Louis XIV
Louis XIV, a marvelous leader during his reign (1643-1715), was a prime example of an absolutist ruler. He used his position to expand the power of his government with projects like the expansion of the Chateau de Versailles, completed in 1688. Despite the unimaginable cost of the monumental construction of Versailles that exhausted much of France's finances, its creation was beneficial for the French government, foreign influence, and the historical impact on France and the world.
The French government, which was centered in Paris prior to the expansion of Versailles, did not satisfy King Louis XIV. Paris, forever associated with the Fronde or civil wars of 1648-1653, never appealed to Louis. Like Louis' father, King Louis XIII, he was constantly butting heads with the Fronde and needed to escape from them and the rigors of government. The solution to this was Versailles. Young King Louis XIV often escaped to the peace and solitude of Versailles as his father did, but......
Join Now or Login to view the rest of this paper.
Approximate Word Count: 1395
Approximate Pages: 6 (260 words per double-spaced page) |