Louis Bousset's Reign Of Louis XIV: Bossuet

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Louis drew much of his political authority from his divine connections, yet he weakened that same authority through his choices. While he certainly presented himself as a divine idol to the people of France, he failed to publicly follow christian morals, inadvertently undermining his own authority and revealing himself to be a false idol. Principally, Louis’ adulterous behavior in his personal life caused many to question the sincerity of his piety. Even his court preacher Bossuet who actively supported Louis and his political absolutism censured him in 1675 for his adultery with his mistress Madame de Montespan. In a letter to Louis, Bousset expresses that Louis’ “heart will never belong peacefully to God as long as this violent love, which has separated you from Him for so long, still rules.” Fenelon reflects this same sentiment in Telemachus when he admonishes those who give themselves up to “violent pleasures.” (find source). Notably, Bousset was a strong proponent of the “divine right of monarchy” theory, so his concerns about Louis’ …show more content…

According to Wolf, in 1708 “a parody of the Lord’s Prayer circulated throughout the court.” This parody bemoaned “Our father who art at Versailles, whose name is no longer hallowed, whose kingdom is no longer large, give us our daily bread which is lacking everywhere! Pardon our enemies who defeat us and not our generals who allow it to happen. Succumb not to the temptation of de Maintenon and deliver us from Chamillart.” Criticism of Louis XIV had invaded into his own world, the court society he had so carefully constructed and presided over. This parody criticizes some of Louis’ most blasphemous behavior, including his adultery and constant warfare. Furthermore, just as Fenelon did in his 1694 letter, the parody censures Louis for failing to live up to a Christlike ideal and not giving his people their “daily

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