Why Was Louis XIV Called The Sun King?
Conny Waters - AncientPages.com - The famous French king Louis XIV (1638 – 1715) used the Sun as his symbol, and he felt he had a good reason for doing so.
The long reign of Louis XIV, also known as Louis the Great (Louis le Grand) lasted 72 years, and during this time the French king turned his country into a dominating power in Europe.
Left: The Sun was chosen as a symbol to represent King Louis XIV. Credit: Pinterest - Right: Portrait of King Louis XIV by Hyacinthe Rigaud, 1701. Credit: Public Domain
Louis XIV was a remarkable king who could be hated or loved. Like many other European royalties such as Catherine de Medici, the Medici family or Caterina Cornaro, the last queen of Cyprus, Louis XIV was also a great supporter of arts.
King Louis XIV did not only spent time centralizing and tightening control of France and its overseas colonies. As a monarch who appreciated art, literature, music, theater and sports, he established various institutes for the arts and sciences.
See also:
Charles VI Of France – The King Who Was Made Of Glass
Why Is The Three Golden Balls Symbol For A Pawn Shop Connected To The Medici Family?
Alexander The Great Was Crowned Pharaoh And Declared Son Of God Amun
He surrounded himself with some of the greatest artistic and intellectual figures of his time. Among his friends were great names like the playwright Molière (1622-1673), the painter Charles Le Brun (1619-1690) and the composer Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687). In addition to this, King Louis XIV appointed himself patron of the Académie Française.
However, King Louis XIV had a very high opinion of himself. He considered himself to be the direct representative of God. He believed this gave him a divine right to wield the absolute power of the monarchy.
To illustrate his status, he deliberately selected the Sun as his emblem and cultivated the image of an omniscient and infallible “Roi-Soleil” (“Sun King”). Louis is often remembered for the bold and infamous statement “L’État, c’est moi” (“I am the State”).
Left: Apollo victorious over the Python, by François Gaspard Adam. Credit: Steffen Heilfort, Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 Right: Pallas Athene Visiting Apollo on the Parnassus, by Arnold Houbraken. Credit: Public Domain
King Louis XIV identified himself with Apollo, the Greek Sun God who had acquired power over medicine, healing, disease, archery, music, poetry and invented the arts.
Apollo had the ability to ward off all kinds of evils, but if necessary, he could send a plague and then avert it. King Louis XIV felt he was a divine version of the beautiful, feared and loved god Apollo. It often happened that King Louis XIV participated in plays and on those occasions, he used to take the role of the Sun.
Written by Conny Waters – AncientPages.com Staff Writer
Copyright © AncientPages.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or part without the express written permission of AncientPages.com
More From Ancient Pages
-
7,000-Year-Old Inscription With Undeciphered Vinca Script – One Of The World’s Earliest Writing Systems Discovered
Archaeology | Feb 17, 2018
-
2,700 Year Old Equestrian Armor In Assyrian-Style Leather Evidence Of Technology Transfer In Antiquity
Archaeology | Dec 9, 2021
-
Centuries-Old Hidden Tunnels Will Be A New Tourist Attraction In Turkey
Archaeology | Apr 27, 2020
-
Unexpected Historical Discovery: Remains Of Famous Sami Woman Recovered
Archaeology | Aug 22, 2022
-
Rosicrucians’ Secret Knowledge Of Atlantis, Pyramids And Extraterrestrial Visitations
Civilizations | Apr 17, 2017
-
Mysterious Sumerian Statues With Big Blue Eyes – A Sign From The Gods
Civilizations | Feb 23, 2017
-
Insects Played An Important Role In The Biblical Exodus
Biblical Mysteries | Jan 13, 2018
-
Explorers Of Lost City Of The Monkey God Contract Unusual Flesh-Eating Disease
Archaeology | Jan 22, 2017
-
Five Rare Bronze Age Axe Heads Found In Polish Forest
Archaeology | Dec 8, 2023
-
Native Americans’ Visions Of Distant Explorers May Unravel Some Ancient Mysteries Of North America – Archaeological Evidence – Part 2
Featured Stories | Nov 21, 2019
-
Tomb of the 26th dynasty vizier of Upper Egypt discovered in South Assassif, Luxor
Civilizations | Aug 31, 2015
-
History Of Jarlshof – Thousands Of Years Of History With Traces Of Picts, Vikings And Scots
Featured Stories | Jun 4, 2020
-
Tuchulcha: Wicked, Hideously Grotesque Etruscan Demon Identified With Both Male And Female Genders
Featured Stories | Jun 11, 2023
-
Pictograms: First Written Accounts Of Earthquakes In Pre-Hispanic Mexico
Archaeology | Aug 27, 2021
-
Traces Of An Ancient Near East Civilization In America – Lost Tribes And Unorthodox Discoveries – Part 1
Civilizations | Nov 8, 2020
-
Don’t Underestimate The Rishis – Ancient Sages Were ‘Probably Great Scientists’
News | Sep 26, 2015
-
Unique, Well-Preserved 4,000-Year-Old Boat Discovered Near The Ancient City Of Uruk
Archaeology | Apr 4, 2022
-
Katana ‘Soul Of The Samurai’ – Most Famous Japanese Sword With Long Tradition
Ancient History Facts | Apr 12, 2018
-
Bronze Age Metal Cauldrons Show What Ancient People Ate
Archaeology | Aug 19, 2023
-
‘Sea Monsters’ Were Real Millions Of Years Ago: New Fossils Tell About Their Rise And Fall
Featured Stories | Oct 8, 2022