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I couldn't locate any thread focused on, or containing, discussion of the historical basis for the story of this famed mystery prisoner, so I'm starting one here in the Conspiracy section.
Full Article: http://www.livescience.com/54669-man-in-the-iron-mask-identified.html
Mysterious 'Man in the Iron Mask' Revealed, 350 Years Later
A 350-year-old French mystery has been unmasked: In his new book, Paul Sonnino, a professor of history at the University of California, Santa Barbara, claims he has uncovered the real identity of the mysterious Man in the Iron Mask. ...
"They [historians] are pretty much in agreement that his name was Eustache Dauger, that he only occasionally wore the mask and that when he did wear a mask, it was velvet, not iron," Sonnino said in a statement. "They are also quite sure that he was a valet. What they have not been able to figure out is whose valet he was, and for what possible reason he was held under tight security for over 30 years." ...
Through his research, Sonnino determined that Dauger was a valet for the treasurer of Cardinal Mazarin, who was principal minister of France during Louis XIV's early life. Mazarin accumulated a large fortune, and Sonnino believes the valet thought that some of the money was stolen.
"What I was able to determine was that Mazarin had ripped off some of his huge fortune from the previous king and queen of England …" Sonnino said. ...
Full Article: http://www.livescience.com/54669-man-in-the-iron-mask-identified.html