Athénaïs de Rochechouart de Mortemart, Marquise de Montespan
Born October 5, 1640 at Lussac les Château, France
Died May 27, 1707
Athénaïs was born into the oldest noble family in France, next to the Bourbons. Her father Gabriel was First Gentleman of the King’s Bedchamber, and upon his death her brother Louis-Victor took over the post. She was the King’s maîtresse en tître for 12 years, and has been called the Uncrowned Queen of France. However, she is best known as the main suspect in the Affair of the Poisons.
Louis XIV, King of France
Born September 5, 1638 at 11:11 am in Paris
Died September 1, 1715
Louis Bourbon, nicknamed the Sun King, is known for his interminable wars, the building of Versailles, and the establishment of a centralized government. He demanded “un foi, un loi, un roi—one faith, one law, one king.” Hated and admired, he was conspired against in the Affair of the Poisons. Shortly after the death of his wife, he married Mme de Maintenon, the former governess of the royal bastards.
Gabriel-Nicolas de La Reynie, Lieutenant-General of Police
Born May 25, 1625 in Limoges, France
Died June 14, 1709
From humble beginnings, La Reynie became a magistrate, then rose to be a member of the King’s Council. Jean-Baptiste Colbert created the post of Lieutenant-General of Police in 1667 and selected La Reynie for the job. He is known as the first modern police officer, and was put in charge of the Affair of the Poisons.