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King of the World: The Life of Louis XIV
Louis XIV was a man in pursuit of glory. Not content to be the ruler of a world power, he wanted the power to rule the world. And, for a time, he came tantalizingly close.Philip Mansel’s King of the World is the most comprehensive and up-to-date biography in English of this hypnotic, flawed figure who continues to captivate our attention. This lively work takes Louis outside Versailles and shows the true extent of his global ambitions, with stops in London, Madrid, Constantinople, Bangkok, and beyond. We witness the importance of his alliance with the Spanish crown and his success in securing Spain for his descendants, his enmity with England, and his relations with the rest of Europe, as well as Asia, Africa, and the Americas. We also see the king’s effect on the two great global diasporas of Huguenots and Jacobites, and their influence on him as he failed in his brutal attempts to stop Protestants from leaving France. Along the way, we are enveloped in the splendor of Louis’s court and the fascinating cast of characters who prostrated and plotted within it.King of the World is exceptionally researched, drawing on international archives and incorporating sources who knew the king intimately, including the newly released correspondence of Louis’s second wife, Madame de Maintenon. Mansel’s narrative flair is a perfect match for this grand figure, and he brings the Sun King’s world to vivid life.This is a global biography of a global king, whose power was extensive but also limited by laws and circumstances, and whose interests and ambitions stretched far beyond his homeland. Through it all, we watch Louis XIV progressively turn from a dazzling, attractive young king to a belligerent reactionary who sets France on the path to 1789. It is a convincing and compelling portrait of a man who, three hundred years after his death, still epitomizes the idea of le grand monarque.
601 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2019
110 people are currently reading
1099 people want to read
About the author
Philip Mansel
33 books67 followersPhilip Mansel is a historian of courts and cities, and of France and the Ottoman Empire. He was born in London in 1951 and educated at Eton College, where he was a King’s Scholar, and at Balliol College, Oxford, where he read Modern History and Modern Languages. Following four years’ research into the French court of the period 1814-1830, he was awarded his doctorate at University College, London in 1978.
His first book, Louis XVIII, was published in 1981 and this - together with subsequent works such as The Court of France 1789-1830 (1989), Paris Between Empires 1814-1852 (2001) - established him as an authority on the later French monarchy. Six of his books have been translated into French.
Altogether Philip Mansel has published eleven books of history and biography, mainly relating either to France or the Ottoman Empire and the Middle East: Sultans in Splendour was published in 1988, Constantinople: City of the World’s Desire 1453-1924 in 1995 and Levant: Splendour and Catastrophe on the Mediterranean in 2010.
Over the past 30 years he has contributed reviews and articles to a wide range of newspapers and journals, including History Today, The English Historical Review, The International Herald Tribune, Books and Bookmen, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent and Apollo. Currently he writes reviews for The Spectator, Cornucopia, The Art Newspaper and The Times Literary Supplement.
In 1995 Philip Mansel was a founder with David Starkey, Robert Oresko and Simon Thurley of the Society for Court Studies, designed to promote research in the field of court history, and he is the editor of the Society’s journal. The Society has a branch in Munich and is linked to similar societies in Versailles, Madrid, Ferrara and Turin.
He has travelled widely, lecturing in many countries - including the United States, France, Germany, Italy and Turkey - and has made a number of appearances on radio and television, including in the two-part Channel 4 documentary “Harem” and in two BBC2 documentaries on Versailles in 2012. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, the Royal Society of Literature, the Institute of Historical Research (University of London) and the Royal Asiatic Society, and is a member of the Conseil Scientifique of the Centre de Recherche du Chateau de Versailles. In 2010 Philip Mansel was appointed Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and in 2012 was the recipient of the annual London Library Life in Literature Award.
Philip Mansel wrote the introduction to the 2012 re-issue of Nancy Mitford’s The Sun King and is currently working on his own biography of Louis XIV. His short history of Aleppo: Rise and Fall of a World City is scheduled for publication in April 2016. His book on Napoleon and his court, The Eagle in Splendour, was republished by I. B. Tauris in June 2015.
In 1995 Philip Mansel started a campaign to save Clavell Tower, a ruined folly of 1831 which threatened to fall over the cliff above Kimmeridge Bay. This led, in 2007-8, to the Tower’s deconstruction, relocation, reconstruction, restoration and modernisation by the Landmark Trust. Clavell Tower is now the Trust’s most popular property.
Philip Mansel lives in London, travelling to Paris, Istanbul and elsewhere for research, conferences and lectures. He also runs the family estate at Smedmore, near Wareham in Dorset. For more information on this historic house, visit the web site and read the recent articles published in The World of Interiors and Country Life.
His first book, Louis XVIII, was published in 1981 and this - together with subsequent works such as The Court of France 1789-1830 (1989), Paris Between Empires 1814-1852 (2001) - established him as an authority on the later French monarchy. Six of his books have been translated into French.
Altogether Philip Mansel has published eleven books of history and biography, mainly relating either to France or the Ottoman Empire and the Middle East: Sultans in Splendour was published in 1988, Constantinople: City of the World’s Desire 1453-1924 in 1995 and Levant: Splendour and Catastrophe on the Mediterranean in 2010.
Over the past 30 years he has contributed reviews and articles to a wide range of newspapers and journals, including History Today, The English Historical Review, The International Herald Tribune, Books and Bookmen, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent and Apollo. Currently he writes reviews for The Spectator, Cornucopia, The Art Newspaper and The Times Literary Supplement.
In 1995 Philip Mansel was a founder with David Starkey, Robert Oresko and Simon Thurley of the Society for Court Studies, designed to promote research in the field of court history, and he is the editor of the Society’s journal. The Society has a branch in Munich and is linked to similar societies in Versailles, Madrid, Ferrara and Turin.
He has travelled widely, lecturing in many countries - including the United States, France, Germany, Italy and Turkey - and has made a number of appearances on radio and television, including in the two-part Channel 4 documentary “Harem” and in two BBC2 documentaries on Versailles in 2012. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, the Royal Society of Literature, the Institute of Historical Research (University of London) and the Royal Asiatic Society, and is a member of the Conseil Scientifique of the Centre de Recherche du Chateau de Versailles. In 2010 Philip Mansel was appointed Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and in 2012 was the recipient of the annual London Library Life in Literature Award.
Philip Mansel wrote the introduction to the 2012 re-issue of Nancy Mitford’s The Sun King and is currently working on his own biography of Louis XIV. His short history of Aleppo: Rise and Fall of a World City is scheduled for publication in April 2016. His book on Napoleon and his court, The Eagle in Splendour, was republished by I. B. Tauris in June 2015.
In 1995 Philip Mansel started a campaign to save Clavell Tower, a ruined folly of 1831 which threatened to fall over the cliff above Kimmeridge Bay. This led, in 2007-8, to the Tower’s deconstruction, relocation, reconstruction, restoration and modernisation by the Landmark Trust. Clavell Tower is now the Trust’s most popular property.
Philip Mansel lives in London, travelling to Paris, Istanbul and elsewhere for research, conferences and lectures. He also runs the family estate at Smedmore, near Wareham in Dorset. For more information on this historic house, visit the web site and read the recent articles published in The World of Interiors and Country Life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
August 28, 2022
... having inherited the strongest country and army in Europe, Louis XIV had been expected to become the greatest monarch in history. By the end of his reign, however, France was no longer the supreme power in Europe. His own character was one reason. Power, leadership and hard work did not compensate for Louis XIV's love of war and lack of judgement.
My disappointment with this book comes, I think, from a mismatch of expectations: because this is published by a popular, rather than academic, press I expected something less dry with a stronger narrative pull. Mansel undoubtedly knows his stuff but this never succeeded in engaging me wholly and I found myself skimming vast swathes to get to the stuff I found interesting: the personalities of the court, the culture, the building and decoration of Versailles, the art and ballet.
This is a very full account that starts with Louis' parents and ends with an account of how the problems of this reign led to the French Revolution and the abandonment of hereditary monarchy. And, to Mansel's credit, he offers the most comprehensible account I've read of the Fronde.
Nevertheless, this is really a book for readers who want a detailed account of the politics, economics, bureaucracy and wars of this period, with only intermittent attention paid to softer subjects of personalities, relationships and culture.
July 19, 2022
Louis XIV (1638-1715) is easily one of the most famous of the French Kings. Known also as "Louis le Grand" (Louis the Great) or "le Roi Soleil" (The Sun King). Phillip Mansel's magisterial history of Louis uses the latest research and some newly released historical records to paint a complete picture of this King, who was told by Jean-Baptiste Tavernier "You are destined to command the entire universe."
Louis' reign of 72 years is the longest recorded reign of any monarch. He raised France to the heights of fame and power and also set in motion the events that would bring it to its knees during the Revolution. Louis was one of the great absolutist monarchs and was responsible for curbing the powers of the nobility to make them more subservient to the King.
While most associate Louis with his palace of Versailles, Louis was a most bellicose King. During his reign, France engaged in three major continental conflicts: the Franco-Dutch War, the War of the League of Augsburg, and the War of the Spanish Succession. In addition, France also contested shorter wars, such as the War of Devolution and the War of the Reunions. Warfare defined Louis's foreign policy and his personality shaped his approach. Impelled by "a mix of commerce, revenge, and pique", he sensed that war was the ideal way to enhance his glory.
Yet these conflicts and the lavish spending at Versailles would cause major financial problems for France, as well as creating a number of hostile competing countries that would, at various times, ally to check France's influence.
Mansel's book not only is a deep dive into the character and thoughts of Louis, but it also shows the pressures and conflicts that were built into his Court. Wealthy, opulent, glamorous, many terms could be used to describe Louis' court and they would all be correct. His court became the center point of European politics and a model for all royals to emulate.
An enjoyable and interesting book about a very interesting and powerful King. If you are interested in the life or the court of Louis XIV, then you will truly enjoy this excellent history book.
Louis' reign of 72 years is the longest recorded reign of any monarch. He raised France to the heights of fame and power and also set in motion the events that would bring it to its knees during the Revolution. Louis was one of the great absolutist monarchs and was responsible for curbing the powers of the nobility to make them more subservient to the King.
While most associate Louis with his palace of Versailles, Louis was a most bellicose King. During his reign, France engaged in three major continental conflicts: the Franco-Dutch War, the War of the League of Augsburg, and the War of the Spanish Succession. In addition, France also contested shorter wars, such as the War of Devolution and the War of the Reunions. Warfare defined Louis's foreign policy and his personality shaped his approach. Impelled by "a mix of commerce, revenge, and pique", he sensed that war was the ideal way to enhance his glory.
Yet these conflicts and the lavish spending at Versailles would cause major financial problems for France, as well as creating a number of hostile competing countries that would, at various times, ally to check France's influence.
Mansel's book not only is a deep dive into the character and thoughts of Louis, but it also shows the pressures and conflicts that were built into his Court. Wealthy, opulent, glamorous, many terms could be used to describe Louis' court and they would all be correct. His court became the center point of European politics and a model for all royals to emulate.
An enjoyable and interesting book about a very interesting and powerful King. If you are interested in the life or the court of Louis XIV, then you will truly enjoy this excellent history book.
November 1, 2019
This was an excellent book and quite better than I expected; due to the vastness of its subject (the Sun King's reign lasted 72 years and for 50+ of them he was in true control at least in so far the administrative and technological development of the era allowed it) the book feels rushed here and there and I would have liked more on the crucial mid 1670'd to the mid 1680's in which he transformed from a young, bright, warlike but enlightened monarch to the one who persecuted, murdered and expelled the Huguenots and the Jansenists, impoverished his people who died in mass famines due to relentless war against almost all of Europ, war in which the armies under close control of the king burnt and pillaged their way through Western Germany, Northern Italy and Belgium - which was quite shocking for the day as after the 30 Year war, the rulers of Europe felt that war should be limited and even in the invasion of Holland in the early 1670's the king was much milder - and also which invited brutal retaliation when the fortunes of war turned against France.
Written with skill and reading almost like a novel, while pointing out various things connecting the era of Louis the XiV to today (not only Versailles which is the obvious inheritance of the modern era, but also the fact that the borders of France which were much enlarged under his reign remained pretty much the same until today with the exceptions of a few Belgian towns lost in the Spanish succession war and a few others), I really liked this one and highly recommend it
Written with skill and reading almost like a novel, while pointing out various things connecting the era of Louis the XiV to today (not only Versailles which is the obvious inheritance of the modern era, but also the fact that the borders of France which were much enlarged under his reign remained pretty much the same until today with the exceptions of a few Belgian towns lost in the Spanish succession war and a few others), I really liked this one and highly recommend it
May 3, 2021
An enjoyable biography of pre-Revolutionary France's most important monarch. This Louis ruled for a long time (1654 -1715) and he was a prolific builder and war-maker. While we can still enjoy his palaces and fortresses today, and the provinces he added to France, he bankrupted his kingdom and impoverished his subjects (we know that, over the course of his reign, French soldiers became smaller) and doomed his dynasty. His greatest blunder was allowing his fanatical Catholicism to get the better of him and making Protestantism illegal, making him many enemies and exiling an important community. Some would later say that De Gaulle's 5th Republic was an elected version of Louis XIV's absolute monarchy (De Gaulle's family were monarchists and from Lille, which Louis conquered). A good read about a fascinating time and man.
January 9, 2020
Having read Mansels biogtaphy of Louis XIV I can definitely appreciate he writing style, but I don't believe I would read anymore of his material. His knowledge of the period and the French court is extensive, and approaches the biography in a thematic sense, where he dissects it in through lenses such as palaces and its court manners, or trade etc. Each chapter can get lost in it's own information though, going down so many rabbit holes.
Another aspect of Mansel's book was that he was not writing it to paint Louis XIV as the perfect absolute ruler who history has called the "sun king". Instead he takes the approach of trying to reevaluate his reign and question if the idea of him as an absolute ruler still holds merit, or whether this was just a fassade. He makes the argument that quite often it was his ministers or those who surrounded him who often forced his hand or pushed him into policies, but to maintain appearance he made sure that it was believed that the decision was his. I also appreciated that Mansel also wanted to make it clear, just how much Louis had damaged France. Mansel argued that he certainly made important contributions to France, such as trade, but he also makes it clear that when his finance minister Colbert was active the country was millions in debt. He then points out that at the end of his reign, France was 1.8 billion in debt, and was essentially using funds 4 years in advance of when it would have feasibly have been available. One thing I did take from this biography was that I was definitely left with a resonating curiosity about his brother Philip duc D'Orleans who was a cross dressing homosexual and also a soldier who won the battle of Cassel against the Netherlands.
All in all, I was hovering in my review between a three and a four, as the book did tend to drag a fair bit here and there and the chapters could be exhausting as Mansel would drone on down different rabbit holes and on a few occasions I had forgot the point that Philip was making. In the end I for the four given his writing style.
Another aspect of Mansel's book was that he was not writing it to paint Louis XIV as the perfect absolute ruler who history has called the "sun king". Instead he takes the approach of trying to reevaluate his reign and question if the idea of him as an absolute ruler still holds merit, or whether this was just a fassade. He makes the argument that quite often it was his ministers or those who surrounded him who often forced his hand or pushed him into policies, but to maintain appearance he made sure that it was believed that the decision was his. I also appreciated that Mansel also wanted to make it clear, just how much Louis had damaged France. Mansel argued that he certainly made important contributions to France, such as trade, but he also makes it clear that when his finance minister Colbert was active the country was millions in debt. He then points out that at the end of his reign, France was 1.8 billion in debt, and was essentially using funds 4 years in advance of when it would have feasibly have been available. One thing I did take from this biography was that I was definitely left with a resonating curiosity about his brother Philip duc D'Orleans who was a cross dressing homosexual and also a soldier who won the battle of Cassel against the Netherlands.
All in all, I was hovering in my review between a three and a four, as the book did tend to drag a fair bit here and there and the chapters could be exhausting as Mansel would drone on down different rabbit holes and on a few occasions I had forgot the point that Philip was making. In the end I for the four given his writing style.
February 14, 2024
Mansel has tried what many other writers before him have tried on the subject of Louis XIV: he tried to look past the golden mask of the sun king.
As a result, the biography reads as quite complete and detailed with the author discussing a lot of primary sources with the reader. Louis had many admirers and enemies, so there's no shortage of interesting stories surrounding the king.
Yet this can also be a weakness. The author seems to sometimes drown in all the options he has in presenting a cohesive story, which can lead to confusion for the reader.
I think the book could have profited from referencing earlier work more often. Mansel allows himself one critique on a historian who came up with the theory of the king caging his nobles in Versailles by forcing their attendance at court. It would have been interesting to read the author taking a position in the debate about court culture.
It's a good book if you like a lot of details, I took some photos myself of pages that mostly discuss the daily life of the king. There are some common misconceptions about the king that are successfully tackled. Be aware though that the story isn't always told well and that the author can be rather dry at times.
As a result, the biography reads as quite complete and detailed with the author discussing a lot of primary sources with the reader. Louis had many admirers and enemies, so there's no shortage of interesting stories surrounding the king.
Yet this can also be a weakness. The author seems to sometimes drown in all the options he has in presenting a cohesive story, which can lead to confusion for the reader.
I think the book could have profited from referencing earlier work more often. Mansel allows himself one critique on a historian who came up with the theory of the king caging his nobles in Versailles by forcing their attendance at court. It would have been interesting to read the author taking a position in the debate about court culture.
It's a good book if you like a lot of details, I took some photos myself of pages that mostly discuss the daily life of the king. There are some common misconceptions about the king that are successfully tackled. Be aware though that the story isn't always told well and that the author can be rather dry at times.
September 21, 2019
Louis XIV came to the French throne whilst only a small boy and ruled until his sixties. He's most famous for recreating his father's hunting lodge as the incredible palace of Versailles and for his string of mistresses. This new biography covers his personal life as well as his politics and other matters. After becoming hooked on the recent tv show Versailles, I've been interested in learning more of the true history of the time and this book is a good overview of the life and times of France's Sun King.
June 29, 2024
Excellent biography of Louis XIV and his times. The author creates a fair picture of the Sun King, both positive and negative. He takes a broad view of more general European history as well, teaching me some Dutch history I didn’t know about in the process.
Want to read
July 19, 2022Recommended by Sud666
May 27, 2020
Well written and researched - not necessarily an easy read
This is a detailed account of Louis XIV life written and gives great insight into life at court during his reign. There is a big focus on the ins and outs of individuals and I would have preferred more macro political analysis as opposed to what certain princes did or thought. It is academic in style and not a leisure read. If that’s what you are looking for this is a great book!
This is a detailed account of Louis XIV life written and gives great insight into life at court during his reign. There is a big focus on the ins and outs of individuals and I would have preferred more macro political analysis as opposed to what certain princes did or thought. It is academic in style and not a leisure read. If that’s what you are looking for this is a great book!
November 3, 2019
If you are already familiar with French history, this is an extremely well thought-out and enjoyable book on a complex, fascnating and crucial period, and its (mostly) terrible long-term legacy.
January 25, 2024
A very readable account of the Sun King’s long reign, as well as the circumstances that preceded his coronation and the far-reaching impact of his monarchy. What emerges is a pretty compelling portrait of a highly intelligent and exceptionally hardworking monarch with a number of fatal flaws - including excessive caution, a tendency to persist with lost causes, and loyalty to advisors who often didn’t deserve it. Mansell does a nice job of explaining the tensions of the early days of Louis XIV’s reign, when the Fronde threatened to result in revolt 130 years before the French Revolution. Great chapters on life at Versailles, the religious wars and the disastrous revocation of the Edict of Nantes, the War of Spanish Succession, and Louis’ philosophy of leadership. Multi-dimensional portrait of a flawed, complicated man - hardly some preening buffoon.
June 27, 2024
I have a theory that books should either be genuine epics of 800+ pages, or should be less than 400 pages. This was a case in point. At ~460 pages it could easily have been edited down with some of the very detailed detail moved to footnotes or endnotes and would have flowed a lot better. I took breaks from it several times and considered giving up a couple of times. In the end I skimmed and read the first sentence of each paragraph, only finishing the paragraph if the topic was particularly interesting to me. It meant I could concentrate on the story without being confused by the detail. It's a shame because I was really interested to learn about Louis XIV (which was why I persevered and finished it) but it really could have benefited from a tighter edit.
August 16, 2025
An excellent biography, engaging, thorough, and detailed
June 28, 2022
When I was at university my history tutor told me that there are - very broadly - two types of historian. There are historians of facts, and historians of ideas. Mansel is the former. And this is the main problem I had with the book. Too often it became bogged down by too much information. It worked well with the 3 chapters on Versailles. But for the rest of the book the story was almost suffocated by a plethora of names and titles and dates. Maybe something was lost in translation, but the narrative had none of the drive of, say, the Sumption Hundred Years' War books. Even the bits covering the battles were a bit of a chore to read. Given the other reviews I've read, and the blurbs on the back of the book, I'm obviously in a minority saying this. And credit has to be given for the range of detail and the depth of research. But the book felt to me like one of those tutors who can regurgitate every fact about a particular subject, but who can't weave them into an entertaining story. For the record, the book is 640 pages long, but almost 200 of them are endnotes, bibliography and index.
November 9, 2019
just couldn't get past all of the detail. very very tedious.
December 24, 2019
4/5 because I just absolutely love the sun king, only thing that bothered me tromendously was the fact that the details got details, full review up soon.
May 11, 2024
Rather excellent biography of one of France's most famous and consequential monarchs. Written more as a popular history rather than a dry academic study, Mansel seeks to demystify Louis somewhat. Looking beyond the image of an all-powerful monarch (an image that Louis actively promoted), Mansel seeks to understand the monarchy as an institution with its own powers and limitations, as well as expectations and prerogatives. Mansel notes that the institution of the monarchy was a very public and accessible one, where normal citizens often had surprisingly easy access to the king (in contrast to typical ideas of the monarchy and the court as a very exclusive zone). For Louis, kingship was almost a public theatre, which demanded near-constant performance from his end. His relationship with the nobility was often one of patronage and reciprocity, rather than one of absolute domination as commonly portrayed.
Mansel provides a fascinating account of the court of King Louis XIV, which would provide the cultural and artistic benchmark for other European courts for much of his reign. He notes that women played a surprisingly prominent role in the French court, either as queens, princesses, mistresses, governesses, or ladies-in-waiting. The marriage of French noblewomen to other European royalty would help spread French culture and influence across the continent and these women were actively utilized by Louis and his ministers for diplomatic purposes.
Mansel also focuses on the major character flaws of Louis, which often clouded his judgement and actively worked against the larger interests of France. His revocation of the Edict of Nantes and subsequent harassment of French Protestants (or Huguenots) would see thousands of this prosperous and skilled community flee France to neighboring countries like Brandenburg, the Netherlands, and Great Britain, bleeding France of vital skills and capital (while also creating a hostile Huguenot diaspora).
His insatiable appetite for wars and French expansion would also prove his undoing later in life. While his early wars against the Dutch and German states proved successful, a growing megalomania would see Louis engage France in increasingly questionable wars which drained its resources and united Europe against it. The War of the Spanish Succession (1701 - 1714) proved particularly disastrous for France, pushing the country to the brink but for its dogged determination to continue fighting. As Mansel argues, in some sense Louis left France weaker than when he had inherited it, with few allies left within Europe.
One aspect of Mansel's history which I particularly appreciate is the positioning of Louis within larger global history. Mansel touches on Louis' relationship with not just European powers but non-European powers such as Morocco, Siam, China, and Persia. One of the most important diplomatic relationships of Louis' reign is that concerning the Ottoman Empire, one of France's oldest allies (forged through a common enmity with the Hapsburgs). Indeed, Louis would often prioritize his ties with the Grand Seigneur, including invading the western German states in 1688 to prevent the Austrians from completely knocking out the Ottomans in the aftermath of the Siege of Vienna. This would prove a miscalculation, since it left his arch-nemesis William III of the Netherlands free to invade Great Britain that same year in what became known as the Glorious Revolution.
If I had one complaint, it would be that too often Mansel references French quotes or uses French words without providing the necessary translations. Perhaps for British historians this may be unnecessary, but for someone who lacks knowledge of the French language, it can certainly be confusing!
Mansel provides a fascinating account of the court of King Louis XIV, which would provide the cultural and artistic benchmark for other European courts for much of his reign. He notes that women played a surprisingly prominent role in the French court, either as queens, princesses, mistresses, governesses, or ladies-in-waiting. The marriage of French noblewomen to other European royalty would help spread French culture and influence across the continent and these women were actively utilized by Louis and his ministers for diplomatic purposes.
Mansel also focuses on the major character flaws of Louis, which often clouded his judgement and actively worked against the larger interests of France. His revocation of the Edict of Nantes and subsequent harassment of French Protestants (or Huguenots) would see thousands of this prosperous and skilled community flee France to neighboring countries like Brandenburg, the Netherlands, and Great Britain, bleeding France of vital skills and capital (while also creating a hostile Huguenot diaspora).
His insatiable appetite for wars and French expansion would also prove his undoing later in life. While his early wars against the Dutch and German states proved successful, a growing megalomania would see Louis engage France in increasingly questionable wars which drained its resources and united Europe against it. The War of the Spanish Succession (1701 - 1714) proved particularly disastrous for France, pushing the country to the brink but for its dogged determination to continue fighting. As Mansel argues, in some sense Louis left France weaker than when he had inherited it, with few allies left within Europe.
One aspect of Mansel's history which I particularly appreciate is the positioning of Louis within larger global history. Mansel touches on Louis' relationship with not just European powers but non-European powers such as Morocco, Siam, China, and Persia. One of the most important diplomatic relationships of Louis' reign is that concerning the Ottoman Empire, one of France's oldest allies (forged through a common enmity with the Hapsburgs). Indeed, Louis would often prioritize his ties with the Grand Seigneur, including invading the western German states in 1688 to prevent the Austrians from completely knocking out the Ottomans in the aftermath of the Siege of Vienna. This would prove a miscalculation, since it left his arch-nemesis William III of the Netherlands free to invade Great Britain that same year in what became known as the Glorious Revolution.
If I had one complaint, it would be that too often Mansel references French quotes or uses French words without providing the necessary translations. Perhaps for British historians this may be unnecessary, but for someone who lacks knowledge of the French language, it can certainly be confusing!
November 16, 2020
If our present queen reigns until 2025, by which time she will be 99, then she will have exceeded Louis XIV's 72 year reign as the longest reigning European monarch. The fact that this is a record stretching back to 1715 is in itself remarkable, although Louis XIV's accession as a child obviously gave him a certain advantage in this respect. Louis XIV remains an object of pride in republican France, the palace of Versailles being the most visited human construction in the world after the Great Wall of China and his reign continuing to be associated with style, elegance, la gloire and French prestige and victory.
Philip Mansel is not French and so writes from a certain distance. This is no hatchet job, but his summary of Louis's reign does not spare the brutality, the fiscal incontinence nor the long-term consequences of an autocracy that simply went on too long. Louis himself comes across as devout, generous and welcoming, albeit sequestered away in remote luxury from the poverty and starvation of his people. He is the first French monarch to visit a synagogue, he shows interest in the world - and not wholly from a proto-colonial mindset. He is brave in warfare and elegant in dancing. And yet he is also blinkered. Catholicism and dynasty are the preoccupations of his world and this leads him into an unnecessary persecution of the Huguenots and a wasteful and pointless war in defence of the Bourbon monarchy in Spain. His utter destruction of the Palatinate towns, including mass murder of their inhabitants revisits the horrors of the 30 years war upon them and prefigures the Twentieth Century.
This is a fast-paced and very well written biography. To squeeze such a long reign into 450 pages of text requires a certain skill both as writer and editor. The three central chapters look at Versailles and Louis's personality. The chapters either side look at glory and defeat. At times the knowing eye to Twentieth Century conflicts can be a bit wearisome. We don't need to be told twice that Dunkirk saw the evacuation of 338,000 allied soldiers in 1940, nor that Mons and Vimy Ridge were also scenes of First World War battles. These towns have places outside of Twentieth Century conflicts and perhaps might like to be remembered without reference to mass carnage.
Philip Mansel is not French and so writes from a certain distance. This is no hatchet job, but his summary of Louis's reign does not spare the brutality, the fiscal incontinence nor the long-term consequences of an autocracy that simply went on too long. Louis himself comes across as devout, generous and welcoming, albeit sequestered away in remote luxury from the poverty and starvation of his people. He is the first French monarch to visit a synagogue, he shows interest in the world - and not wholly from a proto-colonial mindset. He is brave in warfare and elegant in dancing. And yet he is also blinkered. Catholicism and dynasty are the preoccupations of his world and this leads him into an unnecessary persecution of the Huguenots and a wasteful and pointless war in defence of the Bourbon monarchy in Spain. His utter destruction of the Palatinate towns, including mass murder of their inhabitants revisits the horrors of the 30 years war upon them and prefigures the Twentieth Century.
This is a fast-paced and very well written biography. To squeeze such a long reign into 450 pages of text requires a certain skill both as writer and editor. The three central chapters look at Versailles and Louis's personality. The chapters either side look at glory and defeat. At times the knowing eye to Twentieth Century conflicts can be a bit wearisome. We don't need to be told twice that Dunkirk saw the evacuation of 338,000 allied soldiers in 1940, nor that Mons and Vimy Ridge were also scenes of First World War battles. These towns have places outside of Twentieth Century conflicts and perhaps might like to be remembered without reference to mass carnage.
July 30, 2022
Louis XIV ruled as King of France longer than any other European monarch and therefore made a deeper impression on French (and European) history than most. In this book, Philip Mansel writes a very clear, well-written, and enjoyable book that explains Louis XIV and his times, focusing particularly on the Sun King vis-à-vis the rest of the court, on his life at Versailles, and on the wars in Europe as well as the persecutions of Protestants. In the process, Mansel shows us a Louis XIV who both strengthened and weakened France, who projected power and gloire through a significant strengthening of royal power, a litany of architectural projects, and a number of European wars, but who ultimately weakened France by turning Europe against itself and by significantly increasing the national debt.
The book starts with a nice brief summary of French history prior to Louis XIV, and then covers his father Louis XIII in a couple of chapter. It also nicely ends with a brief review of French history post-Louis XIV, focusing particularly on the endurance of French buildings and locations from his time and their recurrence and meanings in later French history, almost taking us up to current times. I read this book after reading Frieda's biography of Catherine de Medici, and I highly recommend reading both books after each other to better understand pre-Revolutionary French history, as there's only a minor gap in time between the two. I've rated this biography of Louis XIV higher than the Medici biography primarily due to its relatively more thorough scholarly grounding through its much more extensive use of footnotes.
The book starts with a nice brief summary of French history prior to Louis XIV, and then covers his father Louis XIII in a couple of chapter. It also nicely ends with a brief review of French history post-Louis XIV, focusing particularly on the endurance of French buildings and locations from his time and their recurrence and meanings in later French history, almost taking us up to current times. I read this book after reading Frieda's biography of Catherine de Medici, and I highly recommend reading both books after each other to better understand pre-Revolutionary French history, as there's only a minor gap in time between the two. I've rated this biography of Louis XIV higher than the Medici biography primarily due to its relatively more thorough scholarly grounding through its much more extensive use of footnotes.
September 23, 2024
Really great biography. Exactly what I wanted - captures the broader trends in Europe at the time rather than just covering the life of the famous subject on the cover.
I think it's a fair portrayal of the Sun King. I came away with a positive impression of Louis in some ways - his energy and work ethic, his sense for geography in focusing on eastern expansions along the northern coast and the rhine, his ambition around Versailles and other building projects, his patronage of the arts, his resolve and resilience when the allies were demanding ridiculous peace terms during the war of the spanish succession, etc. But in all, I came away with an impression of a man who left France weaker than he found it.
He was guided often (as his perhaps slightly overrated grandfather Henry IV) by his heart and instincts, which proved increasingly poor once many of the great advisors he had at the start of his reign died. His decision to revoke the edict of Nantes, his support for the hopeless Stuarts, his devastation of the Rhine during the 1690s, his micromanagement of the army (and refusal to accept new military realities, like being extremely late to abandon the pike), and elevation of people not on the basis of merit but of birth, caused serious problems for France and almost led to total disaster.
But still, an incredible life. And certainly one worthy of study, as is the turbulent period in which he lived
I think it's a fair portrayal of the Sun King. I came away with a positive impression of Louis in some ways - his energy and work ethic, his sense for geography in focusing on eastern expansions along the northern coast and the rhine, his ambition around Versailles and other building projects, his patronage of the arts, his resolve and resilience when the allies were demanding ridiculous peace terms during the war of the spanish succession, etc. But in all, I came away with an impression of a man who left France weaker than he found it.
He was guided often (as his perhaps slightly overrated grandfather Henry IV) by his heart and instincts, which proved increasingly poor once many of the great advisors he had at the start of his reign died. His decision to revoke the edict of Nantes, his support for the hopeless Stuarts, his devastation of the Rhine during the 1690s, his micromanagement of the army (and refusal to accept new military realities, like being extremely late to abandon the pike), and elevation of people not on the basis of merit but of birth, caused serious problems for France and almost led to total disaster.
But still, an incredible life. And certainly one worthy of study, as is the turbulent period in which he lived
December 16, 2022
I know almost nothing about the French monarchy. Louis XIV is their most famous king and therefore it seems a good place to start. Lots of interesting things learned:
- The monarchy was opposed by the people of Paris king before 1789. In fact when Louis came to the throne as a small boy, Paris was the seat of rebellion to the point that they didn’t trust living there.
- His mother was a Spanish princess (although since the Spanish monarchy was Hapsburg she was known as Anne of Austria (Hapsburg a in both places) and she spent her marriage as an open spy and hated her husband Louis XIII.
- he was succeeded by his great grandson. In the course of a year in 1714 his son, his grandson, the grandson’s wife, and their eldest son (Louis’s oldest greens grandson) all died.
- The boy who became Louis XV likely didn’t die because his governess kept him AWAY from the doctors.
- Louis’s wife was also a Spanish (Habsburg) princess. When her brother (the king of Spain) died, Louis got the Spanish to select his second grandson as king of Spain. Britain and Austria didn’t like France having so much control of the continent so they went to war with him for more than 10 years - this is why that war is called the “War of the Spanish Succession.” This is the war in which Churchills ancestor John Churchill became famous as the hero of Great Britain.
- The monarchy was opposed by the people of Paris king before 1789. In fact when Louis came to the throne as a small boy, Paris was the seat of rebellion to the point that they didn’t trust living there.
- His mother was a Spanish princess (although since the Spanish monarchy was Hapsburg she was known as Anne of Austria (Hapsburg a in both places) and she spent her marriage as an open spy and hated her husband Louis XIII.
- he was succeeded by his great grandson. In the course of a year in 1714 his son, his grandson, the grandson’s wife, and their eldest son (Louis’s oldest greens grandson) all died.
- The boy who became Louis XV likely didn’t die because his governess kept him AWAY from the doctors.
- Louis’s wife was also a Spanish (Habsburg) princess. When her brother (the king of Spain) died, Louis got the Spanish to select his second grandson as king of Spain. Britain and Austria didn’t like France having so much control of the continent so they went to war with him for more than 10 years - this is why that war is called the “War of the Spanish Succession.” This is the war in which Churchills ancestor John Churchill became famous as the hero of Great Britain.
July 3, 2024
A 6 out of 5. Magisterial. Eloquent. Witty. Profoundly researched. Respectfully told. Gloriously illuminated by numerous sources. Dispelling myths and showing all sides of the most glorious rule of the Sun King.
Patron of the arts. Diligent in the execution of state interests, Louis XIV often overstepped to follow his individualistic passions and religious piety - to the detriment of the state, its people - and France. After the death of Colbert the debt of the state was “only 240m livres - after the death of the King it stood at 1.8 billion”. The revocation of the Edict of Nantes robbed the country of numerous talents fleeing to Netherlands and intellectually arming William of Orange.
The despicable travesties as the army marched on Rheinland and Northern Provinces - show the other side of a most attentive sovereign who’d elevated the court and the art of the government.
PS. Took me several years to complete in on-off fashion, restarting 2 times. But what a joy.
Patron of the arts. Diligent in the execution of state interests, Louis XIV often overstepped to follow his individualistic passions and religious piety - to the detriment of the state, its people - and France. After the death of Colbert the debt of the state was “only 240m livres - after the death of the King it stood at 1.8 billion”. The revocation of the Edict of Nantes robbed the country of numerous talents fleeing to Netherlands and intellectually arming William of Orange.
The despicable travesties as the army marched on Rheinland and Northern Provinces - show the other side of a most attentive sovereign who’d elevated the court and the art of the government.
PS. Took me several years to complete in on-off fashion, restarting 2 times. But what a joy.
December 14, 2021
I finished reading King of the World: The Life of Louis XIV by Philip Mansel today.
While it began much slower than I would have liked, the author finally kept his promise of an international/political perspective of Louis’ reign.
Strong points of the book include:
Influential ministers and diplomats
Personal relationships of Louis XIV with other royal houses in Europe
His military campaigns
Explanations of European alliances and their evolutions
Louis’ unwitting part in the elevation of William III of Orange to the throne of England. THIS was really interesting to me, as I studied abroad in the Netherlands. A very well-researched and written contribution.
Weak points:
Louis’ childhood. Somehow, Mansel made the Fronde seem boring.
French colonies and territories outside of Europe. They are mentioned in passing, but are not discussed.
Overall, a pretty decent read.
While it began much slower than I would have liked, the author finally kept his promise of an international/political perspective of Louis’ reign.
Strong points of the book include:
Influential ministers and diplomats
Personal relationships of Louis XIV with other royal houses in Europe
His military campaigns
Explanations of European alliances and their evolutions
Louis’ unwitting part in the elevation of William III of Orange to the throne of England. THIS was really interesting to me, as I studied abroad in the Netherlands. A very well-researched and written contribution.
Weak points:
Louis’ childhood. Somehow, Mansel made the Fronde seem boring.
French colonies and territories outside of Europe. They are mentioned in passing, but are not discussed.
Overall, a pretty decent read.
December 17, 2022
Libro meraviglioso per tutti gli appassionati di storia. Un saggio biografia sulla figura storia di Luigi XIV visto come monarca ma anche come uomo. Super consigliato, si legge tutto d'un fiato, con capitoli divisi per argomento. Inizia con la nascita del monarca e finisce con le sue ultime parole ...dopo 300 anni dalla sua morte ancora la sua influenza si sente viva nella storia politica/economica/culturale europea.
January 22, 2025
Comprehensive history of the world’s longest ruling monarch - 72 years 110 days. Louis XIV tended towards absolutism at a time when France was the most powerful country in Europe. Unsurprisingly, powerful alliances emerged to restrain Louis’s expansionist ambitions. The Battle of the Boyne in 1690 was even part of this wider European conflict. The book also provides evidence of Louis as a caring and sensitive individual when he was not pursuing his ambition to dominate Europe!
February 10, 2021
A staggering work that brings to life the man and the world of one of europe’s most famous monarchs. The complicated history of france since louis XIV means we tend to know a lot less about this monumental figure in history than we ought. You cannot understand c17 and 18 european history wiithoit studying this man alongside Peter the Great and Frederic the Great.
June 10, 2024
I enjoyed reading this book but I did not read it all. I read the bits that interested me.
It’s very detailed. Good if you are studying Louis XIV
Really enjoyed section on Versailles. Louis loved wars but it was so detailed my brain couldn’t cope.
Book has a good summary of Louis triumphs and disasters during his reign.
It’s very detailed. Good if you are studying Louis XIV
Really enjoyed section on Versailles. Louis loved wars but it was so detailed my brain couldn’t cope.
Book has a good summary of Louis triumphs and disasters during his reign.
March 14, 2025
mansel is clearly very passionate about versailles!! I don't really have much to say except that this is a really good book to read if you want to know more about louis xiv. this book doesn't lean too heavily towards any aspect of the period, and gives equally strong descriptions and analyses of the military, the court, economics and politics.
September 25, 2025
Extremely dense and informative. I can’t say the WHOLE book was an enjoyable experience, but that’s only because it’s so extremely detailed that you can easily get lost if you don’t remember specific people’s names and/or understand the borders of Europe at the time. A list with names in the front or back of the book would have been very helpful!
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