Reign of Louis XIV (25 févr. 1643 – 15 déc. 1715)

Description:

Louis XIV grew up during the Fronde, uprisings in Paris, forcing him to flee for his own safety. When he rose up to the throne, taking over after the regency of his mother, he pledged to put down revolts and consolidate power as an absolute monarch. In doing so, he created the concept of the divine right of kings—the idea that God had established kings as rulers on earth. Louis also demanded tolerance, and insisted on religious unity despite his personal belief in tolerance, pursuing a policy of protestant repression. However, despite his absolute nature, Louis still had to act in a virtuous way. He relied on the collaboration of nobility in order to wage his expensive wars and pursue his tax policies.