In the clandestine corridors of 17th-century France, a remarkable cryptographic system known as the Great Cipher emerged, becoming the go-to code for the French monarch Louis XIV. The genius behind this ingenious cipher was Antoine and Bonaventure Rossignol, two brothers recognized for their exceptional skills in cryptography. Appointed as royal cryptologists by the ‘Sun King’, who ruled France from 1643 until 1715, the Rossignol brothers developed the Great Cipher to protect sensitive diplomatic and military communications from prying eyes.
The Rossignol brothers, who were appointed as royal cryptologists by Louis XIV in the 17th century, hailed from a family renowned for its exceptional skills in cryptography. The family first came to the attention of the royal family when a young mathematician named Rossignol managed to decipher a Huguenot cipher during the siege of Réalmont in 1626 leading to their surrender.
This brought him to the attention of the Louis XIII’s chief minister, Cardinal Richelieu, who recognized the value of cryptologists for diplomatic and intelligence purposes. On his deathbed, Louis XIII reportedly stated that Rossignol was “most necessary to the good of the state.”
Hellbound and Down 