This isn't a great year for renewing Anglo-European collaborations to say the least – as fans of the third, and regrettably final series of historic drama Versailles can testify.

A key figure in the Sun King's court is Jean-Baptiste Colbert, the ingenious and resourceful finance minister whose responsibility it was to keep tax revenues flowing to fund overseas wars – ‘the game of kings – and construct the edifice of sumptuous sovereign power which is Versailles Palace.