| Duke of Cassel | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Character Information | |
| Starring → | Pip Torrens |
| Season(s): | 1, 2 |
| Episode Count: | 18 |
| First Episode: | Mirror For Princes |
| Last Episode: | Of Blood and Stone |
| Names | |
| Full Name: | Unknown |
| Title(s): | Duke of Cassel Justice Minister of France |
| Nickname(s): | Cassel |
| Biographical Information | |
| Age: | 50s |
| Dies: | 1679/1680 |
| Cause of Death: | Overexerted from strangulation by Thomas Beaumont |
| Originally From: | France |
| Religion: | Roman Catholic |
| Physical Description | |
| Status: | Deceased |
| Gender: | Male |
| Eye Colour: | Grey |
| Hair Colour: | Grey |
| Relationships | |
| Spouse: | Sophie de Clermont |
| Family: | Béatrice, Madame de Clermont † (mother-in-law) |
| Interests: | Montespan (sexual, rape) |
| House: | Cassel |
| Affiliations: | Cassel and Sophie Kingdom of France Rebel Conspirators |
The Duke of Cassel was the rich and powerful Duke of Northern France, who lives alone in a castle.
He doesn’t need anyone or anything – least of all a young king determined to set new rules. He is also a major player in the conspiracy against the King's life.
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Personality[]
Already a wealthy and powerful man, Cassel refuses to kowtow to the King, leading to political tensions. He is a skilled manipulator and conspires to bring down Versailles.
Biography[]
Season One[]
This weasel is every bit the otter-you-can't-trust as he teams up with Montcourt throughout the series to overthrow Louis XIV. The duo do not succeed, and, unlike his co-conspirator, Cassel retains his head throughout.
He refuses to acknowledge the Great Inquiry, to submit proof of his nobility or even to listen to the King’s messengers. He might be charming, but Cassel is also a skilled manipulator. He uses all means necessary to prevent Louis’ new order from becoming a reality, including sabotaging the construction of Versailles.
Season Two[]
In Season Two, his station is raised to Justice Minister to replace the deceased Monsieur de Reynaud. Later on, he stepped down from his position after falling ill, not realizing he was poisoned by his wife and confessed his part in the conspiracy and revealed Thomas Beaumont to be a spy.
Relationships[]
Louis XIV of France[]
Although he despised Louis and never hid it. He however was promoted to Justice Minister after De Reynaud's death.
Montcourt[]
Hired to stage a series of highway robberies. The trust between them is not there. Whenever a job goes bad, Cassel expresses his frustration and disapproval.
Madame de Montespan[]
She has known Cassel for a very long time and hates him. She informs the King that he 'stole her childhood' when she was only twelve years old when the King asks her to go and fetch Cassel and bring him to Versailles. When Cassel sees her he calls her his 'little fig' and addresses her by her first name, Athénaïs, confirming Montespan's story. After she has succeeded in luring Cassel to court we see her weeping in her chambers from the shock of seeing him again although she keeps her composure perfectly in public. She does not hide her disgust for him.
Sophie de Clermont[]
Cassel was ordered to wed Sophie by the King. He was not a good husband. The bedroom scene was always rough. He abused her relentlessly.
Monsieur de Reynaud[]
Cassel despises de Reynaud for stealing his land. After his murder, Cassel was named a suspect. Cassel, however, did not deny the fact that he hated Reynaud and admitted his distaste for his family.
Thomas Beaumont[]
Thomas, being a spy for William of Orange, knew about Cassel's role in the conspiracy. He blackmailed him for information on the King of France. What really drew Cassel's ire was how close Thomas was getting to Sophie.