The Man In the Iron Mask

by Alexandre Dumas, Maurice Leloir and F.C. Tilney

The Man In the Iron Mask by Alexandre Dumas. This title is #6 of the D'Artagnan Romance Series. Alexandre Dumas, also known as Alexandre Dumas, père, was a French writer, best known for his historical novels of high adventure. Translated into nearly 100 languages, these have made him one of the most widely read French authors in history. Plot: Dumas constructs the plot around the notion that the Man in the Iron Mask is the twin brother of Louis XIV, Philippe, who had been concealed and imprisoned from birth by his father, Louis XIII, and his mother, Anne of Austria, "for the good of France". Only a very few people living at the start of the novel know of Philippe's existence; these include his mother, Anne, and her former confidante, the Duchesse de Chevreuse. Chevreuse has let the secret slip to Aramis, the Bishop of Vanne and her former lover. The Man in the Iron Mask is one of the most famous prisoners in the history of France, but also a great mystery. Today, we still do not know his identity. We know he was imprisoned by order of King Louis XIV and it remained locked for 34 years, until his death in 1703. He wore a mask so that no one recognizes it, but whether it was actually iron mask and he wore it constantly. This prisoner became famous after his death in 1703, and there are many hypotheses about its real identity.