Louis Xiv Foreign Policy - 1680 Words

‘Louis XIV’s foreign policy was entirely driven by his personal quest for gloire’. To what extent do you consider this statement to be true? Upon the coronation of Louis XIV on the 7th of June 1654, Mazarin informed Louis in fatherly tones that â€Å"It is up to you to become the most glorious king that has ever been†. Although Louis’ personal reign did not truly begin until 1661, he took this advice to heart and for the early part of his reign his foreign policy was almost entirely based upon his desire to become a renowned warrior king and win honour for himself and his kingdom. After 1674 and the withdrawal of French troops from Dutch soil, however, Louis seemed to mellow and become less hot-blooded, with security being the dominant factor†¦show more content†¦Having said all this, neither the religious nor the economic motives can be completely disregarded as they did occasionally influence Louis’ foreign policy. More than anything, certainly for the first part of Louis’ reign at least, it was the pursuit of ‘gloire’ that drove Louis in his foreign policy. When Louis was asked to justify his attack on the Dutch in 1672 Louis replied, â€Å"I shall not attempt to justify myself. Ambition and glory are always pardonable in a Prince.† Historian Joel Cornette argues convincingly that it was more than just a factor in his foreign policy; it was a fundamental attribute of Louis’ sovereignty. War justified his regal authority and defined the relationship between the King and the nobility, so in his view unless he portrayed himself as a warrior King, he was not King at all. Both the war of Devolution and the Dutch war were wars of gloire and little else; John Lynn argues that this view is supported by the fact that Louis was the instigator of both wars as he made the first aggressive moves. On both occasions, he led the army personally, in order to maximize the glory potential of each war, as if harking back to an Alexandrian time when rulers charged into the fray, leading from the front. Moreover, Louis brought members of the court, his wife and his children along on numerous campaigns, perhaps in an attempt to appear all the moreShow MoreRelatedPolitical, Economic, and Religious Developments in France925 Words   |  4 PagesDiscuss the political, economic, and religious developments in France during the reign of King Louis XIV, and how the other states of Europe reacted to create a balance of power designed to check Frances rise in power and influence both in Europe and overseas. Louis XIV created a highly centralized monarchy, the most centralized that had ever existed in Europe up to this point. He eradicated the remnants of feudalism in France and created a court that revolved around his personality. 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