Why Is Louis Xiv Called The Sun King

787 Words4 Pages

The Sun King: Ideal or Flawed There has never been a perfect monarch, but there are great ones that existed. Such as, Suleiman I from the Ottoman empire, or Cyrus II from the Persian empire. Louis XIV has definitely surpassed them and became one of the best monarchs in the world. Born on September 5, 1638 Louis XIV took heir when he was twenty-three. His nickname, the Sun King, was brought by himself. He demanded to be called this because it was essential for people to know that he was like the sun and he radiates power for everyone else. Also, his short height aggravated him because to him short meant less power so, he wore heels to make him look taller. Louis XIV is definitely is an ideal monarch because of his many virtues and unreasonable …show more content…

His way of making Paris better was by making Versailles. Versailles is a royal estate located ten miles out of the city. He made Versailles for a couple of reasons. First, it was a symbol of absolutism. Second, it showed the supremacy in France. Third, it was a remembrance of the Fronde, a traumatizing moment in his life, which he put a law that there has to be great nobility. A number of nobles felt that Versailles was built in vain and should not have existed at all. Louis XIV also forced the nobles to live in his city. This was not entirely a bad thing because they were provided shelter and brought more art into their culture. Over all, Versailles had a huge impact in France with its power and …show more content…

King Louis XIV tactics in the military is one of the reasons why his kingdom became the most powerful. The “Sun King” tactics were different than most. He would try to avoid blood and gore and go the safe way using stealth and hiding techniques. This was smart because he would then have healthy soldiers fighting when they need to. Another one of his tactics was having messengers. Similar to Emperor Kangxi, King Louis XIV had messengers placed all over France and some in alliance and rival countries to spread his word. Louis attitude played a big game in his decision making. Yes, sometimes he would blame others for his mistakes, but mostly he took responsibility for what he has done. His alliances consisted many European countries and whoever opposed was most likely lost in battle. An army is nothing without weapons. The “Sun King" always made sure that his army had the most advanced weapons and almost unlimited ammunition. Taking everything to account, King Louis XIV strongest power to uphold the kingdom was his military