Louis Xiv a Machiavellian Ruler Essays - 966 Words

Louis XIV: A Machiavellian Ruler? Louis XIV followed many Machiavellian teachings but conspicuously disregarded others, due to some of his fiscal policies (or lack of them) and personal tendencies. Louis XIV is the longest reigning monarch in European history, and during his impressive reign, France enjoyed a Golden Age of arts and commerce. He expanded its territories and shifted the balance of power to France becoming one of the most powerful European countries in the 17th century. Machiavelli wrote in The Prince that it was better to be considered miserly than generous with one’s finances as a monarch. This was a prime example in which Louis XIV demonstrated himself an Un-Machiavellian ruler. Machiavelli said that being generous would†¦show more content†¦This further alienated him and caused contempt from a lot of people. When he said the phrase â€Å"One king, one law, one faith† he meant it. He tried to standardize his nation’s laws in all parts of the country, using the Intendant system, as was already mentioned. He also modernized the army, which can be perceived as a good thing but this was mainly to fight his many wars, earning him hatred from his subjects. During his later years, when Colbert died and the economy began to decline, he was forced to increase taxes and sell government offices again; this also contributed to some enmity from the masses. Machiavelli said that it was necessary to be a lion: a strong ruler; and a fox: clever and capable of protecting himself from traps. Louis XIV was a lion in that he was very expansionism-oriented and belligerent in his foreign policies. He wished to extend France to â€Å"its natural boundaries† and conflicted with almost every country in Europe to do so. For example, working from a loose connection through his wife, Maria Theresa of Spain, to claim the Spanish crown he used her as an excuse to invade the Spanish Netherlands. He would also use his wife’s genealogy to claim the Spanish throne in The War of the Spanish Succession, thereby setting the whole continent against him. He showed himself to be a lion when he splitShow MoreRelatedEssay Louis XIVs Similarities to Machiavellis The Prince773 Words   |  4 Pages Louis XIV was born on September 5, 1638, and ruled as King of France and of Navarre from May 14, 1643 until his death at the age of 76. He took over t he throne a few months before his fifth birthday, but didnt actually assume actual control of the government until his First Minister, Jules Cardinal Mazarin, died in 1661. He was to become King of France after his father, Louis XIII, died of tuberculosis. 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