# Man in the Iron Mask

> A prisoner held for 34 years in French state custody, identity unknown, face covered when moved between cells — the secrecy was so extreme it spawned three centuries of theory. Voltaire thought he was the king's bastard brother. Historians have named over 50 candidates. No one knows.

*17th century prisoner, among the most famous in French history*

**Canonical URL:** https://fame.am/person/man-in-the-iron-mask

## Identity
- **Profile type:** Historical Figure ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q2798645))
- **Category:** Historical Figures
- **Born:** 1640
- **Died:** 1703-11-19
- **Status:** deceased
- **Gender:** male

## Bio

Arrested under the name "Eustache Dauger" near Calais on 28 July 1669, the man was imprisoned for "what he was employed to do" and "what he knew" — labels that explained nothing. He spent 34 years in the custody of Bénigne Dauvergne de Saint-Mars, moved through four prisons including the Bastille, and was made to wear a black velvet mask when travelling between them after 1687. He died on 19 November 1703; his burial certificate gave the name "Marchioly", leading some to believe he was Italian diplomat Ercole Antonio Mattioli. Correspondence uncovered in the 19th century called him "only a valet." Voltaire claimed he was Louis XIV's illegitimate older brother; others said twin, or son of Cromwell, or a duke. In 1932 a historian proposed he was nobleman Eustache Dauger de Cavoye, but family letters disproved it in 1953. Alexandre Dumas made him the king's twin in his 1850 novel. The case remains open.

## Fame
- **Popularity score:** 61.1 / 100
- **Momentum:** 11.3 / 100  (trend: RISING)
- **Historical depth:** 23.7 / 100
- **Now attention:** 62.7 / 100
- **Source confidence:** 60.0 / 100
- **Profile completeness:** 60.0 / 100

## Topics
#Historical Figures, #Historical Figure, #Early Modern Era

## Sources
- [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_in_the_Iron_Mask)
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q72296)
- [Pantheon 2.0](https://pantheon.world/profile/person/Man%20in%20the%20Iron%20Mask)
- [L'home de la màscara de ferro](https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/L'home_de_la_m%C3%A0scara_de_ferro)
- [Muž se železnou maskou](https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mu%C5%BE_se_%C5%BEeleznou_maskou)
- [Manden med jernmasken (person)](https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manden_med_jernmasken_(person))
- [Mann mit der eisernen Maske](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mann_mit_der_eisernen_Maske)
- [Ο άνδρας με το σιδηρούν προσωπείον](https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%9F_%CE%AC%CE%BD%CE%B4%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%82_%CE%BC%CE%B5_%CF%84%CE%BF_%CF%83%CE%B9%CE%B4%CE%B7%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%8D%CE%BD_%CF%80%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%83%CF%89%CF%80%CE%B5%CE%AF%CE%BF%CE%BD)
- [La Fermaskito](https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Fermaskito)
- [El hombre de la máscara de hierro](https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_hombre_de_la_m%C3%A1scara_de_hierro)
- [Burdinazko Mozorrodun Gizona](https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burdinazko_Mozorrodun_Gizona)
- [مردی با نقاب آهنی](https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%AF%DB%8C_%D8%A8%D8%A7_%D9%86%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A8_%D8%A2%D9%87%D9%86%DB%8C)
- [Rautanaamio](https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rautanaamio)
- [Homme au masque de fer](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homme_au_masque_de_fer)
- [האיש במסכת הברזל](https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%94%D7%90%D7%99%D7%A9_%D7%91%D7%9E%D7%A1%D7%9B%D7%AA_%D7%94%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%96%D7%9C)
- [Vasálarcos ember](https://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vas%C3%A1larcos_ember)
- [Երկաթե դիմակ](https://hy.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D4%B5%D6%80%D5%AF%D5%A1%D5%A9%D5%A5_%D5%A4%D5%AB%D5%B4%D5%A1%D5%AF)
- [Manusia Bertopeng Besi](https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manusia_Bertopeng_Besi)
- [Maðurinn með járngrímuna](https://is.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma%C3%B0urinn_me%C3%B0_j%C3%A1rngr%C3%ADmuna)
- [Maschera di Ferro](https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maschera_di_Ferro)
- [鉄仮面](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%89%84%E4%BB%AE%E9%9D%A2)
- [Manungsa Atopèng Wesi](https://jv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manungsa_Atop%C3%A8ng_Wesi)
- [კაცი რკინის ნიღაბში](https://ka.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%83%99%E1%83%90%E1%83%AA%E1%83%98_%E1%83%A0%E1%83%99%E1%83%98%E1%83%9C%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1_%E1%83%9C%E1%83%98%E1%83%A6%E1%83%90%E1%83%91%E1%83%A8%E1%83%98)
- [철가면](https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EC%B2%A0%EA%B0%80%EB%A9%B4)
- [Man met het ijzeren masker](https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_met_het_ijzeren_masker)
- [الرجل ذو القناع الحديدي](https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D8%AC%D9%84_%D8%B0%D9%88_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%AF%D9%8A)
- [Желязната маска](https://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%96%D0%B5%D0%BB%D1%8F%D0%B7%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B0_%D0%BC%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0)

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