Absolutism

Humans fundamentally dislike change. Once we are set in a routine or have lived a certain way for an extended period we tend to feel comfortable and do not want change. Change tends to upset our habits and everyday life. This trait is the underlying basis of the obstacles King Louis XIV faced and overcame when imposing the new idea of Absolutism on a country that was nationally disjointed and politically untrustworthy.

Louis XIV took the throne in 1643 during a time of bad economic situations, religious wars, cultural differences and poor royal authority that left France, and most of Western Europe, separated and different. Louis XIV’s goal was to build the basis for a super powerful monarchy, with absolute power and control, and to build up the country through his expressions of pure power.

In his pursuit of this goal, he was faced with many obstacles. Taking complete control of his country by establishing an absolutist form of government was not an easy task. He had opposition but reacted to it in new ways. The Nobles still held great power in France. They controlled some military power and had great political power because they represented the people of their region as the Estates General. They also served in parliaments and would surely not want to give up their power. Uniting his country was also difficult as they had religious differences that caused many people to believe religious uniformity was impossible. Regional differences such as local customs, dialect, and laws caused by the separation of the different provinces of France were another obstacle to national unity.

King Louis XIV reacted to these obstacles in a few different ways. To show that he had the authority to be an absolute monarch he brought the nobility under greater control, built up a large military force, which could defeat any revolt, and among other things created Versailles. Louis XIV realized how important symbolism was to any form of government because giving the illusion of power causes people to see you as powerful. Versailles was the greatest form of symbolism used by Louis XIV. Set on 37,000 acres, the complex included 6,000 acres of gardens with 1,400 fountains, a man made lake for boat parties, housing for around 20,000 people and more than 51,000 square meters of living space distributed over 700 rooms (p.41). Inside the palace were numerous paintings; many were of the King. The painting on the ceiling of the Hall of Mirrors depicts the King as being one with god, which supported his divine right (Source 4, p.54). The photo of The Royal Chapel at Versailles is a great example of the magnificence of the palace with its intricate carvings and shear size (source 10, p.59). Versailles was the ultimate show of power and money and it was meant to send a message to all who entered its grounds.