A Look Back in Time

Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, was king of France from 1643 until 1715. Below is an analysis of his principal theories.

King Louis XIV's principal theories regarding man, society, and kingship were that everyone tried to better himself. According to Louis XIV, men must not be given too much power or else they will try to overrule the king. Similarly, society was all about putting oneself in a better position, either politically or financially. People with higher titles tended to expect more and everyone wanted more power. Lastly, according to Louis XIV, kingship was something that should always be guarded. A king should always protect himself from others, and should constantly test himself and his judgment. Also, he should never trust a woman enough to have conversations about ruling a kingdom. His principal ideas on reason were a man should constantly test himself. He also thought not every prince knew how to reason. Instead, he thought many princes became famous because they had fortune on their side. He believed no one should seek glory when it went against the king, and he believed religion just took advantage of taking people's money. He believed the king had the ultimate power and authority, and that the king was the only one who cared about the well-being of all his subjects. These ideas contributed to his view of "absolutism."

Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli

Machiavelli was an Italian philosopher and writer who is considered to be one of the founders of modern political science. Below is an analysis of the differences between his views and King Louis XIVs views.

Machiavelli wrote about the characteristics of a successful prince, and Louis XIV of France was the prince who came closest to fulfilling these characteristics. According to Machiavelli, a prince would have an easier time of being successful if he inherited his throne, because the people already respect the family. He also stated that princes should have a council of advisors, but he should also ultimately make his own decisions regarding his kingdom. He also believed nobles in a position of power would take advantage of the prince, and only be loyal to him if they got something in return. In Louis XIV's Memoirs, he wrote that he had three advisors who did not have a high status and even when they advised him, he tested himself and his decisions in secret. He also inherited his throne, and he did not trust nobles. He did not give nobles any power or any reason to feel they were treated unfairly. He went so far as to deny his own brother the privilege of having his wife sit on a chair with a back, because he did not want his court to think he was playing favorites. Like Machiavelli, Louis XIV also believed that fortune could ruin the best laid plans. And also like Machiavelli, Louis XIV believed it was up to the prince to change his plans in order to accommodate his change in fortune. It was in this way Louis XIV closely resembled the prince in Machiavelli's writings. Consequently Louis XIV was a fairly successful prince.