Intelligent, authoritative, and often surprising, a biography of the most famous of French monarchs, by an acclaimed biographer and historian.

Louis XIV's story has all the ingredients of a Dumas classic: legendary beginnings, beguiling women, court intrigue, a mysterious prisoner in an iron mask, lavish court entertainments, the scandal of a mistress who was immersed in the dark arts, and a central character who is handsome and romantic, but with a frighteningly dark side to his character.

Louis believed himself to be semidivine. His self-identification as the Sun King, which was reflected in iconography of the sun god, Apollo, influenced every aspect of Louis's life: his political philosophy, his wars, and his relationships with courtiers and subjects.

As a military strategist, Louis's capacity was debatable, but he was an astute politician who led his country to the heights of sophistication and power - and then had the misfortune to live long enough to see it all crumble away. As the sun began to set upon this most glorious of reigns, it brought a gathering darkness filled with the anguish of dead heirs, threatened borders, and a populace that was dangerously dependent upon - but greatly distanced from - its king.

• We started tracking this book on April 18, 2019.
• This book was £15.60 when we started tracking it.
• The price of this book has changed 67 times in the past 1,828 days.
• The current price of this book is £14.99 last checked 13 minutes ago.
• This book is at its lowest price in the past year.
• The lowest price to date was £13.27 last reached on May 2, 2019.
• This book has been £13.27 one time since we started tracking it.
• The highest price to date was £15.60 last reached on January 29, 2024.
• This book has been £15.60 24 times since we started tracking it.

• History

• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Lending: Disabled
• Print Length: 479 Pages
• File Size: 4,042 KB