Louis XIV: The Greatest Leader of France :: Biography Biographies Essays

Louis XIV: The Greatest Leader of France The Days of Elegance The term "splendid" is one that most English speaking people are familiar with. To most of those people it has a meaning related to the overall appearance or feeling of what ever is being described. Webster's dictionary defines the term as: 1. magnificent and sumptuous. 2. distinguished or glorious. Splendor is more that that. It is an adjective that could be used to describe something so great and breath taking that one is left awed. The word splendid is often associated with the palace of Versailles, which was built Louis XIV. In the production of this grand structure there was no cost spared. It became a symbol of France, and a model by which all other palaces would be judged. Louis XIV received a great deal of criticism from onlookers as he used the French equivalent to millions of dollars to built this outstanding structure. There is still some speculation as to whether or not this was a good investment. It has been argued that the money could have gone to the poor or needy. The palace of Versailles was controversial, but in high insight, it is clear that Louis XIV made a sound decision in its erection. As Louis XIV took the throne, he was faced with several problems. He knew that he did not want to reside and rule in Paris, so against the will of his advisors he chose a hunting chateau as the site of his new palace. He also knew from history that the nobles of his domain had in the past and would continue to cause trouble in the form of uprisings and other conflicts. Louis XIV sought absolute power, and he knew that he would not be able to obtain this if preoccupied by civil conflicts. His solution to this problem was building Versailles and inviting all of the nobles to reside there. This was a brilliant scheme to keep the nobles out of the politics of the country. He preoccupied them with tasked normally associated with chamber maids, thus allowing him to rule as an absolute monarch. The splendor of the palace was a key factor in this plan because with out it, the nobles would not have a willing to leave their homes and move to Versailles. The historical account, The Splendid Century , written by W.H. Lewis is a very useful tool in understanding the life of Louis XIV. It tells of his life, his goals, his motives, and the means by which he achieved those