The Eye of Paris, the Eye of France: Capital Bodies in Claude Billard’s La mort d’Henri IV

This article argues that Claude Billard’s historical drama La mort d’Henri IV (1612) positions Henri IV’s power as in part grounded in the materials, geography, and population of the capital city itself. In so doing, the drama puts forth a model of sovereign continuity that rivals the most sanctioned model of its time: the theory of royal blood. Examining the corporeal relationships between Henri IV, Marie de Medici, Louis XIII, and Paris brings into relief how the capital city played a crucial role in securing sovereign power long before it became a site of popular sovereignty during the Revolution.