Later, when Athenais's reputation was tarnished, the king continued to support her publicly until Athenais left court for a life of repentance. After a flirtation with his sister-in-law, his first important mistress was Louise de La Valliere, who bore him several children before being replaced by the tempestuous and brilliant Athenais, marquise de Montespan. While unfailingly kind to the official "Queen of Versailles," Louis sought others to satisfy his romantic and sexual desires. In 1660, Louis married his first cousin, Marie-Therese, in a political arrangement. A devout Catholic, she instilled in her son a strong sense of piety and fought successfully for his right to absolute power. The king's mother, Anne of Austria, had been in a childless marriage for twenty-two years before she gave birth to Louis XIV. Now, Antonia Fraser goes behind the well-known tales of Louis's accomplishments and follies, exploring in riveting detail his intimate relationships with women. The self-proclaimed Sun King, Louis XIV ruled over the most glorious and extravagant court in seventeenth-century Europe.
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