Louis XIV, the Sun King (1638-1715)

tiaraprin · #1 08-20-2005, 12:08 AM

In my opinion, you cannot have a discussion of French Royalty or a French Royalty subsite without Louis XIV Le Roi Soleil (the Sun King).

The man famously quoted for saying "'L'Etat, C'est Moi" (I am the state) was born 9 months after a strange incident between his parents, Louis XIII and Anne of Austria. Married for 23 years, they did not have one child. In the beginning, they tried, but Anne had a series of miscarriages. They never liked one another, so they gave up trying.

Then one winter evening in December 1637, bad weather prevailed upon Louis XIII to share a bed for the night with his wife. The results of the bedding came 9 months later with the birth of Louis Dieu-Donne (Louis the Gift of God) in 1638. With his successful birth, Louis' parents tried again and had his brother Phillippe in 1640.

Louis XIV is seen as the man who summed up what absolute monarchy was. He created a system about him that made him the constant focus of the aristocracy; to keep them fighting amongst themselves jockeying for positions nearer the King rather than trying to rebel against him. He made a secret, yet famous morganatic marriage with Francoise Scarron (Madame de Maintenon) after the death of Queen Marie Therese in 1683. Though blessed with many illegitimate children, he had only one legitimitate child, a son, by his Queen.

I invite everyone here to share their knowledge of Louis XIV.

Harry's polo shirt · #2 08-20-2005, 01:43 AM

http://www.chateauversailles.fr/en/2...e_Sun_King.php

I think he was a snob. He named himself the sun king, because the sun gives life to everything! But he did become king at age 5.

Harry's polo shirt · #3 08-20-2005, 01:46 AM

http://www.louis-xiv.de/louisold/louisxiv.html
here is an AWSOME web-site about him. I am addicted to it!!

I don't know much about him, but he must have been a great king, but a little struck on himself.

tiaraprin · #4 08-20-2005, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harry's polo shirt

http://www.chateauversailles.fr/en/2...e_Sun_King.php

I think he was a snob. He named himself the sun king, because the sun gives life to everything! But he did become king at age 5.

The sun was considered the center of the universe then and that is why he got the name. He was the center of the universe in France and made sure he stayed that way!

Some would argue he was not a snob due to his morganatic marriage to Madame de Maintenon. Someone of Louis' stature, marrying the impoverished widow of the commoner poet Paul Scarron?

Harry's polo shirt · #5 08-20-2005, 02:02 AM

Now that I am reading up on him, I am starting to like him. His first wife Maria Mancini was pretty.

tiaraprin · #6 08-20-2005, 03:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harry's polo shirt

Now that I am reading up on him, I am starting to like him. His first wife Maria Mancini was pretty.

Marie Mancini, was not his wife. Marie Mancini was the niece of Cardinal Mazarin, who was a regent for Louis XIV's minority. Louis and Marie fell in love, but were not permitted to marry for she was not royal. Marie was exiled by her uncle the Cardinal Mazarin in the hopes that Louis would forget her. For awhile, Louis followed where she went, but the Cardinal told Louis a lie about his niece to make him forget her. He duly did.

Louis married Maria Teresa of Spain, his first cousin. She was the niece of Louis' mother, Anne of Austria and daughter of the King of Spain (Anne's brother). Queen Marie-Therese, as she became known, was unattractive, ultra religious, and fascinated with dwarfs.

ladybelline · #7 08-20-2005, 08:46 AM

I visited Versailles last week, and I was told some interesting things:

Louis XIV was very defiant towards the French nobility. He had suffered one nobility revolt during his childhood (called "La Fronde") and her mother's regency. So that could explain why he created such an étiquette in Versailles, to keep an eye on noble people, and also keep them near him.

His ministers (Colbert, Louvois...) were not noble for most of them. And yes, he secretly married Madame de Maintenon, who was definitely not from nobility (in fact, her grandfather, the poet Agrippa d'Aubigné, had claimed himself as nobility before his wedding).

tiaraprin · #8 08-20-2005, 08:59 PM

A website dedicated to Louis XIV, The Sun King (Le Roi Soleil):

http://www.louis-xiv.de/louisold/louisxiv.html

Following pictures are from this website:

Louis XIV at the age of 10:

Louis XIII-his father

Anne of Austria--His Mother

Marie-Therese-- Louis' Queen and first wife

Harry's polo shirt · #9 08-22-2005, 12:49 AM

WOW great pictures!!

Here is a fun fact from http://www.soupsong.com/bhistory.html
Louis XIV baits his brother with soup: Louis XIV, who governed Versailles with a velvet-covered iron hand, relentlessly forced his brother, the august Monsieur, to attend dinner each day by issuing him a formal and personal daily invitation...then one day teased him by splashing soup at his wig until, driven into a hot temper, Monsieur threw his bowl of boiled beef at the Sun King himself. Louis XIV's sister in law, the Duchess of Orleans, wrote of the King's appetite in a 1682 letter: "I have often seen the King consume four plates of different soups, a whole pheasant, a partridge, a large plate of salad, two big slices of ham, a dish of mutton in garlic sauce, a plateful of pastries followed by fruit and hard-boiled eggs. The King and Monsieur greatly like hard-boiled eggs."

tiaraprin · #10 08-22-2005, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harry's polo shirt

WOW great pictures!!

Here is a fun fact from http://www.soupsong.com/bhistory.html
Louis XIV baits his brother with soup: Louis XIV, who governed Versailles with a velvet-covered iron hand, relentlessly forced his brother, the august Monsieur, to attend dinner each day by issuing him a formal and personal daily invitation...then one day teased him by splashing soup at his wig until, driven into a hot temper, Monsieur threw his bowl of boiled beef at the Sun King himself. Louis XIV's sister in law, the Duchess of Orleans, wrote of the King's appetite in a 1682 letter: "I have often seen the King consume four plates of different soups, a whole pheasant, a partridge, a large plate of salad, two big slices of ham, a dish of mutton in garlic sauce, a plateful of pastries followed by fruit and hard-boiled eggs. The King and Monsieur greatly like hard-boiled eggs."

Splashing his brother Philippe with soup would be highly annoying for Philippe because Philippe was very fastidious about his looks. Philippe was an open homosexual who went into battle completely coiffed and perfumed. Yet they say he kicked butt on the battle field and was no wimp.

Philippe's first wife, Henrietta of England (Charles II's sister) could not stand his philandering. For a time, Louis pursued his sister-in-law but knew his brother would be insanely jealous even though he didn't love Henrietta. Philippe could not stand any attacks on his ego. Henrietta was his '"property" and no one else could touch her.

Warren · #11 08-22-2005, 03:03 AM

To add some more colour to this thread here is a pic of Versailles, courtesy of the Louis XIV web site...
.

semisquare · #12 08-24-2005, 09:40 AM

Quote:

a dish of mutton

what is mutton? has anyone tried this dish? if so, does it taste good?

Quote:

Philippe's first wife, Henrietta of England (Charles II's sister) could not stand his philandering. For a time, Louis pursued his sister-in-law but knew his brother would be insanely jealous even though he didn't love Henrietta. Philippe could not stand any attacks on his ego. Henrietta was his '"property" and no one else could touch her.

snap, u got to be kiddin me that philippe was a homesexual. what happen to his marrage to henrietta? was such a life style look kindly on by the royal court of france?

on the subject of Versailles, i think it is the most beautiful palace i have ever seen. eventhough the inside of the palace smells of urine. nothing can compare to its beauty. my dying wish would be to spend several days and nights dress like and living like a 17th century courtier, in versailles. when i saw a picture of the palace several years ago, i fell in love with the palace and i had to see it for myself because i could believe one person could have made such a thing. when i saw it i just couldnt get enough.

ladybelline · #13 08-24-2005, 11:45 AM

No, it's true that Philippe of Orleans was attired by men. It was never said at that time, but very hard to hide also...However, that doesn't prevent him to have 3 children with Henrietta of England, and 3 others to the Palatine Princess.(Because he wanted to have a descendance.) His two wives had to live with the fact, it was quite a challenge for Henrietta.

tiaraprin · #14 08-24-2005, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by semisquare

what is mutton? has anyone tried this dish? if so, does it taste good?

snap, u got to be kiddin me that philippe was a homesexual. what happen to his marrage to henrietta? was such a life style look kindly on by the royal court of france?

Mutton is lamb I believe.

Yes Phillipe was a homosexual and his brother and mother accepted it. His mother, Anne of Austria, encouraged his interests in clothes, perfumes, jewelry. Her reason for it was that Philippe would be so caught up in this that he wouldn't plot against his brother for the throne. French history is filled with rival brothers plotting for the top spot. Strange as it sounds, it is true.

Henrietta died in 1670, escaping her misery with Phillipe.

Elsa M. · #15 08-24-2005, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tiaraprin

Then one winter evening in December 1737, bad weather prevailed upon Louis XIII to share a bed for the night with his wife. The results of the bedding came 9 months later with the birth of Louis Dieu-Donne (Louis the Gift of God) in 1738. With his successful birth, Louis' parents tried again and had his brother Phillippe in 1740.

No offence, but these dates are 100 years in advance... Louis XIV, le Roi Soleil, is the key figure of XVII century France. He was born in 1638 and became effectively king of France in 1661 (although Anne of Austria's regency officially ended in 1651, when Louis was 13 years old).

semisquare · #16 08-24-2005, 02:03 PM

history is great fun because life is stranger than fiction

EmpressRouge · #17 08-24-2005, 06:55 PM

They say a royal's first and most important job - above governing, creating national unity, or smiling and waving - is to produce children and descendents, be him/her heterosexual, bisexual, or homosexual.

tiaraprin · #18 08-25-2005, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elsa M.

No offence, but these dates are 100 years in advance... Louis XIV, le Roi Soleil, is the key figure of XVII century France. He was born in 1638 and became effectively king of France in 1661 (although Anne of Austria's regency officially ended in 1651, when Louis was 13 years old).

Thanks Elsa, I corrected my error. Thought I had hit the 6 instead of the 7.

semisquare · #19 08-25-2005, 10:58 AM

i had read in a book that louis mother wanted to make sure her son would product an heir. so she had one of her chamber maids teach louis about the birds and the bees. he was only 14 at the time.
some kind a of mom, huh

tiaraprin · #20 08-27-2005, 10:18 PM

I actually read elsewhere that she wished to keep him chaste as long as possible. She didn't want a mistress interfering in his growing up, learning of his duties, and his faith. She also didn't want a mistress whom he could foolishly fall in love with and marry who would be utterly unsuitable such as Marie Mancini, who has been mentioned in this thread previously. Louis, in his lustful youth, wanted to marry Marie Mancini. You would think her Uncle, the Cardinal, would have promoted this. He didn't. He saw the damage that could come to the monarchy and sent his niece away instead of pursuing the glory of his family and power gains. Besides, He had a great amount of power at the time.