The Little Dauphin

The narrative follows a young crown prince from affectionate, carefree childhood in palace gardens into the turmoil of revolution that removes his family from power. As events escalate he is separated from his parents and confined in a prison tower where neglect and mistreatment by his keepers leave him ill and isolated. The account recounts episodes of failed escape, the characters who surround him, and the harsh conditions that culminate in his early death. The text also surveys later controversies about alleged survivors and impostors and traces the political forces and personal tragedies that shaped the boy’s brief life.