PRINCE EUGENE

Prince Eugene was the son of one of Louis XIV's mistresses, Olympia, and reputedly the son of Louis himself, though never in that monarch's good graces. Grand-nephew of Mazarin, intimate friend of the Duke of Marlborough, Eugene, through sheer genius in military matters, became one of the most powerful figures of his time. Louis' disregard and sneers lost him Eugene's allegiance, and he became a tremendous factor in Austria's growing power and in the eventual breakdown of the power of the French throne. Sound biography, a recreation of an opoch in which he moved, this book should interest students of history, particularly those interested in 17th and 18th century Europe. But it lacks the divine spark that would make it of wide popular interest.