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.
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