Louis XIV, his good, great, and bad habbits as ruler.

Essay by arussianniteHigh School, 10th grade March 2005

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Louis XIV, also known as the "Sun King", has been said to be the greatest ruler in all of France's history, but many still accuse him of having bad aspects such as having homosexual habits, being anti-protestant, not understanding commoners, and following Colbert's mercantilist principles which did not have a solid basis. There are many supporters of Louis, such as Pellison, Boussuet, and Mousnier, but also many adversaries: Leibnitz, Saint-Simon, Sorel, and Gooch. His rule cannot be classified as completely good, or completely bad, but many incorrect claims which supported the Sun King were made about him which need to be corrected.

Many people made statements that were pro-Louis by saying "He surrounded himself with numerous men who were extremely intelligent and capable," this may be true but many think that these capable men were homosexuals who satisfied the Sun King's needs. Louis XIV was never openly gay, but it was said about him, partly because of his brother, Phillippe.

Philippe was openly gay, and thus the object of scorn, which also affected Louis XIV. Louis also did not have as many mistresses as the rulers of other countries such as England and Spain, and more male servants than those countries too. Also the fact that he is the French ruler does not make his national background convincing to be heterosexual.

Louis XIV supported Colbert's mercantilist principles, and because of them he did not go bankrupt as soon as he did. Colbert believed that one country could become wealthy only at the expense of another, this was a general mercantilist thought but it had no solid foundations. Countries do not only become wealthy at the expense of others, that could be one way but there are many more such as exploiting natural resources. Colbert thought that the world...