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[[File:3031d50934e64c0853bdb85c6e90004f.png|thumbnail|left|250px|Season 2 of <i>Versailles</i>]]

The second series begins at around 1671, a few years after Season 1 ended. By this point, the Dauphin (the eldest son and heir of Louis XIV) has been recovered and the plot against him by Protestants and the Dutch has been thwarted. This kidnapping was creativity, which likely never occurred in Louis' reign. There was continued unrest, however, stemming from earlier revolts against the King and French nobility in general, during the so-called Fronde rebellion that occurred during Louis' childhood. This led to courtiers to spy and sometimes attempt to thwart Louis' ambitions, including through poisonings. Many of the poisonings were also done between nobles, as they attempted to attain power or kill rival nobles, such as the killing of one of Louis' ministers (the Affair of the Poisons). This event largely took places after Season 2 but seems to make it as part of the season.<ref> For more background information on this period of Louis' reign, see: Sonnino, P. (1988) <i>Louis XIV and the origins of the Dutch War.</i> Cambridge studies in early modern history. Cambridge [England] ; New York, Cambridge University Press.</ref>

A greater focus in Season 2 was on Madame de Montespan, who was Louis' lover despite being married. During this time, her influence on the king increased and there was much greater animosity between the queen and Madame de Montespan. In fact, historically we know Madame de Montespan had several children with Louis and in the episodes one of these pregnancies was shown. This caused much angst, by the queen and the church, as Madame de Montespan continued to have a high profile position within the court despite her evident pregnancy. While the queen turned to the church to condemn her, Madame de Montespan turned to a fortune teller to help her navigate the politics of Versailles and keep the king's interest in her and thus maintain her power. The long-running Affairs of the Poisons also implicated her, as she did attempt to poison potential love rivals that the king took interest in. This jealousy was a key focus in the episodes, even though Madame de Montespan often tried to avoid her direct fingerprint on plots within the court, but we see potential new women in court closely watched by Madame de Montespan.<ref>For more on Madame de Montespan, see: Petitfils, J.C. (2009). <i>Madame de Montespan and Louis XIV</i>. Literary Licensing, LLC</ref>

Versailles Season 2 takes far more liberty with historical accuracy relative to Season 1. In fact, some events begin to combine different periods in Louis' reign. Generally, the conflict with the Dutch, Affairs of the Poisons, common court feuds, including between Madame de Montespan and the queen, did occur, but the details were often likely different. Many characters are shown as jealous and power hungry, which is generally true from what we know. Various characters, including Fabien Marchel, who is the chief investigator and private enforcer, are fictional.<ref>For more on events around the court of Louis XIV, including conspiracies and events, see: <i>Funck-Brentano,Frantz and Maidment, George. (2010)<i> Princes and Poisoners, Studies of the Court of Louis XIV. </i> Nabu Press.</ref>

Marie-Thérèse: Her character becomes more religious, at least outwardly, in Season 2, although this is suggested to be, in part, as a way to go against her rival, Madame de Montespan. There is likely truth to this, as the queen likely had relatively little power as Louis favored his mistress. However, in reality, Louis did continue to perform his royal duties and slept with Marie-Thérèse to produce legitimate heirs. His many mistresses indicates that neither she, nor Madame de Montespan for that matter, were effective in fully controlling Louis. She is depicted as a person trying to remove the general debauchery found at Versailles.<ref>For more on Marie-Thérèse and her conflicts in court, see: Fraser, A. (2007)<i> Love and Louis XIV: the women in the life of the Sun King.</i> London, Phoenix.</ref>

In the 1670s and 1680s, Louis XIV increased his influence not only in France but across Europe as well, as his reputation as the strong ruler of France began to be evident in the battlefield at through his grip on power. <i>Versailles</i> is more about the tensions that this caused, whether in Louis' court, or abroad, as rivals such as William III tried to thwart his plans in becoming the master of Europe. Season 2 takes more liberties with events, embellishing characters' personalities and not always following the timeline of when key events occurred. For instance, the Affairs of the Poisons was slightly later than many of the poisonings depicted, while characters being killed off, such as Louis' chief doctor, likely never happened. Nevertheless, some of the key personalities, their ambitions, desires, and weaknesses do reflect what happened. Influential characters historically, such as Louis and Philippe, have their key personalities that influenced their decisions shown in the episodes, but conflicts between the brothers and other disputes took likely liberty from historical accuracy.