Henry VIII And Louis XIV
were both men whose accomplishments on a
national level for their respective countries of England and France were great,
but whose very different personal problems gave them a negative impression in
history.
The two leaders had very different ruling styles, but with a few similar
themes throughout. Perhaps the best thing to look at first is their very
different attitudes toward God and God¹s power in monarchy and state. Henry
VIII on England grew up as a very strong Catholic, at the insistence of his
mother and father. He was known to be ³a man of daily devotionals, setting an
example for his people² (Canon 76). His own writings, most especially a book of
Catholicism entitled The ...
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the Roman Catholic Church inside France. It is apparent now
that Louis basically went along with the reforms dictated by the pope in regards
to religion.
In economic matters, the two rulers perhaps differed even more greatly.
Henry was a fastidious economist, often commenting about the expense of things
at the royal court, and taking action to have whatever the latest offense to the
treasury happened to be. Louis, however, spent extravagantly, sparing no
expense for himself or his nobles. His ultimate goal was once again to make the
court of France the center of fashion and art once again. He created Versailles,
a monstrosity of Baroque art, most of it gilded with pure gold and other
precious metal. It is a sprawling country estate with an even more spectacular
exterior than interior. Louis bankrupted the Treasury of France through another
extrvangance as well: his wars. Louis fought four major wars. His great aim
was to make himself supreme in Europe. As a start, he planned ...
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and Thomas More.
Likewise, Louis XIV, in a mark of true genius, was wise enough to
appoint someone wiser than himself to run the government. He had many, and
oddly, most of their names have been erased from history. Jean Baptise Colbert,
advisor to Louis in his formative years as a monarch, later wrote in prison, ³
The man was a fool, but would not surround himself with other fools² (Olivier
178).
In their personal lives, the monarchs had a great number of similarities.
Both Henry VIII and Louis XIV were fond of women, drink, and debate.
Henry is perhaps most famous for his six wives, and the bloody ends that
most of them came to. Out of six, only two were not banished, publicly ...
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"Henry VIII And Louis XIV." Essayworld.com. March 2, 2006. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Henry-VIII-And-Louis-XIV/42039.
"Henry VIII And Louis XIV." Essayworld.com. March 2, 2006. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Henry-VIII-And-Louis-XIV/42039.
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