ABSTRACT
Chapter 10 tells the early history of the Place Royale that became Place des Vosges. It relates this history to what has been called the “the civilizing process,” the rise of new ideals of etiquette – in the interplay between the court and the city. François de Miron, an important player in the construction of the new Paris, called himself “un homme honnête,” and asserted that the work of a city council should be to give its construction works “a white and pure ‘honnêteté.’” The cultural ideal of “honnêteté” is explained with reference to Nicolas Faret, who in 1630 published a conduct book titled L’honneste homme. The articulation of this ideal is further explained through an analysis of La Place Royale, a play by Corneille with a special focus on the conflicts between individualism and absolutism. The concept of a “place royale” is fitting for a protagonist whose ambition is to ensure a place for his sovereign self.
