Louis XIV
Power, Impression Management
and Leadership Traits
Brief Biography
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Reigned 1643-1715
Son of Louis XIII and Anne of Austria
Succeeded to throne at age 5
Nobles rebelled 1648-1653; Louis in much personal
danger
Declared of age in 1651, actively ruled from 1661
Married Maria Teresa, Infanta of Spain, but had
numerous official mistresses
Moved court outside Paris, to Versailles, in 1682
During his reign, much art, architecture, literature,
music
Politics and War
1661
16651667
1666
16671668
16721678
Trial and imprisonment of Superintendent of
Finance Fouquet (for his lavish lifestyle)
Anglo-Dutch War; gained territory in North
America
Parlement of Paris stripped of right to approve
royal edicts
War of Devolution (caused by unpaid Spanish
dowry); France gains territory in Europe, right to
Spanish succession
War with Holland; France gains territory in
Europe, Caribbean
Politics and War (continued)
1685
16881697
17021714
Revocation of Edict of Nantes (Protestant
toleration)
War with League of Augsburg (majority of
Europe); brought on by persecution of French
Protestants. Earlier European gains largely lost
War of Spanish Succession (Queen Anne’s War);
followed death of King Carlos II of Spain and
succession of Duke of Anjou (Louis XIV’s
grandson). Canada lost, as well as any French
right to Spanish succession. A disaster for
France – Louis forced to melt down his silver to
pay expenses
Louis XIV and Power
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An autocratic ruler; all decisions
made or approved by Louis
Type of power:
Legitimate (hereditary rule)
• Reward
• Coercive
• Information
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Officials
Previous monarchs used family
members and other nobles to govern
• Louis’ officials chosen from nonroyal, non-noble backgrounds; they
Reward
had no power of their own and owed
everything to Louis
• Louis did not hesitate to forcefully
Coercive
remove officials who displeased him
• Louis kept control of information
Information
firmly in his own hands
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The Move to Versailles
Designed to control nobility and
prevent future rebellions and civil
war
• Keep the nobles them in one place
where Louis could watch them
• Occupy them with etiquette,
ceremonies and rituals
• Bankrupt nobles through fashion
and gambling (to make them
financially dependent on Louis)
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Information
Reward
Impression Management
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Personal appearance
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Surroundings and symbols
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Used the sun as his personal emblem
Elaborate costumes
High heels, tall wigs
Portrayal in art; artists and writers paid to praise Louis
Versailles itself
Lavish public display and entertainments
Behavior
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Constantly on view as a king
Above conventional morality (official mistresses,
legitimating children)
Leadership Traits
In the 17th century, France was a hereditary
monarchy...so, did traits matter?
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Drive
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Need for achievement
Ambition
Energy
Tenacity
Initiative
Leadership motivation
• Honesty and integrity
• Self-confidence
• Cognitive ability
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Drive
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Need for achievement
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Concern for ma gloire (reputation and greatness)
“No satisfaction can equal that of seeing every day
some progress in high and glorious undertakings, and
the happiness of the people when it has been brought
about by one’s own plans and goals”
Ambition
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Numerous wars to extend French influence in Europe
and North America
Establishment of colonies and trade relations in North
America, Caribbean, China, India, Africa
Drive (continued)
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Energy
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Tenacity
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“I made it a law for myself to work twice a day for two
or three hours each time with different persons…”
Attempt to annex Spanish throne over 30 years
Initiative
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Legitimatization of royal bastards
Leadership Motivation
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Louis XIV inherited the throne, but
was motivated to rule
He married Maria Teresa for political
gain, deapite his deep love for Marie
Mancini
• After death of Cardinal Mazarin (1661),
announced that he would no longer
delegate power to a “First Minister”
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Honesty and Integrity
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Personal life can be characterized as
dissolute
However, his mission was to glorify
France, and Louis did not deviate
from this mission
Self-Confidence
“I will explain it [his policies] all without disguise
even in the cases where my good intentions have
not succeeded: as I believe that only small minds,
who are usually wrong, want always to be right
and that in those who have sufficient merit to be
most often successful, there is, I think, some
magnanimity in admitting one’s faults”
-- Louis XIV
Cognitive Ability
His natural talents were below mediocrity, but he had a
mind capable of improvement, of receiving polish, of
assimilating what was best in the minds of others without
slavish imitation, and he profited greatly throughout his
life from having associated with the ablest and wittiest
persons, of both sexes, and of various stations.
-- Duc de Saint Simon