Louis XIV and the persona of an absolute monarch.

Présentation au sujet: "Louis XIV and the persona of an absolute monarch."— Transcription de la présentation:

1 Louis XIV and the persona of an absolute monarch

2 Mémoires de Louis XIV What does this quote imply about the king’s understanding of the exercise of power? A prince, and a king of France, must see … public amusements as not so much our own as those of our Court and of all our people. There are some nations where the majesty of kings largely consists of not letting themselves be seen, and this may have its reasons among minds used to servitude, which can only be ruled by fear and terror; but this is not the nature of the French people, and as far back as our histories go, if there is any feature unique to this monarchy, it is the free and easy access of the subjects to their prince. It is an equality of justice between him and them, which embraces them in a mild and honest harmony, despite their almost infinite difference in birth, rank and power. Un prince et un roi de France peut encore considérer quelque chose de plus dans ces divertissements publics, qui ne sont pas tant les nôtres que ceux de notre cour et de tous nos peuples. Il y a des nations où la majesté des rois consiste, pour une grande partie, à ne se point laisser voir, et cela peut avoir ses raisons parmi des esprits accoutumés à la servitude, qu'on ne gouverne que par la crainte et la terreur ; mais ce n’est pas le génie de nos Français, et, d'aussi loin que nos histoires nous en peuvent instruire, s'il y a quelque caractère singulier dans cette monarchie, c'est l'accès libre et facile des sujets au prince. C'est une égalité de justice entre lui et eux, qui les tient pour ainsi dire dans une société douce et honnête, nonobstant la différence presque infinie de la naissance, du rang et du pouvoir.

3 Mémoires de Louis XIV What does this quote imply about the king’s understanding of the exercise of power? A prince, and a king of France, must see … public amusements as not so much our own as those of our Court and of all our people. There are some nations where the majesty of kings largely consists of not letting themselves be seen, and this may have its reasons among minds used to servitude, which can only be ruled by fear and terror; but this is not the nature of the French people, and as far back as our histories go, if there is any feature unique to this monarchy, it is the free and easy access of the subjects to their prince. It is an equality of justice between him and them, which embraces them in a mild and honest harmony, despite their almost infinite difference in birth, rank and power.

4 What does this passage imply about the kinds of people to be found in court circles? What does it say about the ‘civilized’ or ‘refined’ values they uphold? The people of the Court are like a foreign nation within the State, composed of people drawn from different places. They are not all people of intellect, but they nearly all have an admirable politeness instead. They are not all worthy people, but they do have an air and a manner which make one think they are. Their flexible and accommodating minds can adopt any stance on any matter, so that it is impossible to know their true feelings. The contempt which they have for anything which is not of the Court is hard to imagine, and goes to the point of extravagance… But although they have very good taste, they mostly have very little learning, and they only appear knowledgeable on all sorts of things by a few well-turned phrases, and by the respect which makes everyone fall silent in their presence. Les gens de la cour sont comme une nation étrangère dans le milieu de l’état, composée de personnes ramassées de différents endroits. Ils ne sont pas tous gens d’esprit, mais ils ont tous une politesse admirable qui leur en tient lieu. Ils ne sont pas tous braves gens, mais ils ont sur cela des démonstrations et des manières qui les font croire tels. Leurs esprits souples et complaisants se tournent à toutes sortes de caractères ; de manière qu’il est impossible de démêler leurs véritables sentiments. Le mépris qu’ils ont pour tout ce qui n’est pas de la Cour ne saurait se comprendre et va jusqu’à l’extravagance. […] Il est pourtant vrai, qu’avec un très bon goût, ils font la plupart très peu savants, et ils ne s’érigent en parfaits connaisseurs de toutes choses que par les termes propres qu’ils n’ignorent jamais et par le respect qui fait taire tout le monde en leur présence. Les Oeuvres de M. L’Abbé de Saint-Réal (8 vols., Paris, 1757), vol. II

5 What does this passage imply about the kinds of people to be found in court circles? The people of the Court are like a foreign nation within the State, composed of people drawn from different places. They are not all people of intellect, but they nearly all have an admirable politeness instead. They are not all worthy people, but they do have an air and a manner which make one think they are. Their flexible and accommodating minds can adopt any stance on any matter, so that it is impossible to know their true feelings. The contempt which they have for anything which is not of the Court is hard to imagine, and goes to the point of extravagance… But although they have very good taste, they mostly have very little learning, and they only appear knowledgeable on all sorts of things by a few well-turned phrases, and by the respect which makes everyone fall silent in their presence. Les Oeuvres de M. L’Abbé de Saint-Réal (8 vols., Paris, 1757), vol. II

6 What does the following imply about the distinction between public and private in the court? How does it relate to court rituals such as the petit lever? In public, he is full of solemnity and very different from how he is as a private individual. When I am in his apartment with other courtiers, I have often noticed that if the doors happens to be left open accidentally, or he is going out, he immediately composes himself and adopts another facial expression, as if he were to appear on stage; in short, he knows how to be the king in all things… There are no intermediaries: if you want something, you must appeal directly to him and not to anyone else. He listens to everybody, receives memoranda, and always replies gracefully and majestically ‘I will see’, and everyone leaves satisfied… It is a wonderful sight to see him leave the château [= Versailles] with his bodyguards, his carriages, his horses, the courtiers, valets and a confused multitude of people all… running noisily around him. It reminds me of a queen bee when she flies out into the fields with her swarm. Primi Visconti (1648-1713), Mémoires sur la cour de Louis XIV, ed. J. Lemoine (Paris, 1908)

7 What does the following imply about the distinction between public and private in the court? How does it relate to court rituals such as the petit lever? In public, he is full of solemnity and very different from how he is as a private individual. When I am in his apartment with other courtiers, I have often noticed that if the doors happens to be left open accidentally, or he is going out, he immediately composes himself and adopts another facial expression, as if he were to appear on stage; in short, he knows how to be the king in all things… There are no intermediaries: if you want something, you must appeal directly to him and not to anyone else. He listens to everybody, receives memoranda, and always replies gracefully and majestically ‘I will see’, and everyone leaves satisfied… It is a wonderful sight to see him leave the château [= Versailles] with his bodyguards, his carriages, his horses, the courtiers, valets and a confused multitude of people all… running noisily around him. It reminds me of a queen bee when she flies out into the fields with her swarm. Primi Visconti (1648-1713), Mémoires sur la cour de Louis XIV, ed. J. Lemoine (Paris, 1908)

8 …as Alexander The Great …as a Roman emperor

9 …as Apollo …as The Good Shepherd