La Princesse de ClĂšves is a French novel, regarded by many as one of the first European novels, and a classic of its era. Its author is most often held to be Madame de La Fayette.
Published anonymously in March 1678, and set a century earlier in the royal court of Henry II of France, it recreates that era with remarkable precision. Nearly every character â except the heroine â is a historic figure. Events and intrigues unfold with great faithfulness to documentary record.