King+Louis+XIV

 ·   Louis XIV of France ranks as one of the most remarkable monarchs in history. Louis XIV was a great monarch, and in he was capable of maintaining a strong kingdom because he never doubted his right to be king. During his reign, France stabilized and became one of the strongest powers Europe. He accepted the throne at age five and he reined for seventy two years, fifty four of them he personally controlled the French government. The 17th century is labeled as the age of Louis XIV. Since then his rule has been the example of one type of government, absolutism. The country changed drastically from savage mediaeval ways to a more refined, exquisite living.  ·   Louis XIV is also known as Louis the Great, because, following his initial success in the Franco-Dutch War and the Treaty of Nijmegen, the //Parlement de Paris// decreed that all public inscriptions and statues of the king should carry that epithet attached to his name. He is also popularly known as The Sun King because of the idea that, just as the planets revolve around the Sun, so too should France and the court revolve around him.  ·   Louis XIV was a supporter of the Divine Right of Kings theory, which was largely due to his tutor, Bishop Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet. Bossuet preached that kings were appointed by God, but also have a responsibility to act as such.  ·   King Louis XIV was a religious man who often questioned his faith. He had his troubles with the papacy. He believed that the Bishop of Rome was no more than any other bishop. He set himself up as the head of his Church ·   Louis XIV first love was Maria Mancini. Maria was good educated and made Louis to be interested in literature. Louis fell in love with her and they were several years together until he had to marry Marie-Therese of Austria. That was a very hard step for him - his love was so strong, that he wanted Maria Mancini to be his wife, although he was a king. After he married Marie-Therese, he devoted himself to her and a year later they had a dauphin. But later he began to pay too much attention to the ladies of his court. One of his lovers was the wife of his own brother- Henrietta of England. Louis was the most powerful man in Europe and every woman was dreaming to be his mistress. In 1682, as he was 45 years old, he decided that he does not have much time to live and that he has to live according to church laws in order to be later in paradise and not in hell. So he decided to be only with his wife. Unfortunately Marie-Therese died a year later, so Louis was forced to marry somebody else. As he didn't want to marry another princess from foreign land, he decided to marry somebody from his court. His choice was Madame de Maintenon, who was the best educated woman at the court. He married her secretly in 1683 and he had never had any other woman after that. ·  King Louis XIV had a long line of ancestors and a huge family. His ancestors paved the root for his success. His royal family was supportive and powerful. He was related to the King Carlos II of Spain through his first wife Maria.  ·   Louis XIV worked successfully to create a centralized state governed from the capital in order to sweep away the fragmented feudalism in France, thus giving rise to the modern state. As a result of his efforts, which seemed absolutist, Louis XIV became the archetypal absolute monarchy.  ·   During his reign, he increased the power and influence of France in Europe, engaging in three major wars—the Franco-Dutch War, the War of the League of Augsburg, and the War of the Spanish Succession—and two minor conflicts—the War of Devolution, and the War of the Reunions. ·  The first war was against Spain. Louis married Marie-Therese of Spain in 1660 due to the terms of the Treaty of the Pyrenees. Louis went to war with Spain claiming his wife's right to inheritance to the Spanish throne in 1667 by invading the Spanish Netherlands. He made many quick victories and in 1668, England, Holland and Sweden forced Louis to sign the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. Louis gained 12 fortresses in Flanders, and to isolate Holland he bought Swedish and English neutrality. In 1672, Louis sent an army to invade Holland. ·  The last major struggle of Louis XIV was the War of the Spanish Succession from 1701 to 1714. A previous problem in Europe earlier was who was to succeed Charles II of Spain. The heir to the throne was connected to either the Austrian Habsburgs or the French Bourbons. France did not want the new king to be Austrian because that would make Spain and Austria, two of France's traditional enemies, powerful allies. **Sources** Steingrad, Elena (2000). Retrieved September 30, 2008, from Louis XIV The Sun King Web site: http://www.louis-xiv.de/

Cotton, Debra (2008). King of France Louis XIV. Retrieved September 30, 2008, Web site: http://www.answers.com/topic/louis-xiv-of-france (2008). Louis XIV of France. Retrieved September 30, 2008, Web site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_XIV_of_France Durant, will (1963). //The Age Of Louis XIV//. SImon and Schuster.

Script. Q: Who is King Louis XIV and what other names did he go by? A: King Louis XIV was the king of France who is ranked as one of the most remarkable monarchs in history. He kept a strong kingdom together and made France one of the strongest powers in Europe. King Louis XIV was known as Louis the Great because of his success in the French-Dutch Wars, for signing numerous Treaties, and for the marvelous statues built in his honor. He was also called The Sun King because like the Earth revolved the sun, he thought France revolved around him.

Q: What religion was King Louis XIV and what role did he play in his religion? A: King Louis XIV was always questioning his faith. He had trouble troubles with the papacy and did not like the bishops having so much power. He set himself up as the head of the Protestant Church in France.

Q: I know King Louis XIV probably had plenty of wives. Describe each wife. A: Well he had three wives in his lifetime, although he coveted many women of his court. His first wife Maria Mancini was into literature. She was married to King Louis XIV for several years until the King had to marry Marie-Therese. King Louis XIV tried to devote himself to Marie but he caught himself looking at the women of his court. One year later Marie-Therese died so King Louis XIV married Madame de Maintenon. She was King Louis XIV last wife.

Q: Did King Louis XIV inherit his power from his ancestors? Was his family supportive? A: Pretty much. He had a long line of ancestors that paved the way for his success. King Louis XIV always had a supportive family that helped him make big decisions. His first wife Maria Mancini was related the king Carlos II of Spain so the family was powerful and ruled a great deal of land in Europe.

Q: Alright last question, What wars did King Louis XIV take part in and describe each war? A: King Louis XIV increased the power of France by fighting three major wars: The French-Dutch War, the War of the League of Augsberg, and the War of Spanish Succession. He went to war with Spain and the Netherlands claiming his first wife Maria's right to the throne. He made a treaty with Hollan, England, and Sweden that isolated Holland and made England and Sweden nuetral. The War of Spanish Succession was a war to see who would have control of Spain after Charles II died. Austria and France both wanted the throne and King Louis XIV did not want Austria in power because that would make two of his biggest enemies powerful allies. [|Damiano King Louis XIV.mp3]