Marilyn Thipthorpe
The Man in the Iron Mask was a prisoner arrested in 1669 and held in the Bastille and other French jails for more than three decades, until his death in 1703. His identity has been an enduring mystery because, throughout his imprisonment, the man’s face was hidden by a mask.
It’s a mystery that evaded even famed philosopher Voltaire and writer Alexandre Dumas.
Paul Sonnino, a professor of history at the University of California, Santa Barbara, claims he has uncovered the real identity of the mysterious Man in the Iron Mask. In “The Search for the Man in the Iron Mask: A Historical Detective Story” Sonnino leads the reader through historical records, correspondence regarding the prisoner and other aspects of his investigation.
Through his research, Sonnino determined that Dauger was a valet for the treasurer of Cardinal Mazarin, who was principal minister of France during Louis XIV’s early life. Mazarin accumulated a large fortune, and Sonnino believes the valet thought that some of the money was stolen. Dauger must have blabbed at the wrong time. He was informed, when arrested, that if he revealed his identity to anyone, he would immediately be killed.”