Show man alan in the iron maske mask the island of ste marguerite near cannes on the french riviera attracts many visitors here it was that during the reign of louis XIV ix in a rockbound monastery rising out ot of the sea one of the strangest mysteries of french history was lived out for 40 years by the man in the iron mask whose tragic identity is unknown treated with royal honor insofar as his physical care was concerned his face hidden behind a fitted iron mask that was never lifted this unknown man kept his lonely vigil of the sea until at last death set him free historians have never found the answer some have surmised that he was twin brother to the king that he was fouquet that he was a royal betrayer that it was a self imposed penance but no one knows and mystery lovers go to ste marguerite to wander through the apartments of the strange figure and ponder on hi his fate |