Louis XIV: The Sun King

In Our Time: History

BBC

History

4.4 • 3.2K Ratings

🗓️ 22 June 2023

⏱️ 47 minutes

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Summary

In 1661 the 23 year-old French king Louis the XIV had been on the throne for 18 years when his chief minister, Cardinal Mazarin, died. Louis is reported to have said to his ministers, “It is now time that I govern my affairs myself. You will assist me with your counsels when I ask for them [but] I order you to seal no orders except by my command… I order you not to sign anything, not even a passport, without my command, and to render account to me personally each day” So began the personal rule of Louis XIV, which lasted a further 54 years until his death in 1715. From his newly-built palace at Versailles, Louis was able to project an image of himself as the centre of gravity around which all of France revolved: it’s no accident that he became known as the Sun King. He centralized power to the extent he was able to say ‘L’etat c’est moi’: I am the state. Under his rule France became the leading diplomatic, military and cultural power in Europe. With Catriona Seth Marshal Foch Professor of French Literature at the University of Oxford Guy Rowlands Professor of Early Modern History at the University of St Andrews and Penny Roberts Professor of Early Modern History at the University of Warwick Producer: Luke Mulhall

Transcript

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0:00.0	BBC Sounds Music Radio Podcasts
0:04.7	Thanks for downloading this episode of In Our Time.
0:07.4	There's a reading list to go with it on our website and you can get news about our
0:10.7	programs if you follow us on Twitter at BBC In Our Time.
0:14.6	I hope you enjoyed the program.
0:17.0	Hello, in 1661 the 23-year-old French King Louis XIV had been on the throne for 18 years
0:23.5	when his chief minister died.
0:25.4	In response, Louis is reported to have said to his remaining ministers,
0:29.3	it's now time that I govern my affairs myself.
0:32.2	I all do not design anything, not even a passport, without my command.
0:37.1	Serbing on the personal rule of Louis XIV, which lasted for the 54 years until his death
0:42.2	in 1715, from his newly built palace at Versailles, Louis projected an image of himself as
0:48.2	the centre around which all of France revolved.
0:51.6	It became known as the Sun King.
0:53.6	The centralised party, the extent he was able to say,
0:56.4	Leis Tours Saint-Moi, I Am the State.
1:00.5	Under his rule, France became the leading diplomatic military and cultural power in Europe.
1:05.4	When we did discuss Louis XIV, Katrina Seth,
1:08.5	Marshall Posh, Professor of French literature at the University of Oxford,
1:12.0	Guy Rowlands, Professor of Early Modern History at the University of Stander's,
1:15.8	and Penny Roberts, Professor of Early Modern History at the University of Warwick.
1:21.1	Penny, can you just tell us briefly
	...

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