The Prisoner with No Name
For 34 years, during the reign of King Louis XIV of France, a mysterious prisoner was moved between various fortresses, including the Bastille, under the highest security. He was guarded by the same jailer, Benigne Dauvergne de Saint-Mars, his entire captivity. No one was allowed to see his face or hear his voice. If he spoke of anything other than his basic needs, he was to be killed instantly. Contrary to the movies, his mask was likely made of black velvet, not iron, but the mystery remains: Who was he?
The Royal Secret
The prisoner died in 1703 and was buried under the pseudonym “Marchioly.” His cell was scrubbed, his furniture burned, and the walls scraped to ensure he left no message behind.
- The Twin Brother: The most famous theory, popularized by Voltaire and later Alexandre Dumas, is that the prisoner was the identical twin brother of Louis XIV. To prevent a civil war over the throne, the King imprisoned him and hid his face to conceal their likeness.
- The Real Father: Another theory suggests he was the real father of Louis XIV (since Louis XIII and his queen had struggled to conceive for years), imprisoned to protect the King’s legitimacy.
- A Disgraced General: Some historians believe he was merely a valet or a minor noble who knew too much about state secrets, perhaps regarding the King’s finances or affairs.
The DNA Dead End: Since the body was buried in a parish cemetery that was later destroyed during the French Revolution, we will likely never have DNA evidence. The Man in the Iron Mask remains the ultimate symbol of royal tyranny and the secrets of the French court.