were specially commissioned 

It is in the Details: Details of Versailles and the fabrics, furniture etc.

Artefacts: Belongings of the royal family and courtiers

Quotes: Bits of wisdom from the very lips of some of the more well-known characters at court

The Art

Special Findings!: Curious discoveries I have made while researching

A Palace is Created: Original drawings of Versailles and its' gardens

Reading the Realms: Your very own library of books concerning this particular subject

Watching Versailles: Movies and documentaries

How Much Do You Know?: Quizzes (made by me)

Trivia: Bits and pieces of information

Modern Versailles: Times when the long-gone court has resurfaced through modern fashion

Living Versailles: A variety of products to bring Versailles into your own life

Ghosts of a Court: Tales of ghostly sightings 

The Households 

A look into the households that took care of the King and Queen including the chores and rights that came with each post.

The Courtiers

A guide to the structure of the nobility itself as well as the ranks that divided the courtiers into titles. Also, a list of the orders of chivalry and a guide to the most powerful families in France and their coat-of-arms.

Fashions

Detailed descriptions of the fashions that dominated the French court as well the make-up and hair. In the look-books you will dresses and suits that has survived to this day while you can come up close and personal with the embroideries. Fashion plates were the Ancien Regime's fashion magazines and gives us a good idea as to how fashions spread.