Absolute Monarchs: Philip II And Louis XIV

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Even though Philip II and Louis XIV were both absolute monarchs, they were still very different types of rulers with similarities and differences. Philip II and Louis XIV were absolute monarchs who believed that they should have supreme power over everyone. In addition to this similarity, they both loved art and control over territory shown by the way they prioritized it. While they both share a love for power and art, they do not share a love for each other’s lifestyles. Louis XIV lived a lavish lifestyle while Philip lived a spartan lifestyle. Despite their very different lifestyles, Philip II and Louis XIV both were similar in their way of enforcing supreme power with divine right, and they both made the arts and expansion of their countries …show more content…

Even though Philip II and Louis XIV use supreme power for different purposes, they both thought every decision they made was the correct one. This confidence would lead to the people of their regions having trust in their decisions, which is one of the reasons they did not revolt against these absolute monarchs. The sourcebook reads, “During his reign, Louis did not once call a meeting of the Estates General, the medieval council made up of representatives of all French social classes.” Louis XIV was so confident, he felt that he did not think anyone’s opinion but his own mattered. Everyone saw Louis confidence so much that he received the nickname, “the grand monarch.” Louis did not even bother to ask for anyone else's input, he just did what he thought would be best for himself. Philip had quiet confidence, which means he did not think that he was the smartest, he knew he was the smartest and so did everyone else. The sourcebook reads, “Philip surpassed Ferdinand and Isabella in making every part of the government responsible to him. He reigned as an absolute monarch, a ruler with complete authority over the government and the lives of the people.” Philip used his supreme power appropriately and confidently, which made Spain flourish while he was in control. While Louis XIV’s confidence came from speaking selfish and cocky phrases like, “I am the state”, Philip’s confidence and good reputation amongst the people came from doing the right things at the right