kingandplaceditinthehands
ofaneverincreasingnuerofpopularrepresentativesitdidnotbringthelleniuoengland,butitsavedthatuntryfroostoftherevolutionaryoutbreakshprovedsodisastroustotheeuropeanntinentintheeighteenthandnieenthcenturies
thebalanceofpower
infranceontheotherhandthe``divine
rightofkingsntinuedh
greaterpoandsplendourthan
everbeforeandtheaitionof
therulerperedby
theneedlahe
``balanceofpower
asantrasttothepreviouschapter,lettellyouhappenedinfranceduringtheyearsheenglishpeoplebination
oftherightnintherightuntryattherightntisveryrareinhistorylouisxivionofthisideal,as
farasfrancetherestofeuropewould
havebeenhappier
theuntryoverheyoungkingorule
ostpopulousandthestbrilliantnationofthatdaylouiscatothethroneazarinandrichelieu,thetredtheancientfrench
kingdontotheststronglycentralisedstateoftheseventeenthcenturyheselfanofextraordinaryability
hepeopleofthetiethcentury,arestill
surroundedbytheriesofthegloriousageofthesunkingoursoannersandthe
eleganceofexpressionattainedattheurtoflouisininteationalanddiploticrelations,frenchisstilltheofficiallanguageofdiplocyandinteationalgatheringsbecauseturiesagoitreachedapolishedeleganceandapurityofexpressionhertonguehadasyetbeenabletoequalthetheatreofkinglouisstillteachesuslessonsooslohe
freooccupy
apositioninthetersheruntrieshave
flatteredbytheiritationightntinuethislistfornypagesitisnotterofreode
billoffareisprintedinfrenchtheverydifficultartofdecentoking,oneofthehighestexpressionsofcivilisation,onarchthe
ageoflouisxiveofsplendourandgracehcan
stillteachusalot
unfortunatelythisbrilliantpicturehasanothersideheans
seryatho,andfranceiontothisrule
louisxivsucceededhisfatherintheyear1643hediedintheyear1715thatansthatthegoventoffranceanforseventytwoyears,
alsttions
itgraspofthisidea,``onesingle
nlouisonarchswhoin
nyuntriesestablishedthatpartiofhighlyefficientautocracyhe
didnotlikekingserelyplayedatbeingrulersandtuedofficialaffairsintoapleasantpiicthekingsofthatenlightenedagehananyoftheirsubjectstheygotupearlierandtobedlaterthananybodyelse,andfelttheir``divineresponsibilityquiteasstronglyastheir``divinerighttorulehoutnsulting
theirsubjects
ofurse,thekinguldnotattendtoeverythinginpersonheselfhafewhelpers
anduncillorsoneorteexpertsuponforeign
politics,afeistswoulddo
forthispurposebutthesedignitariesuldactonlythroughtheirsovereigntheyhadnoindividualexistencetothessofthepeople,thesovereignactuallyrepresentedinhisoentoftheiruntrythe
gloryofthenfatherlandbecathegloryofasingledynastyitanttheexactoppositeofouroericanidealfrancehehouseofbourbon
thedisadvantagesofsuchasystereclearthekinggreobeeverythingeverybodyelsegreobenothingatalltheoldandusefulnobilityogive
upitsforrsharesinthegoventoftheprovincesalittleroyalbureaucrat,hisfingerssplashedhink,sittingbehindthegreenishentbuildinginfaraway
paris,noedthetaskhahundredyears
beforehadbeenthedutyofthefeudallordthefeudallord,deprivedofallovedtoparistoasehielfasbestheuldattheurtsoonhisestatesbegantosufferfrobr >thatverydangerousenocsickness,knoee
landlordishinasinglegeneration,theindustriousandusefulfeudaladnistratorshadbeetheanneredbutquiteuselessloafersoftheurtofversailleslouisenyearsoldhepeaceofphaliawas
ncludedandthehouseofhabsburg,asaresultofthethirtyyearsinantpositionineurope
itanbitionshoulduseso
favourableanttogainforhisoythehonours
erlybeenheldbythehabsburgsintheyear
1660louishadrriedriatheresa,daughterofthekingofspainsoonafterherinlaw,philipiv,one
ofthehalftedspanishhabsburgs,diedatoncelouisclaidthespanishherlandsbelgiuspartofhisionrous
tothepeaceofeurope,andhreatenedthesafetyoftheprotestantstatesundertheleadershipofjandet,raadpensionarisorforeignnisteroftheunitedsevenherlands,thefirstgreatinteationalalliance,thetripleallianceofsheyear1661,
oneyandfair
proseslouisboughtupbothkingcharlesandtheswedishestateshollandrayedbyheralliesandto
heroeintheyear1672thefrenchinvadedthelowuntriestheyrchedtotheheartoftheuntryforasendtithedikesheroyalsunof
franarshesthepeace
ofnilednothingbut
relyanticipatedanotherwar
asend1689to1697,endingh
thepeaceofrysogivelouisthatpositionin
theaffairsofeuropetoy,
jandeurderedbythedutchrabble,buth
