The Man in the Iron Mask by Wilkinson Josephine

Author:Wilkinson Josephine
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pegasus Books
Published: 2021-07-06T00:00:00+00:00

TEN The Île Sainte-Marguerite

The island of Sainte-Marguerite basked in golden sunshine, its shores washed by the gentle warm waters of the Mediterranean. The scent of pine trees filled the air, blending with the perfumes arising from the eucalyptus, orange, and olive trees. Myriad flowers carpeted the woodland floor. It was an island paradise, the beauty of which concealed its mundane function as a military outpost and, when necessity called, a prison.

The governor of this idyllic garrison, Guillaume de Pechpeyrou-Comminges, comte de Guitaut, had recently died of a fever while traveling to Paris. His post was currently being run by a captain-major, Pierre de Bussy, seigneur de Dampierre, but this was a temporary arrangement. Very soon a new governor would arrive: M. de Saint-Mars.

It was in early January 1687 that Saint-Mars received news that he had been appointed governor of the Îles de Lérins, which comprised the islands of Sainte-Marguerite and its smaller companion, Saint-Honorat. Louvois instructed Saint-Mars to journey to Sainte-Marguerite to make an assessment of the work necessary to enable him to guard his prisoners securely. Once he had surveyed the buildings, he was to draw up a plan and an account of the costs involved. He was then to return to Exilles to await the king’s orders concerning the conducting of the prisoners to the islands. Louvois added: “I believe it is unnecessary for me to recommend that you take such measures that, during the time that you will be going to the Île Sainte-Marguerite, and returning from there, the said prisoners will be guarded in such a manner that nothing can befall them, and that they have no dealings with anyone.”1

Louvois also wrote to the clerk of the post at Grenoble, enclosing another letter for Saint-Mars. The instructions were to have it sent by express delivery, and for the reply to be handled with the same urgency.2 This letter crossed one from Saint-Mars, in which the jailer informed him of the death of La Rivière. In his reply, Louvois again refers to “one of your prisoners” but does not name him.3

Saint-Mars was very happy about his new position. For too long the inclement weather and unpleasant conditions at Exilles had undermined his health, and he had asked several times for a new posting. He wrote to Louvois to express his gratitude that his dearest wish was being fulfilled and he would be leaving the dreary fortress of Exilles for good.4 He was already looking forward to beginning the next stage of his career on Sainte-Marguerite and had begun to plan the route he would take as he prepared to embark upon his fact-finding mission. “I would request to be permitted to take the road through Piedmont,” he said, “on account of the great quantity of snow that there is between here and Embrun.” As for his return journey, “which shall be as quick as I can make it,” he hoped Louvois would approve of his making a detour on the way out so that he might pay a visit to the duc de Savoie, “from whom I have always received so much kindness.

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