Absolute Dictatorship Between France And King Louis XIV

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To understand the importance of Versailles and how Louis XIV’s reign was powerful as an absolute monarch, several questions must be asked: What were the goals of an absolute ruler? How did Louis XIV tighten his control over France? What was the purpose of Versailles? In answering these questions, it can be identified through evidence that the art, etiquette and personalities of the people at this time corroborate the influential role of the King. By ushering a golden age of art and literature, controlling the nobles by making them dependent on the King but also by improving their social status, and using Versailles as means to centralize the government and strengthen power, Louis XIV became the epitome of an absolute ruler. An absolute monarch strives to possess ultimate authority through divine right. Divine right is the idea that a ruler is given the position by some higher power. Louis XIV demonstrated this as he referred to himself as the Sun King. He believed he was given the power to be a source of light for all his subjects and that society should “orbit” around him. He truly felt that he was God’s representative on Earth. Through his “L’Etat, C’est moi” dictum, he also exemplified his intentions to control every aspect of the state and make decisions on his own regarding foreign policy, war, and religious …show more content…
For instance, the gardens were initially designed for traditional uses. However, Louis XIV presented the idea of the garden celebration, which encompassed banquets, plays, horsemanship events and fireworks. This was not only for the elite, but was a part of the king’s publicity and propaganda. In addition, as depicted in the 360 tour of the Hall of Mirrors, which was designed by Hardouin-Mansart, this immense display of prestige enticed many people during events that were held and was evidently employed as propaganda too. Therefore, Versailles held many purposes for the
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