Man in the Iron Mask one ever saw his face because it was hidden by a mask of black velvet cloth, the true identity of the prisoner remains a mystery; it has been extensively debated by historians, and various theories have been expounded in numerous books and films. Among the leading theories are those proposed by writer and philosopher Voltaire: he claimed in the second edition of his "Questions sur l'Encyclopédie" (1771) that the prisoner wore a mask made of iron rather than of cloth, and that he was the older, illegitimate brother of Louis XIV. What little is known about the historical Man in
The Man in the Iron Mask (1998 film) his friends (Philippe saying earlier that due to his secret, D'Artagnan was the real man in the iron mask). In this version, the "man in the iron mask" is introduced as prisoner number 64389000 based on the number related to his namesake found at the Bastille. Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte is the stand in for all the scenes that are supposed to be Versailles, although in the book, the switch between Louis and Philippe happens at Vaux-le-Vicomte. Vaux-le-Vicomte, the prototype for Versailles, was historically built for Nicolas Fouquet, Superintendent of Finances for Louis XlV. In some versions, the switch takes place