Louis Xiv the Sun King Absolute Rule
Louis XIV the Sun King’s
Absolute Rule
Louis XIV is one of the most famous examples of an absolute ruler. Louis had a complete control over his country. Louis’s father had died leaving France in a civil war. Louis XIV obtained power after his father died and through hatred over the nobility that threatened his life and his mothers, though Cardinal Mazarin ruled until Louis XIV took power after Mazarin’s death. He vowed he would never be so weak that he could not have power. Louis XIV was an absolute ruler of France he centralized government, military powers, taxation, and further weakened aristocracy to become a more powerful ruler. In 1661 Cardinal Mazarin died. He was the main adviser to the throne and ruled France until Louis took power after his death. Through strong military opposition Mazarin ended the rebellion. When Louis XIV ruled he furthered his power by excluding nobles from his council. Louis took the throne at the age of 26. When first taken he took the throne he quickly stated he would be his own prime minister. He reportedly boasted, “L’etat, c’est moi,” meaning “I am the State.” Louis’s reign led to many harsh laws. Though thoughts of rebellion had been thought of no one dared to rebel the thought of rebellion consequences was too much for the people. Louis XIV was a devout catholic and believed his “divine right” to rule was ordained by God. Although when Louis took the throne he was immensely popular among the people, he was commonly referred to as the “Sun King”.
Louis XIV led France into a time of political and economic prominence. With his minister of finance, Jean Baptiste Colbert, the theory of mercantilism prevented his wealth from leaving his country. France had manufactured all needed goods in the country and did not have to rely on imports. To prevent France industries a high tax was placed on all goods from other countries making it too expensive to import foreign goods. Also encouraging people to move to Canadian
Absolute Rule
Louis XIV is one of the most famous examples of an absolute ruler. Louis had a complete control over his country. Louis’s father had died leaving France in a civil war. Louis XIV obtained power after his father died and through hatred over the nobility that threatened his life and his mothers, though Cardinal Mazarin ruled until Louis XIV took power after Mazarin’s death. He vowed he would never be so weak that he could not have power. Louis XIV was an absolute ruler of France he centralized government, military powers, taxation, and further weakened aristocracy to become a more powerful ruler. In 1661 Cardinal Mazarin died. He was the main adviser to the throne and ruled France until Louis took power after his death. Through strong military opposition Mazarin ended the rebellion. When Louis XIV ruled he furthered his power by excluding nobles from his council. Louis took the throne at the age of 26. When first taken he took the throne he quickly stated he would be his own prime minister. He reportedly boasted, “L’etat, c’est moi,” meaning “I am the State.” Louis’s reign led to many harsh laws. Though thoughts of rebellion had been thought of no one dared to rebel the thought of rebellion consequences was too much for the people. Louis XIV was a devout catholic and believed his “divine right” to rule was ordained by God. Although when Louis took the throne he was immensely popular among the people, he was commonly referred to as the “Sun King”.
Louis XIV led France into a time of political and economic prominence. With his minister of finance, Jean Baptiste Colbert, the theory of mercantilism prevented his wealth from leaving his country. France had manufactured all needed goods in the country and did not have to rely on imports. To prevent France industries a high tax was placed on all goods from other countries making it too expensive to import foreign goods. Also encouraging people to move to Canadian
Bibliography: * Beck, Roger B. Ancient World History. Evanston IL: McDougal Little, 2003 * "Louis XIV." Union County College Faculty Web Site. Web. 05 Mar. 2012. http://faculty.ucc.edu/egh-damerow/louis_xiv.htm * "Louis XIV Rules As Absolute Monarch." Historical Events. Web. 05 Mar. 2012. <http://www.famoushistoricalevents.net/louis-xiv-rules-absolute-monarch/>. * "Reign of Louis XIV." Web. 05 Mar. 2012. <http://www2.stetson.edu/~psteeves/classes/louisxiv.html>. * "Introduction." Louis XIV. Web. 05 Mar. 2012. <http://www.louis-xiv.de/>.