King Louis Xiv Essay

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“I am the state”, with a mere four words, King Louis XIV shook Europe’s very core. When discussing the greatest monarchs of all time, the debate begins with and ends with one name: Louis XIV. Coming into power at the early age of four, Louis XIV held a seventy-two-year long grip over France, advancing it into an age of prosperity and enlightenment. Under Louis’ rule, France became the most powerful nation in Europe and feudalism was almost non-existent as Louis maintained absolute control over France during his rule. Not only a military and political genius, “the sun king” was also an advocate of the arts. During his reign, Louis XIV ushered in a golden age of arts and music, going as far as establishing several institutes for the arts and …show more content…

His greatest endeavor involved transforming a royal hunting lodge in Versailles into one of the most opulent palaces of all time. He succeeded. Known famously as the palace of Versailles, it serves as a testament to the greatness that was King Louis XIV, the greatest monarch in history.
Born on September 5, 1638, to Louis XIII, King of France and his Hapsburg Queen, Anne of Austria, Louis XIV was the miraculous son to twenty-three years of childless marriage (History.com Staff, 2009 1). After his father’s untimely death on May 14, 1643, the four-year-old Louis XIV ascended to the throne. However, due to the emperor’s immature age, Louis XIV’s mother and Queen regent, Anne of Austria temporarily ruled over France alongside Cardinal Jules Mazarin, France’s chief minister and Louis’ godfather. Despite coming of age …show more content…

Louis surrounded himself with the great artistic and intellectual minds of his time, including playwright Moliere, painter Charles Le Brun, and composer Jean-Baptiste Lully. (History.com Staff, 2009 10). Furthermore, he constructed many programs and institutes to enlighten France’s inhabitants and transform France into the center of culture in Europe (Biography.com Editors, n.d. 11). Even today, France is a paradise for tourists looking to enjoy the culture that Louis XIV worked tirelessly to achieve. Not only did Louis enjoy the arts and sciences, he also dabbled in architecture. Wanting to show the entire world his great wealth and power, Louis XIV had undertaken his greatest architectural endeavor yet. In 1669, Louis decided to radically transform a royal hunting lodge in Versailles into the greatest Palace that the world had ever seen (Evans, n.d. 12). This momentous undertaking took over 36 000 workers, 6 000 horses, and fifty years to realise (Travels in France: 2 Versailles to Tours, n.d. 13). Today, the Palace of Versailles is the epitome of opulence and displays the vast amount of riches and powers that King Louis XIV obtained. From military and politics to arts and architecture, the greatest monarch in history truly does not leave much to be

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