A Comparison of the Characteristics of the Absolutist Rule...

A Comparison of the Characteristics of the Absolutist Rule of Charles I of England and Louis XIV of France While both the French and English empires were growing overseas, the modern system of great powers was evolving in Europe itself. France became Europes superpower in the 1600s. Louis XIV, the Sun King, served as a model of absolute royal power. England in the 1600s, by contrast, provided an early example of more democratic rule as Parliament limited the power of monarchs. From the 1560s to the 1590s, religious wars between Huguenots (French Protestants) and the Catholic majority tore France apart. Leaders on each side used the war to make themselves look better. Two of the lead†¦show more content†¦When Louis XIV inherited the throne, he was able to serve as his chief minister. When Marazin died in 1661, Louis wanted to take control himself. He declared Letat, cest moi, meaning I am the state. He believed in divine right, like his great-grandfather Philip II of Spain. Louis did not call any meetings among members of the Estates General. Unlike the English Parliament, the Estates General played no role in checking his power. Louis believed (until he died) that he was France, and that France was the worlds number one power. Louis XIV ruled as an absolute monarch. He was a great patron of the arts in France. He is responsible for many elegant buildings in France and especially Paris. He was also involved in many wars throughout his reign of France. The reign of Louis XIV lasted an astounding length of seventy-two years. Louis XIV was born on September 16, 1638. His reign started when he was only four years old when his father Louis XIII died on May 14, 1643. Louis XIV chose the sun as his emblem. The sun was associated with Apollo, god of peace and arts, and was also a heavenly body that gave life to all things. Like Apollo, Louis XIV brought peace and was a patron of the arts. Soon after Louis XIV became king, disorder ran rampant through France. Nobles, merchants, peasants and the poor rebelled, each for their own causes. Louis XIV was not