
Cardinal Mazarin dies, leaving a power vacuum in which the young Louis asserts his intention to govern as well as rule. Mazarin's fiscal advisor, Colbert, warns against Fouquet, the Superintendant who has been systematically looting the treasury and wants to be prime minister. Fouquet believes Louis will soon tire of exercizing power and overplays his hand by offering a bribe to Louis' mistress to be his ally. She reports this to the king who arrests Fouquet. Louis and Colbert design a brilliant strategy to keep merchants making money, nobles in debt, the urban poor working and fed, and peasants untaxed.
Louis XIV

Jean Baptiste Colbert

Cardinal Mazarin
Anne d'Autriche

Madame Du Plessis
Nicolas Fouquet
Michel Le Tellier

Louise de la Vallière
Marie-Thérèse
D'Artagnan

Le Père Joly

M. de Brienne
L'apothicaire

Le premier médecin
Le deuxième médecin
M. de Gesvres
Le chef-cuisinier
Mme de Motteville

M. de Vardes
M. de Soyecourt
Monsieur

Pierrette Dufour

Le Vau

L'assistant de Le Vau

Mlle de Pons
Le tailleur
L'Archevèque
Seguier

M. de Guiche
L'Ambassadeur
Le 1er Chambellan
Mlle de Chemerault

Mme d'Elboeuf

Mousquetaire

Le patron marinier
Marinier
Marinier

Marinier
Une paysanne

Messenger
Madame Henrietta

The Naiad