The Rise and Fall of Versailles

Louis XIV conquered half of Europe and dazzled his contemporaries with his lavish entertainments, but perhaps his greatest achievement was the incredible palace he built at Versailles, one of the wonders of the world.

Louis XV ruled for almost 60 years, enjoying military success before the disastrous Seven Year War with Britain. Amid a declining empire he pursued scandalous love affairs and shared power with his favorite mistress, Madame Pompadour.

Louis XVI and his Queen, Marie Antoinette, attempt to stave off a revolution, but it is too late - the astonishing extravagance of Versailles, which once served the glory of France so well, backfires into the ending of the monarchy itself.