Louis XIV of France and the Cult of the Sun King
Perhaps the most famous King ever is without no doubt King Louis XIV of
France, also known as the Sun King.
Birth
5 September 1638 marks the birth of Louis Dieudonné de Bourbon. He was
the oldest son of King Louis XIII of France and his wife Anne of Austria.
His birth took place at the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye in the
Kingdom of France.
Louis, who became Dauphin of France had a younger brother, Philippe who
was later the Duke of Orléans.
Louis XIV and his family belonged to the royal house of Bourbon.
Coronation
His coronation took place on 7 June 1654 at the Cathedral of Reims.
His image and reputation
Louis XIV really took care about his reputation and especially his own
image.
Every painting, engraving or sculpture displayed him at his magnificent
best, even when he was old corpulent and infirm, he still managed to
show an aura of power and majesty.
Louis XIV carefully curated his fine image to ensure that his people both
respected and feared him. When he became King, France had lots of
troubles, so he was determined to unify the nation with himself as figurehead.
He liked to be seen as approachable but there always was a certain distance
between him and his people.
An absolute monarch
Very soon King Louis XIV of France wanted to portray himself as a God,
as Apollo, the sun god, governed through the light.
"L'état c'est moi." He once said. With this phrase he let France and the
world know that only he was the one in charge. He also didn't want to share
his power with someone else.
Louis proved to be an effective ruler. He was a genius for choosing great
advisors and administrators for his council. He established himself as an
absolute ruler.
Versailles
First he held his court at Fontainebleau but soon he wanted a more
suitable spot, where he could create a palace and a court fit for a monarch.
His choice fell at his father's old hunting lodge at Versailles, outside
the capital.
Louis XIV started an intensive programme of expanding and
embellishing the original building and he gradually created a splendid
palace for himself. Versailles would act as the central powerhouse of
France.
More about Versailles and its royal history on this link.
By the end of the decade Louis XIV spent most of his time at Versailles
and he moved permanent to the palace in 1682. There the King kept a
close watch on everyone at court, including his own family. He employed
even a secret police.
Love and Marriage
Louis fell in love with Mazarin's niece Marie Mancini. However his love
for her was rather an idealistic one. Louis mother Anne of Austria arranged
a royal wedding between her son and her niece Maria Theresa of Spain.
They would have 6 children together.
King Louis XIV also had lots of illegitimate children inter alia by
Louise de la Vallière, Françoise-Athénaïs - the Marquise of Montespan,
Claude de Vin and Angélique de Fontagnes.
Death
Louis XIV of France died of gangrene at Versailles on 1 September 1715.
His body was laid to rest at the Saint-Denis Basilica outside Paris.
He was succeeded by his eldest son who reigned as King Louis XV of
France.
This is the first of the series of the Kings and Queen of France on the
Allaboutroyalfamilies blog. I'm updating the page royal history of
France too.
More about the royal history of France on this link.
Own pictures taken in:
Nice - France in 2013
Paris - France in 2017
France, also known as the Sun King.
 |
| Louis XIV - Hotel Negresco in Nice - France |
Birth
5 September 1638 marks the birth of Louis Dieudonné de Bourbon. He was
the oldest son of King Louis XIII of France and his wife Anne of Austria.
His birth took place at the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye in the
Kingdom of France.
Louis, who became Dauphin of France had a younger brother, Philippe who
was later the Duke of Orléans.
Louis XIV and his family belonged to the royal house of Bourbon.
 |
| Louis XIV of France |
Coronation
His coronation took place on 7 June 1654 at the Cathedral of Reims.
His image and reputation
Louis XIV really took care about his reputation and especially his own
image.
Every painting, engraving or sculpture displayed him at his magnificent
best, even when he was old corpulent and infirm, he still managed to
show an aura of power and majesty.
Louis XIV carefully curated his fine image to ensure that his people both
respected and feared him. When he became King, France had lots of
troubles, so he was determined to unify the nation with himself as figurehead.
He liked to be seen as approachable but there always was a certain distance
between him and his people.
 |
| Louis XIV of France |
An absolute monarch
Very soon King Louis XIV of France wanted to portray himself as a God,
as Apollo, the sun god, governed through the light.
"L'état c'est moi." He once said. With this phrase he let France and the
world know that only he was the one in charge. He also didn't want to share
his power with someone else.
Louis proved to be an effective ruler. He was a genius for choosing great
advisors and administrators for his council. He established himself as an
absolute ruler.
Versailles
First he held his court at Fontainebleau but soon he wanted a more
suitable spot, where he could create a palace and a court fit for a monarch.
His choice fell at his father's old hunting lodge at Versailles, outside
the capital.
Louis XIV started an intensive programme of expanding and
embellishing the original building and he gradually created a splendid
palace for himself. Versailles would act as the central powerhouse of
France.
More about Versailles and its royal history on this link.
By the end of the decade Louis XIV spent most of his time at Versailles
and he moved permanent to the palace in 1682. There the King kept a
close watch on everyone at court, including his own family. He employed
even a secret police.
Love and Marriage
Louis fell in love with Mazarin's niece Marie Mancini. However his love
for her was rather an idealistic one. Louis mother Anne of Austria arranged
a royal wedding between her son and her niece Maria Theresa of Spain.
They would have 6 children together.
King Louis XIV also had lots of illegitimate children inter alia by
Louise de la Vallière, Françoise-Athénaïs - the Marquise of Montespan,
Claude de Vin and Angélique de Fontagnes.
Death
Louis XIV of France died of gangrene at Versailles on 1 September 1715.
His body was laid to rest at the Saint-Denis Basilica outside Paris.
He was succeeded by his eldest son who reigned as King Louis XV of
France.
This is the first of the series of the Kings and Queen of France on the
Allaboutroyalfamilies blog. I'm updating the page royal history of
France too.
More about the royal history of France on this link.
Own pictures taken in:
Nice - France in 2013
Paris - France in 2017
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