It’s one of the most recognized anthems in the world: God Save the King (or Queen, depending on the monarch). But few know its surprising origins trace back not to Britain, but to 17th-century France and to the infected backside of Louis XIV.
The year was 1686. Louis XIV, known as the Sun King, was suffering from a severe anal fistula, an agonizing infection between the rectum and anal gland. Historians believe the condition was caused by frequent enemas administered with unsterilized tools, a common but risky medical practice at the time.
The infection worsened to the point that surgery became unavoidable. In an era without anesthesia, Louis endured a brutal three-hour procedure led by royal surgeon Charles-François Félix. Miraculously, the operation was a success. The king’s endurance became a symbol of strength throughout the court.
To celebrate his recovery, Madame de Maintenon, the king’s confidante and likely secret wife, asked famed composer Jean-Baptiste Lully to create a musical tribute. The result was Grand Dieu, sauve le roi! or Great God, Save the King! The piece was performed repeatedly at court in honor of Louis’s resilience.
So how did a song written for a French monarch recovering from rectal surgery become the British national anthem?
Enter George Frideric Handel. The German-born composer, who would later become a naturalized British citizen, was visiting Versailles in 1714. At the time, Handel was serving as the official composer for King George I of Britain. When he heard Lully’s anthem, he was reportedly struck by its grandeur.
Inspired, Handel created an English adaptation and presented it to George I. The king was so taken by the piece that it was played at nearly every royal event from then on. God Save the King became a staple of royal ceremonies and eventually the official national anthem of Britain.
So the next time you hear the solemn strains of God Save the King, remember this: it all began with a royal pain in the ass.
