Louis XIV known as “Louis the Great” or the “Sun King” was the French monarch of the House of Bourbon who ruled as King of France and Navarre from 1643 until his death (1715) which is the longest reign in European history. Only at the young age of five, Louis XIV was crowned the king of France when his father, Louis XIII passed away. However since Louis was too young, his mother, Anne of Austria, and her Italian-born adviser Cardinal Mazarin, ruled as regents in his name. After the Thirty Years War, there was a lot of financial pressure and to meet this, Cardinal Mazarin sold new offices, raised taxes, and forced creditors to extend loans to the government. In 1648, a coalition of his opponents presented Mazarin with a charter of demands, to which he responded by arresting them. This would result in a series of revolts called the Fronde which spanned from 1648 till 1653. The nobles saw this as an opportunity to reassert their claims to power against the weakened monarchy and demanded greater local control. Throughout the kingdom, nobles, parlements, and city councils raised armies of their own to fight either the king or each other. Louis XIV never forgot this incident, and the result would show in his policies that were designed to prevent any recurrence of the revolts. At the age of twenty-two, Louis became the ruler of france once Mazarin died. During Louis XIV’s reign, his main goal was “One king, one law, one faith.” He achieved the goals “one king” and “one law”, by limiting the power of others, and by uniting the French religion, he achieved “one faith”. As an absolutist leader, Louis centered the country around him, and by doing this Louis was successful in accomplishing this central, powerful French monarchy.
Louis XVI was extremely successful as establishing himself as the “one king” by acclaiming himself as a divine leader, building the palace of Versailles, and having an absolute Monarchy. As a young boy, Louis was taught the doctrine of the divine right of kings by Cardinal Mazarin. This was the doctrine that stated kings were Gods that ruled on earth. He depicted himself as ancient Gods such as Jupiter, and he also had the nickname “Sun God”. Another way he established himself as the “One king” was when he spent all of his money once he came into power and build the palace of Versailles. He invited many nobles to live with him in his magnificent palace. With all the nobles in one place, Louis could keep an eye on the nobles so they couldn’t rebel. Since Louis controlled the distribution of state power and wealth, nobles were forced to obey and compete with each other for Louis approval. Versailles in a way would become the parlement, because that was where they discussed political and economic affairs. By doing all of this Louis established himself as the “one king”.
Louis was also successful in achieving “one law”, by limiting the powers of nobles and with the unification of the military. Louis’s model of state was absolutism, which is a system of government in which the ruler claims sole and uncontestable power. Louis never called meetings and therefore, the nobility, had no means of united expression or action. Also Louis did not have a first minister and by doing all of this this he had complete control, "L'État, c'est moi" ("I am the state"). To make sure his law policies’ passed and to make sure he had control, Louis regulated the French military and had a standing army by establishing one uniform and training method. Louis relayed heavily on the services of the nationwide bureaucracy for many of goals. He also used intendants, which he handpicked for each region to represent his rule against entrenched local interests such as parlements, provincial estates, and noble governors. Jean- baptiste Colbert who was the head of royal finances, created a new economic doctrine, mercantilism. Mercantilism was the policy that governments must intervene to increase nation wealth by whatever mean possible. Under Colbert the French government established overseas trading companies and granted manufacturing monopolies. Colbert also tried to strengthen New France by sending thousands to work at trading companies there. Therefore Louis was essentially the sole voice of the government and was able to establish “one law”.
Finally, Louis XVI wanted “one faith” in France. Louis wasn’t hateful towards Protestants; however, since Louis believed that he reigned by divine right, he thought he needed to instruct his subjects into the one right religion. The one religion he tolerated was Catholicism, as he was a Catholic himself. Perhaps the most serious change he made was the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, which allowed Huguenots the right to Worship and have general freedom of conscience, was a strong example of Louis wanting “one religion”. The Huguenots lost their churches, schools, and clergy, because of this many of them left France illegally. This would also increase hostility of Protestants nations bordering France. Another example of Louis enforcing “one religion” was when he persecuted the Jansenist, who were Catholics, but their doctrines and practices resembled some aspects of Protestantism. By doing all of this Louis was successful in achieving “one faith” in a united France.
Therefore from the information provided above, Louis XIV’s main goal toward his governing was “one king, one law, one faith” which he successfully completed. He was successful in this goal, attributed to his own glorification, the restriction of others’ power and the unity in religion. In an attempt to achieve his goal of absolute power, and one religion in France, Louis XIV waged a series of wars, including the Franco-Dutch War, the War of the League of Augsburg, the War of Spanish Succession, the War of Devolution, and The War of the Reunions. By his death in 1715, the power of Louis XIV has declined significantly. The power of France as a nation, and the power of the French monarchy would continue to decline until the French Revolution. Although Louis XIV was able to establish absolute authority in France, and able to complete his goal of having one religion in France, it came at a cost. His ambitions threw France into a debt and a public unrest that would serve as a prologue to the French Revolution.
Louis XVI was extremely successful as establishing himself as the “one king” by acclaiming himself as a divine leader, building the palace of Versailles, and having an absolute Monarchy. As a young boy, Louis was taught the doctrine of the divine right of kings by Cardinal Mazarin. This was the doctrine that stated kings were Gods that ruled on earth. He depicted himself as ancient Gods such as Jupiter, and he also had the nickname “Sun God”. Another way he established himself as the “One king” was when he spent all of his money once he came into power and build the palace of Versailles. He invited many nobles to live with him in his magnificent palace. With all the nobles in one place, Louis could keep an eye on the nobles so they couldn’t rebel. Since Louis controlled the distribution of state power and wealth, nobles were forced to obey and compete with each other for Louis approval. Versailles in a way would become the parlement, because that was where they discussed political and economic affairs. By doing all of this Louis established himself as the “one king”.
Louis was also successful in achieving “one law”, by limiting the powers of nobles and with the unification of the military. Louis’s model of state was absolutism, which is a system of government in which the ruler claims sole and uncontestable power. Louis never called meetings and therefore, the nobility, had no means of united expression or action. Also Louis did not have a first minister and by doing all of this this he had complete control, "L'État, c'est moi" ("I am the state"). To make sure his law policies’ passed and to make sure he had control, Louis regulated the French military and had a standing army by establishing one uniform and training method. Louis relayed heavily on the services of the nationwide bureaucracy for many of goals. He also used intendants, which he handpicked for each region to represent his rule against entrenched local interests such as parlements, provincial estates, and noble governors. Jean- baptiste Colbert who was the head of royal finances, created a new economic doctrine, mercantilism. Mercantilism was the policy that governments must intervene to increase nation wealth by whatever mean possible. Under Colbert the French government established overseas trading companies and granted manufacturing monopolies. Colbert also tried to strengthen New France by sending thousands to work at trading companies there. Therefore Louis was essentially the sole voice of the government and was able to establish “one law”.
Finally, Louis XVI wanted “one faith” in France. Louis wasn’t hateful towards Protestants; however, since Louis believed that he reigned by divine right, he thought he needed to instruct his subjects into the one right religion. The one religion he tolerated was Catholicism, as he was a Catholic himself. Perhaps the most serious change he made was the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, which allowed Huguenots the right to Worship and have general freedom of conscience, was a strong example of Louis wanting “one religion”. The Huguenots lost their churches, schools, and clergy, because of this many of them left France illegally. This would also increase hostility of Protestants nations bordering France. Another example of Louis enforcing “one religion” was when he persecuted the Jansenist, who were Catholics, but their doctrines and practices resembled some aspects of Protestantism. By doing all of this Louis was successful in achieving “one faith” in a united France.
Therefore from the information provided above, Louis XIV’s main goal toward his governing was “one king, one law, one faith” which he successfully completed. He was successful in this goal, attributed to his own glorification, the restriction of others’ power and the unity in religion. In an attempt to achieve his goal of absolute power, and one religion in France, Louis XIV waged a series of wars, including the Franco-Dutch War, the War of the League of Augsburg, the War of Spanish Succession, the War of Devolution, and The War of the Reunions. By his death in 1715, the power of Louis XIV has declined significantly. The power of France as a nation, and the power of the French monarchy would continue to decline until the French Revolution. Although Louis XIV was able to establish absolute authority in France, and able to complete his goal of having one religion in France, it came at a cost. His ambitions threw France into a debt and a public unrest that would serve as a prologue to the French Revolution.