Document Analysis: The reading depicted the surprising visit of King Louis XIV, together with six hundred nobles and thousands of court servants at Chantilly in 1671. The host Prince de Condé and his most trusted headwaiter Francois Vatel was given fifteen days to be prepared for the arrival of the gigantic royal party. A spontaneous event of mis-arrangements during the preparation has gradually built up the stresses on Vatel which ultimately broke down his stress threshold and led to his tragic ending. Madame de Sévigné who was a talented letter writer in 17th century decided wrote down the tragic story of a courtier in her letter, even though she was never there to see it in person. The decoration of the feast was masterly designed, the roads covered with layers of carpets were carefully put alongside with many other prestigious items, and the entire layout is for the purpose of demonstrating the fame and richness of the family of Prince de Condé to the king and fellow noblemen. The show of power was a basic routine for noble families to extend their …show more content…
In view of a notable female writer in the early modern Europe, the life of low born were not only trivial and insignificant to the higher classes, but also had to experience the unavoidable hardships and impossible tasks that were forced onto them. However, the poverty level of peasant are much worse than courtiers in 17th century. To sum up, the life of contemporaries of the third estate was quite difficult, as they constantly face the threat of epidemic disease, the shortage of food, abuse from authority, warfare, the lack of moral laws, equality laws and gender laws. The entire system of three estate puts the low born at a huge disadvantage, and deliberately forced them to be at the bottom of the hierarchy with slight chance to move
Duc de Saint-Simon lived in the Palace of Versailles with King Louis XIV of France during the late seventeenth century. Louis did not move his court to Versailles until 1682, so it can be assumed that this document was written after. In his memoirs, he took detailed notes describing Louis’ attributes overwhelmingly positive, but seemingly accurate. This author creates a somewhat skewed look for the king of France with the immense positivity. Louis ruled with an absolute monarchy, Saint-Simon seems to be composing this to please the king and also for later to understand what life was truly like in the court and life at Versailles.
A Comparison of the Characteristics of the Absolutist Rule of Charles I of England and Louis XIV of France
The Memoires de l’Estat de France quoted in R J Knecht Profiles in Power: Catherine de Medici, Essex, 1998
“‘La magnificence et la galanterie n’ont jamais paru en France avec tant d’éclat que dans les dernières annèes du règne de Henri second.’ (p. 35)... However, this image of classical perfection is quickly fractured by the mention of the event that guides the life of the court-the passion of Henry II for the Duchesse de Valentinois Later in the narrative, the heroine, like the reader, asks for further explanation for this unusual passion between a woman not only much older than the king, but one who, in addition to having been Henry’s father’s mistress, also has several other lovers..” (Judovitz, 1038-1039)
O: Rage and revolt can describe the country of France at the time of the Revolution faced because of turmoil and struggle they faced. Different estates were formed based on what you did and your class in society. The people of society wanted more say in the government and decisions that King Louis XVI made. The public didn't approve with much of what King Louis did. His lack of ability to be a strong king and leader affected his reputation to the public eye. King Louis was tried for committing treason to the country of France. Treason is the attempt to kill a sovereign and overthrow the government. Some of the reasons were his attempt to flee to Varennes, living in Versailles which was not in Paris, and reforms he passed as a ruler. These actions performed by King Louis isn’t what a King does, but that doesn’t prove any
But first let me tell of the rooms in which it was held. These were seven—an imperial suite. In many palaces, however, such suites form a long and straight vista, while the folding doors slide back nearly to the walls on either hand, so that the view of the whole extent is scarcely impeded. Here the case was very different, as might have been expected from the duke’s love of the bizarre. The apartments were so irregularly disposed that the vision embraced but little more than one at a time. There was a sharp turn at every twenty or thirty yards, and at each turn a novel effect. To the right and left, in the middle of each wall, a tall and narrow Gothic window looked out upon a closed corridor which pursued the windings of the suite. These windows were of stained glass whose colour varied in accordance with the prevailing hue of the decorations of the chamber into which it opened. That at the eastern extremity was hung, for example in blue—and vividly blue were its windows. The second chamber was purple in its ornaments and tapestries, and here the panes were purple. The third was green throughout, and so were the casements. The fourth was furnished and lighted with orange—the fifth with white—the sixth with violet. The seventh apartment was closely shrouded in black velvet tapestries that hung all over the ceiling and down the walls, falling in heavy folds upon a carpet of the same material and hue. But in this chamber only, the
Louis XIV was one of four leaders, (along with Charles V, Napoleon, and Adolf Hitler) who had an opportunity to establish their hegemony over much of Europe in the time period after 1500. Although Louis XIV failed in his attempt to dominate Europe politically, it was during this time span that Europe was very strongly influenced by French culture and civilization.
Cohen, Merdith. “An Indulgence for the Visitor: The Public at the Sainte-Chapelle of Paris.” Speculum, Vol. 83, No. 4 (Oct., 2008): pp. 840-883.
When people go hungry, they go crazy, and no country has experience this quite like France. The economy in France was going down a spiral after King Louis XV died and left a young and irresponsible Louis XVI in charge. Louis XVI had many opportunities to save France from impending economic depression, by taxing the nobles, so that the financial responsibility would not fall on the lower classes (Marie Antoinette and the French Revolution). This dark time in France’s history claimed the lives of over 20,000 people and even the leaders of the revolution. The French government was in a weak and vulnerable place after the Revolution and ripe for a change in leadership. In 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte, threw a successful coup d’état and took control
According to the Merriam –Webster dictionary, a king is “a paramount chief or male monarch of a major territorial unit; especially: one whose position is hereditary and who rules for life.” The concept of kings has been around for thousands of years, and has played a major role in both ancient and modern societies. In this paper, I will discuss the role of the kings in the societies of seventeenth century France, fifteenth century Inka, and the Classic Maya. In each of these societies, kings use ancestry and certain symbols in order to assert and validate their power.
Absolutism describes a form of monarchical power that is unrestrained by all other institutions, such as churches, legislatures, or social elites. To achieve absolutism one must first promote oneself as being powerful and authoritative, then the individual must take control of anyone who might stand in the way of absolute power. The Palace of Versailles helped King Louis XIV fulfill both of those objectives. Versailles used propaganda by promoting Louis with its grandiosity and generous portraits that all exuded a sense of supremacy. Versailles also helped Louis take control of the nobility by providing enough space to keep them under his watchful eye. The Palace of Versailles supported absolutism during King Louis XIV’s reign through propaganda, and control of nobility.
An Analysis of the Absolute Monarchy of France in the 17th Century This historical study will define the absolute monarchy as it was defied through the French government in the 17th century. The term ‘absolute” is defined I the monarchy through the absolute control over the people through the king and the royal family. All matters of civic, financial, and political governance was controlled through the king’s sole power as the monarchical ruler of the French people. In France, Louis XIII is an important example of the absolute monarchy, which controlled all facts of military and economic power through a single ruler. Udder Louis XIII’s reign, the consolidation of power away from the Edicts of Nantes to dominant local politics and sovereignty
It is often debated whether or not the reign of King Louis XIV had a positive or negative effect on France. Although there were improvements during his reign in transportation, culture, and national defense, there were far more negative aspects. He depleted the national treasury with his liberal spending on personal luxuries and massive monuments. His extreme fear of the loss of power led to poor decision making, which caused the court to be of lower quality. King Louis XIV’s disastrous rule brought about a series of effects that influenced the French Revolution in the following century.
The story begins with the Marquise de Merteuil corresponding with Vicomte de Valmont regarding a luscious new act of ‘revenge’, as she describes it, against the Comte de Gercourt. The young Cecile de Volanges has just come home from the convent and her marriage to Gercourt has been arranged. However, before he can wed the innocent child, Merteuil proposes Valmont ‘educate’ her, thus spoiling Gercourt’s fancy for untarnished convent girls. Valmont is uninterested in such an easy seduction and is far more aroused by the thought of lulling The Presidente’ de Tourvel, the very epitome of virtue, into submission. And so the tale unfolds.