Immerse yourself in the gripping historical biography of The Man in the Iron Mask. The Man in the Iron Mask is a novel, written by Alexandre Dumas in 1850, that is based on the true story of an unidentified French prisoner in the 17th century. He was arrested in 1669 or 1670 and held in a number of French prisons, including the Bastille prison and the Fotress of Pignerol, for 34 years. He died on November 19th, 1703 under the name Marchioly, during the reign of King Louis XIV of France (1643-1715). No one has been known to see his face, because it was kept hidden by a mask of black velvet cloth. The true identity of the prisoner remains a mystery to this very day. His identity is a much-debated topic among historians. Theories range from Eustache Dauger, a man who was involved in multiple political scandals in the late 17th century, to the older, illegitimate brother of King Louis XIV. This beautiful reprint of the original story is unabridged and unedited, preserving The Man in the Iron Mask for your reading pleasure. It makes a wonderful gift for the historical fiction fan in your life or a wonderful addition to your library of classic literature. Enjoy! Excerpt: "He used to say that a man was bound to make for himself, in the world, that fortune which Heaven had refused him at his birth. He added that, being a poor, obscure orphan, I had no one but myself to look to; and that nobody either did, or ever would, take any interest in me. I was, then, in the hall I have spoken of, asleep from fatigue with long fencing. My preceptor was in his room on the first floor, just over me. Suddenly I heard him exclaim, and then he called: 'Perronnette! Perronnette!' It was my nurse whom he called." Dimensions: Original 1850 Text Classic Historical Biography of Unknown Prisoner Dimensions: 8x10 inches Matte Cover