The Man in The Iron Mask

The Man in the Iron Mask is a name given to a prisoner arrested as Eustache Dauger in 1669 or 1670, and held in a number of jails, including the Bastille and the Fortress of Pignerol. He was held in the custody of the same jailer, Bénigne Dauvergne de Saint-Mars, for a period of 34 years. He died on 19 November 1703 under the name of Marchioly, during the reign of Louis XIV of France (1643-1715). The identity of this man has been quite mysterious and has been the subject of many books, because no one ever saw his face, which was hidden by a mask of black velvet cloth. Some claimed that the prisoner wore an iron mask and was the older, illegitimate brother of Louis XIV, while others claimed that the prisoner was forced to wear an iron mask and was Louis XIV’s twin brother...