title: Who was the Man in the Iron Mask? And Other Historical Mysteries (Penquin Classic History)
author:  Hugh Ross Williamson 
description: Hugh Ross Williamson (1901-1978) was a prolific author of works of history and fiction. His best-known books include <i>The Gunpowder Plot</i>, a biography of John Harmpden; <i>Kind Kit</i>, an informal biography of Christopher Marlowe; and <i>The Poetry of T. S. Eliot</i>.
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  The Man in the Iron Mask
  
  
    
    
  [I. THE LEGEND  
    
  ](The%20Man%20in%20the%20Iron%20Mask_split_001.html#filepos1653)[II. THE
  VALET'S HISTORY  
    
  ](The%20Man%20in%20the%20Iron%20Mask_split_001.html#filepos7250)[III. THE
  VALET'S MASTER
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This page copyright © 2001 Blackmask Online.
  
  
  
  
  
  http://www.blackmask.com
  
  
  # The Man in the Iron Mask
  
  
  ### Andrew Lang
  
  
  
  
  
  This page copyright © 2001 Blackmask Online.
  
  
  
  
  
  http://www.blackmask.com  
    
  
  * I. THE LEGEND
  
  
  * II. THE VALET'S HISTORY
  
  
  * III. THE VALET'S MASTER
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ### I. THE LEGEND
  
  
  
  
  
  The Mystery of the Man in the Iron Mask is, despite a pleasant
  
  
  saying of Lord Beaconsfield's, one of the most fascinating in
  
  
  history. By a curious coincidence the wildest legend on the subject,
  
  
  and the correct explanation of the problem, were offered to the world
  
  
  in the same year, 1801. According to this form of the legend, the Man
  
  
  in the Iron Mask was the genuine Louis XIV., deprived o