During the reign of Louis XIV, the government of France was a...
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During the reign of Louis XIV, the government of France was an absolute monarchy. This means that Louis XIV held absolute power over the state and governed without any legal limitations on his authority. He epitomized the concept of the divine right of kings, whereby his right to rule was considered to come directly from God, and not from any earthly authority, such as a parliament or the citizens he ruled. Louis XIV's reign is often seen as the quintessential example of absolutism, and he is famously quoted as saying "L'état, c'est moi" ("I am the state").
Absolutism is a political doctrine and form of government where unlimited, complete power is held by a centralized sovereign individual. Under absolute monarchy, the monarch's authority is not limited by any legal or legislative body. This contrasts sharply with forms of government like constitutional monarchy or democracy, where there are checks and balances to the sovereign's power.
Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, reigned from 1643 to 1715. His reign is noted for the centralization of state power, the creation of a professional army, economic reforms, and the patronage of the arts, which included the construction of the Palace of Versailles. His efforts to consolidate power involved weakening the influence of the nobility and relegating them to be courtiers in his palace, effectively reducing their power in provincial affairs.
The concept of divine right that Louis XIV endorsed was key to his governing philosophy. The monarch was seen as God's representative on Earth, and to challenge the monarch was to challenge God. This belief system provided the underpinning for his absolute rule and was a major component of royal ideology during this time period.
Louis XIV's form of absolutism laid the groundwork for the French state and influenced the political landscape of Europe during his life and beyond. However, the costs of his long wars and extravagant spending contributed to the financial crises that precipitated the French Revolution later in the late 18th century.