Leger. In 1627,
concluding that in no other domain of its limited acreage could he find
so great variety of land over which to hunt on foot and horse-back, he
bought a small piece of property at Versailles. Immediately
afterwards he caused to be erected what Saint-Simon called "a little
house of cards" on the isolated hill that rolled up in the heart of the
valley, where the windmill had stood.
Louis' architect was Philbert Le Roy, and the new villa was about two
hundred feet from the lodge first constructed. Its form was a complete
square, each corner being terminated by a tower. The building was of
brick, ornamented with columns and gilded balustrades; it was
surrounded by a park adorned with statues sculptured after designs by
the artist Poussin. Ambitious addition! A villa on the old mill site,
decorated by the favorite court artist of the day, Nicolas Poussin!
The court resented the enterprise, the nobility despised it. It was
the King's fancy; nothing else excused it. A noble of the court,
Bassompierre, exclaimed that "it was a wretched chateau in the
construction of which no private gentleman could be vain."
Scarcely was his new chateau finished (1630) when the King took up his
residence there for the hunt. In this place were terminated in
November, 1630, the autocratic services of Cardinal Richelieu to the
King--the first of many significant historical events to take place
there.
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