Originally, the supreme courts of France were inclined to let Fouquet off with simple a banishment. Louis XIV however, knew Fouquet would still have considerable power and influence in France even being forced abroad and therefore changed is sentence to life imprisonment.

Most historians believe that Fouquet was actually sent to Pignerol de Savoy in the Alps of northwest Italy near the French boarder. But you get the point…According to legend, Fouquet was joined only by Eustache Dauger who served as his manservant. Dauger later became the basis for the legendary tale of The Man in the Iron Mask

Most of the evidence provided against Fouquet was falsified by Colbert.

Fouquet’s trial has become a symbol of injustice in the current French legal system. It lasted 3 years and gained notoriety and sympathy among the public and especially from the rich and powerful aristocrats of the time.

Charles de Batz-Castelmore d'Artagnon was a close confidant of the previous chief minister, and direct ruler, of France Cardinal Mazarin. Because of his discretion, after Mazarin died, Louis XIV kept d'Artagnon around and later made him captain-lieutenant of the Musketeers.

d'Artagnon served as the principle character in legendary literary works by Alexandre Dumas and has since gained somewhat of a mythical aura

Fouquet was actually arrested three weeks later while on a trip to Nantes with the king. Although Louis XIV had decided as early as May (with the help of Fouquet’s political opponent Jean-Batiste Colber) on the fate of Fouquet and with the party at Vaux-le-Victome ultimately confirming his decision in August, many perceived Fouquet to be even more powerful and certainly more rich than the king. Because of this, the king was very strategical in his actions; he even convinced Fouquet to sell his “office of general procurer” (called the attorney general but handled mainly financial affairs like finding creditors for the kingdom) which gave him considerable power over the group of men who’s job it was to collect farming taxes and whom would of created a great deal of trouble for Louis XIV.

Once Fouquet had given up a large amount of his power through this deal, the king had him arrested just minutes after assuring him of his high opinion of Fouquet.

Though many guests stayed over night at the Vaux-le-Victome, Louis XIV refused to do so. Curiously enough, Fouquet did not see the meaning behind this and thought little of it, no doubt engulfed in his party’s overall success.

The play was entitled Le Facheux (The Bore) and subtitled Comédie faite pour les divertissements du Roi (a comedy for the King’s amusements).

The famous gardens of Vaux-le-Vicomte were designed and built by Andre le Notre and stretched a mile and a half; it included many canals, fountains, statues, and gravel walkways. Some suggest the chateau cost between 10 million to 16 million to build..

A famous piece of the garden, known as the anamorphosis abscondita is an optical illusion giving the impression that the garden can be viewed in one glance from the top of the staircase leading into it.

Francois Vatel was a famous swedish-born chef who worked for Fouquet at the time.

The area of southeast Asia including China, Japan, and Korea