Philippe returns to Versailles with his prisoner, Holy Roman Emperor Leopold, who resumes his secret affair with the queen. A truce is called and a lavish banquet is held for him but Madame de Montespan is excluded and takes her revenge by discrediting the king's pious companion, Françoise de Maintenon. To win over the suffering populace, Louis installs street lighting and sewerage, bringing on side ex-soldier Guillaume as shoemaker to the court. However, Guillaume is unhappy when his brother is amongst those selected by Philippe, now appointed to the king's council, ...

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Having visited the Bastille to find the mysterious Duke de Sullum Philippe is knocked out and on recovering sees a man in an iron mask. Louis claims that he was deluded and the prisoner was a lunatic who later commits suicide. Francoise elicits revenge on Montespan whilst Leopold unites with the queen to prevent Louis from laying claim to Spain by arranging a dynastic marriage. Louis also faces trouble when his Draconian taxes are badly received by the citizens of Paris.

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Riots break out following the harsh taxes imposed and young shoe-maker Tristan is among those arrested. His uncle Guillaume and his outspoken sister play on Louis's conceit to save him. Philippe becomes obsessed with trying to identify the mysterious masked prisoner, to the dismay of his neglected wife Liselotte and seeks Marchal's help to identify him. Meanwhile the queen, aware that her affair with Leopold could be exposed, conspires a plan to travel to her native Spain to visit her allegedly dying brother, king Charles, though Louis is not unaware of her motive.

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Having failed to petition the king for Tristan's release his father Bastien captures security chief Marchal. However Guillaume sees a chance to exchange prisoners, endorsed by Philippe, who is shocked when his brother only partially keeps to the plan. Philippe also continues his quest to identify the man in the iron mask and as to why efforts were made to prevent him, finding a clue of his own. When the queen returns to Versailles, having not gone to Spain Louis reveals his suspicions to her and declares his love for Francoise whilst a conjurer evokes the Chevalier's ...

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Louis appoints his lover Francoise to the council as he prepares to make Protestantism illegal. Guillaume offends Jeanne by recanting his religion to save their business whilst the queen falls fatally ill, leading to a theory of demonic possession. Fabien, however, suspects foul play and the king's public mourning is not reflected in private. Meanwhile a trade deal with Turkey proves to be a desire for an alliance against Austria.

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With the queen dead Louis aims for an alliance with Spain by marrying Philippe's daughter Marie-Louise to its king, but needs Papal approval. This involves a purge of Protestantism which is ill-received by several courtiers. Meanwhile Philippe confronts his brother with the news that he has identified the man in the iron mask whilst there are suspicions that the queen was murdered.

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Philippe persuades Louis to visit the midwife who delivered their older brother. She tells them of his fate but Philippe is disbelieving, his suspicions leading him to question Versailles governor Bontemps. Meanwhile Leopold - his niece having escaped to the Netherlands with Fabien's lover Sophie - realizes that Louis intends to use Ottoman help to invade Austria, which incurs the wrath of Vatican representative Cardinal Leto. Leto is also implicit when the man in the iron mask's identity is ultimately revealed.

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The brothers learn the identity of the masked prisoner and the Vatican's involvement with him. Whilst Philippe is sympathetic to the old man the revelation disturbs Louis and Cardinal Leto takes advantage of him by threatening to reveal the secret as he leans on Louis to marry Portuguese princess Isabella, thereby strengthening France's position. Bastien and Jeanne circulate pamphlets opposing the king's harsh taxes whilst the Chevalier is suspected of helping Protestants to flee the country.

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His resolve reinforced, Louis is dismissive of the pain his plans will cause others, be they Philippe or Protestants of all classes. Cardinal Leto is confident of making the king marry Isabella of Portugal.

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Keeping his marriage to Francoise secret Louis aims to make himself popular by meeting Parisian citizens for a healing ceremony whilst Liselotte persuades Philippe to return to court and save the Chevalier. Fabien, fleeing for his life, comes back to the city to seek justice from Louis but is caught up in an assassination attempt with many casualties. Finally Louis reconciles with his brother and passes on his experience to his young son.

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