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I’ve become a regular reader of Weave a Garland, Jackie Hodson’s wonderful blog on 17th century history.
Today’s post is a moving portrait of the care of Sun King‘s father, Louis XIII, by his doctor, Héroard.
I was pained to read, for example:
“When just two days old, the dauphin Louis had trouble suckling so Héroard brought in a surgeon who cut the membranes beneath the infant’s tongue in three places—a common enough practice but Louis, for the rest of his life, was afflicted by a stutter and he often had to poke his tongue out of his mouth and hold it between his lips.”
No wonder Louis XIII was shy and withdrawn.
Philippe was not bisexual, he was homosexual.
It gives me a chill, Lucy! And to think how common it is for a baby not to "latch on" for a few days … .
I've never heard of such a thing- how brutal!
The Vert-Gallant! Goodness – if he'd lived…A blueprint for his grandson and no mistake :)
I've not doubted it either, Jackie.
Louis XIII and Philippe, Louis XIV's brother, are very much alike, I think — including their bisexuality.
Louis XIV was clearly a throw-back to his grandfather, Henri XIV, that life- and woman-loving king so loved by the French.
Thank you kindly for the link Sandra. The picture you've used shows Louis' problem quite clearly.
Father and son were so very different but I've always believed that XIII was the father of XIV. Nature versus nurture?
Cheers
Jackie