Versailles

A position becomes vacant following a poisoning. Pregnant Madama de Montespan exerts her influence. Plans are afoot to find Louis' brother a wife. A writer is tasked by the king with extolling the virtues of his reign.

The Church rises up against the King, commanding him to end his adultery with Montespan. The bishop Bossuet forms an alliance with Father Pascal, who has come to the Court at the Queen’s behest to return order and morality to the Palace.

Poisonings continue to spread, and Fabien’s investigations have reached a dead end. The King’s decisions are criticised, such as his appointment of Cassel to the position of Minister of Justice. To ensure Cassel is kept under constant surveillance, Louis decides that he must marry Sophie.

Madeleine de Foix is thrown into prison; Louis and Montespan's child becomes gravely ill; the church continues to pressure the King; Thomas demands Cassil provide him with confidential information on Louis' plans in Holland.

The king's continued insomnia renders him even more volatile, so loyalty counts for little as Marchal finds to his cost. Claudine investigates the mystery toxin, while Sophie seeks a solution to her miserable marriage.

The King’s army wins several victories on the Dutch front, but it isn’t enough for Louis, who wants to crush Holland and bring Guillaume d’Orange to his knees. But he doesn’t foresee Guillaume's guile. He draws Louis into a trap and forces his army to retreat.

Louis and Guillaume d’Orange engage in a merciless face-off. In a game of cat and mouse, they size each other up, study, and challenge one another. At the end of this formidable one-on-one, Louis finally emerges from the tiredness that paralysed him, and made him so dread his own creation, the Palace of Versailles

Louis resolves to reassess his relationships while Madame de Montespan is determined to make a memorable impression on him. Philippe fears losing another wife to the poisoning plot, and its unwitting victim Cassel has a revelation to make.

As Louis starts to doubt his divinity, devilish behaviour tempts some courtiers. Rejected Madame de Montespan hopes a dark ritual will restore her status, while Philippe toys with Thomas, prompting jealous Chevalier to respond recklessly.

Montespan and Gaston keep a low profile as the royal guards arrest all nobles implicated in the poison scandal; Thomas prepares to escape with Sophie; the Chevalier finally gets his vengeance; Louis finds his strength once again.