Hello,

As many of you must have noticed, Louis XV passed away Friday the 10th of March. So what's next? The Royal Family has left court, for the sake of infection. The Royal Family moved to Choisy, where away from Versailles and under the influence of Madame Adelaide, a new government was largely established.

Naturally, with the death of the King means a mourning period. Historically speaking this mourning period could take months, meaning no balls, parties, dances etc. It is one of the many moments coordinating a historical sim where one has to make up the balance between accuracy and the limits of SL. Therefore, rather than months, we limit the mourning period to one month, four weeks. The first two weeks of the mourning period court will be away from Versailles. The two weeks after you shall be requested to indeed wear black to court.

For those weeks at courts, the following rules must be followed:

- Wear black + veil.

- Wear a rosary

- The covering of paintings of the deceased and mirrors.

- No (dinner) parties, dances, dancing, hunting etc.

Indeed, so boo-hoo.. the King is dead, how sad! Well, not really! Tragically, Louis XV was soon to be forgotten. While people were requested to sit in Chapels and pray for him, no one did. Only a few (one) courtiers attended his funeral. In stead, people were excited about the reign of the young, promising Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette.

Here are some citations, that hopefully will get you into that mourning mood! Woohoo!

I think I shall be the next person in the royal family to follow the king if he dies in the first place on account of my advance dage, and next because as soon as the king is dead they are going to take the young to Vincennes and we shall all go to Paris, where the air is so very bad for me. I shall have to stay there in mourning, deprived of fresh air and exercise.

Princess Palatine, September 6th 1715.

I fear this winter will give us no amusement that I can write about; on account of the mourning there may be no balls, theatres or any pleasures. I do not regret it much, for the carnival is very short this year, and consequently more easy without.

- Duchesse de Bourgogne, 23rd January, 1702.

A fashionable jeweller made a fortune by the sale of mourning snuff-boxes, whereon the portrait of the young Queen, in a black frame of shagreen, admitted of the following pun : " Comfort in chagrin." All the fashions, and every part of dress, received names significant of the spirit of the moment. The symbols of abundance were everywhere represented, and the head-dresses of the ladies were surrounded by ears of wheat. Poets hailed the new monarch ; all hearts, or rather all heads in France, were filled with unexampled enthusiasm. Never did the commencement of any reign excite more unanimous testimonials of love and attachment.

- Madame Campan.

I hope to see you soon!

Friendly greetings,

MarieLouise Harcourt

updated by @marielouise-harcourt: 06 Oct 2016 06:19:32AM

Signora: a very thoughtful and informative post -- the quotes are very interesting.

I would also add that gentlemen may wish to wear a mourning sword with a blackened or darkly blued hilt and fittings. The man's mourning suit of black or dark gray ideally would be without bright buttons on the cuffs or lapels, and his cravat and sleeve cuffs should be plain, without lace. A gentleman in mourning may also wear an armband of black crepe on the left arm. This would be particularly true for military officers, so they would not need to forgo wearing their customary uniform coat.

If any gentlemen wishes to acquire a proper mourning version of the smallsword, they may be obtained at the sword cutler's shop on Sorrentina or from Ernst Osterham on the SL marketplace.

Thank you for your contribution Aldo!