Upshot of this

One thing that I enjoy are magazines such as Horizon who publish articles of this kind. I have always found the older books that discuss historical figures to be so interesting in comparison to modern day or contempoary works. No matter which historical figure of the past, the books that were written in earlier times often have a richness and reveal an author's insights better than those which are today apparently assembled through computer creativity.

When a person takes an interest in a historical entity of the past, one has to wonder why. Is it simply because there is such a large amount of material available on the subject that it is easy to compile and rewrite many essays about the subject, or is it because the topic truly has captured the imagination of the writer.

I will admit that I am not much into historical fiction. It always bothers me when people try to put words into someone's mouth. If the author does not create the character to appear in the way that I believe that person to have been like, I simply cannot stand to read what to me is a false misrepresentation of a subject.

But it is clear to me that if Louis XIV had been that aware of all the information about his own father, that he would have certainly made certain that the record of his own life would have been shaped as he wanted it to be. As a child, he was at the mercy of his mother. And speaking of his mother, there is no doubt that many pitied and felt sorrow for her to have to be at the mercy of her husband who had so many suspicions about her.

Her life story and her cause of death makes her one of the most unevied women in the history of courts of Europe. While Princess Diana has made modern day life at the court public, Anne of Austria had even more embarrassing and stressful problems in her life as Queen. At least, Prince Charles and Princess Diana did perform the necessary service and duty to the throne by delivering England two heirs to the throne. Anne of Austria was always under threat of deportation to Spain if not able to deliver a child as required. Certainly, she did fare better than Anne Boleyn of England in an earlier time, but her life in France was as difficult as any could imagine. Luckily, the king had made a petition to the Virgin within the time frame of the conception of the young boy prince who became the SunKing. There are many superstitions about the birth of the child. He was called God's gift thanks to a prayer being answered. There never was any doubt in Louis XIII's mind that the child was his own son.

Queen Anne of Austria died of breast cancer. The cancerous growths were cut out of her skin as she progressed...imagine that in a time when there is no anaesthetic, poor dressings, and few pain killers. This woman suffered terribly. Louis XIV loved his mother and credited her with saving his throne and crown for him. He paid great homage to her at her death.

Fortunately, for me, I finally have come to learn of this story of life in France. It is a very touching story for me to contemplate as I truly believe that the king was delivered to his mother and father as a part of God's plan for life on earth. It has come to me through spiritual guides and my dictum God's will be done. I believe it is God's will for me to know of it.