Four centuries of history become animated through a sumptuous and original European tour, which sheds light on its sovereigns and their splendor. To illustrate this ambitious undertaking, seven hundred exceptional works of art--portraits, sculptures, furniture, porcelain, silver and gold, costumes and jewelry--taken from royal collections and prestigious institutions, enable the reader to discover the lives, roles, and passions of these individuals and couples, as well as their time and accomplishments in the fields of the arts, history and science.