Louis XIV was born in an era of turbulent change in Europe. Before Louis XIV, France was experiencing the pain of national unification and strengthening the royal power, and the whole of Europe was at war. Protestantism alliance and old church alliance, pro-Habsburg alliance and anti-Habsburg alliance have been in full swing for 30 years.
His father, Louis XIII, and Prime Minister, Li Sailiu, made great efforts to win the war, which not only made France gain a dominant position in the complicated power competition in Europe, but also moved towards the road of national unity by restraining domestic dignitaries and promoting commerce.
It was at this turning point in history that Louis XIV, who was only five years old, succeeded to the throne in 1643 and began his 72-year reign, further promoting the foundation laid by his father.
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Louis XIV's greatest achievement is that he set a model of absolute monarchy in Europe and created an unprecedented unified France through his lifelong political practice and military career. His most respected rule of governing the country is "I am the country" and "the law comes from me".
Louis XIV was at the peak of the trend of strengthening the royal power and establishing a nation-state in Europe since the late Middle Ages. The necessary work to achieve this goal is to eliminate the domestic feudal separatist forces, unify the domestic market, establish ethnic religions, and establish the supreme power and status of the king.
The ancestors of Louis XIV worked hard for this, and a unified France and a majestic king appeared. At such a critical moment, history chose Louis XIV, who turned his father's idealization into reality with his courage, perseverance and courage.
Under his rule, the authority of the monarch reached an unquestionable level, and politics, justice and finance were highly unified. Once a local aristocrat with a high status became a follower of the king, and the king was even above the holy Pope.
The autocratic monarchy implemented by Louis XIV has become a model of modern centralized state machine, which has been imitated and imitated by autocratic monarchies such as Prussia, Austria and Russia. ?
Another achievement of Louis XIV is to foster and encourage the trend of classical culture and push it to its peak. The classical period is also often called "Louis XIV period" because its rise and fall accords with Louis XIV's long-term rule. During the period of Louis XIV, the magnificent palaces showed the power of the king.
Oil painting and sculpture shaped the majesty of the king of the sun; The classical comedy, which reached its peak, explained the lofty idea of the country. The rules, order, balance and elegance advocated by classicism are organically integrated with the sacredness, loftiness, hierarchical order and majesty of kings advocated by the autocratic monarchy system.
France has become the hegemon of Europe, but it has also become the undisputed cultural center. As Will Duran said, since Augustus the Great, no dynasty has so many great writers, painters, sculptors and architects as Louis XIV, and has been admired and imitated by other countries in manners, fashion, thoughts and art.
France in the age of Louis XIV, like Greece in Pericles' time, Rome in Augustus' time, Italy in Renaissance, and Britain in Elizabeth James I's time, was the peak in human history. ?
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