The Princesse de Clèves begins with a flattering portrait of Henry II, who historically ruled France from 1547 until his death in 1559. The action of the book is set very late in the king’s reign. From her perspective in 1678, over a century later, Lafayette writes: “The monarch was courteous, handsome and fervent in love. […] Since he excelled at every sort of physical exercise, he made that his main occupation” (23).

Lafayette next details the members of Henri’s court, some of whom are important to the novel’s action. She describes the King’s wife, Queen Catherine de Medici, as beautiful but past her prime. The young Mary Stuart, known to history as Mary Queen of Scots (and throughout this novel as the Reine Dauphine), makes an appearance, as do the Duc de Guise and his two sons, one of whom, the Chevalier (or Knight) de Guise, plays a minor role in the narrative. The author also introduces two characters of prime narrative importance. One of these is the Prince de Clèves, who will lend his name to the title character in marriage; another is the superior Duc de Nemours, “nature’s masterpiece,” who will be Clèves’s chief rival for the title character’s affections.