Anne d’Autriche

Anne of Austria (1601–1666): An energetic and intelligent woman, Anne of Austria assumed the Regency upon the death of her husband, Louis XIII, with the assistance of Cardinal Mazarin. Her son, Louis XIV, was only five years old at the time.

In 1651, accompanied by her sons—the young twelve-year-old king and his brother Philippe—she attended a lavish luncheon hosted by René de Longueil at his château. The building, newly completed and ready to receive them in fitting style, piqued their curiosity.