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A colourful Burgundian at the court of the Sun King, an outstanding soldier, a libertine, a gallant gentleman, a quick-witted academician : Let’s follow the footsteps of Roger de Rabutin, one of the most flamboyant courtiers of the great Louis XIV !
The Itinerary of a young Burgundian nobleman
A promising start
Roger de Rabutin was born on a Friday the 13th, in April 1618, a date that seemed predestined for this Illustrious Wretch, who was to oscillate constantly between glory and misfortune !
Third son of Léonor de Rabutin and Diane de Cugnac, he was initially destined for a religious career, and from an early age was taught by the Jesuits at the Collège d'Autun, then in Paris (at the future Lycée Louis le Grand).
At the age of twelve, following the death of his brothers, he became the eldest in his family: his parents called him back to them to train for his new position. At the same time, his father, the King's Lieutenant General in the Nivernais region, decided that he should also learn the art of war. At the age of first flirtations, he took part in military expeditions and distinguished himself in 1636 at the siege of Dôle.
This was the start of an interrupted series of campaigns and gallant adventures.
Reproduction Hervé Lewandowski / CMN
"In war as in love, you must keep watch day and night "
Taken from his famous collection "Les Maximes d'Amour", this sentence is Roger de Rabutin's motto par excellence : his feats of arms are closely intertwined with his exploits in love.
After distinguishing himself brilliantly at Dôle, the 23-year-old was put in charge of a regiment. However, he chose to leave his regiment in the lurch to go and flirt with a pretty young countess! On his return, the king's lieutenant-general was waiting for him to send him to the Bastille, where he stayed for six months and met his mentor, Marshal de Bassompierre, who introduced him to the world of libertinage.
When he was released from prison, he continued his military career with flying colours, rising to the rank of lieutenant-general and then marshal de camp.
However, he failed to achieve his goal of becoming Marshal of France, mainly because of his superior, Marshal de Turenne, who kept telling King Louis XIV that :
Roger de Rabutin is the best of my officers, but only for songs!
Benjamin Gavaudo / Centre des monuments nationaux
A prolific writer
A sharp pen
When he's not wielding a sword, it's a feather !
Roger de Rabutin received a thorough education, unlike many nobles of his time: he was a discreet, gallant and courteous scholar.
He developed a sure taste for literature : he was sought out for his critical skills ; he knew how to handle words, and from a simple hobby, he was propelled to the rank of remarkable writer.
Why is that ? Quite simply because he handled the epistolary as well as the academic genre, branching out into satire from time to time !
A frenzied letter-writer, he corresponded with more than 150 people, including his cousin Madame de Sévigné : they kept up a lively and sparkling correspondence and wrote to each other for more than forty years !
But the two cousins got on like cats and dogs : they liked each other, but from a distance ! Each had a fiercely competitive spirit, which is reflected in their letters: they compete to find the best turn of phrase, the best anecdote, just to nail the other. In the process, they invented a style that came to be known as rabutinage !
At the age of 49, it was his consecration! Roger de Rabutin was admitted to the Académie Française thanks to his "Maximes d'Amour" (the 17th-century drag manual !). Only three months after his entry into this institution, everything fell apart: one of his pamphlets, "Histoire Amoureuse des Gaules", was published (without his consent) and caused a general outcry right up to the highest echelons of Versailles.
Hervé Lewandowski Reproduction / Centre des monuments nationaux
One scandal too many
Wishing to entertain his adored mistress, Madame de Montglas, he wrote "Histoire amoureuse des Gaules", in which, pretending to make indirect fun of the adventures of the ladies of the court, he in fact produced a wide-ranging critique of aristocratic society and its debauched mores. The book very quickly got out of hand and provoked reactions from everyone, including the King.
Infuriated, the King decided to make an example out of the Count for all pamphleteers : he sentenced him to a year's imprisonment in the Bastille, followed by permanent exile to his lands in Burgundy. It was also the best way to get rid of this Burgundian gentleman, whose tongue was far too sharp and who was incapable of falling into line ! Gone were the pleasures of Versailles, back to cold Burgundy !
While he waited for an unlikely return to grace, the Count set about creating an interior decor to evoke his nostalgia for the Court and his feelings.
David Bordes / Centre des monuments nationaux
A return on tiptoe
The end of exile ?
Seventeen years later, when Roger de Bussy-Rabutin had almost given up hope of returning from exile, Louis XIV finally lifted the punishment !
At almost 70, he finally returned to the Court ! Unfortunately, it was a half-hearted return : the King allowed him to stay at Versailles but did not grant him any office or income. In this new Court, where he no longer knew the fashions, codes or people to follow, Roger de Rabutin realised that his hours of glory were over. He chose to return of his own free will to his Burgundian lands.
At 75, after tiptoeing back to the Court, he took his leave.
Would you like to meet a new member of this family ? Why not pay a visit to his cousin, the famous Madame de Sévigné ?
Regards database / Centre des monuments nationaux