How Quintessentially Absolutistic Was Louis Xiv's Reign?

The question of this investigation is “How quintessentially absolutistic was Louis XIV’s reign?” This investigation is significant because it explores the extent to which Louis XIV was an absolute ruler through assessment of the validity of conflicting evidence in support of Louis XIV as a despotic ruler, a collaborative ruler, and an absolute ruler. As Louis XIV is a historical figure who is often used to exemplify an absolute ruler, this investigation has historical significance because it questions the accuracy of this classification.

Louis XIV is not the only ruler to have established an absolutistic reign. Throughout history, a plethora of monarchs have believed that they were limited only by divine law. Thus, a true absolute ruler can be defined as one that abides by the belief that it is their right to define and decide the law. Because of his profound impact on France during his own reign, historians often point to Louis XIV as an example of this absolutism. Known as the Sun King, Louis XIV ruled over France from 1643-1715. However, Louis XIV was unable to take full control of France until 1661 when Mazarin, Louis XIV’s chief minister, died (Wolf 133).

Throughout his reign—one of the longest reigns amongst all european sovereigns—Louis XIV revolutionized the monarchy. He established both France’s dominance and his own dominance while simultaneously presiding over the Palace of Versailles and generating a “golden age” of literature and art (Eggert 212). In the later half of Louis XIV’s reign, France’s resources were greatly drained due to national conflict. Additionally, after Louis XIV’s revocation of the Edict of Nantes, France was met with the departure of a large portion of its Protestant