When examining Louis XIV, one must look past the folklore and his wars. In order to understand the Sun King, one must look at the people and circumstance, for these are what truly shaped Louis into the man he became. Before he was the extravagant Sun King, Louis XIV was a student under the famed financier, Cardinal Mazarin. Louis was under the careful watch and guidance of his mother, Queen Anne of Austria. These two people had the most significant impact on Louis. The circumstances though were a little more tricky. Louis came to power after witnessing the Fronde, and realizing France’s weakening economy. The Sun King may be considered by some to be a greedy, extravagant war mongering failure, but in “Louis XIV” by Geoffrey Treasure, …show more content…
Arguably, Mazarin was even more influential on Louis than Anne. Mazarin, along with Anne, enforced the divine right belief upon Louis. This would lead to Louis marching into Parliament and boldly proclaiming his power. This mark of absolutism would become a trademark of Louis’ reign. He was the king, and he was determined not to be swept under the rug. However, due to Mazarin’s influence, Louis would also recognize the importance of growing the treasury and aiding France. So while Louis was bold and a strong leader, he was fully aware of his responsibilities and dedicated to fulfilling them. In his reign, Louis worked with some of the brightest financiers that France has ever seen. Cardinal Mazarin and Colbert both had their time under Louis XIV. Mazarin was responsible for garnering Louis’s interest and seriousness. Colbert worked closer with Louis when Louis took the crown. With Colbert, a new system of economics was introduced into France. The King and Colbert also gained an understanding amongst themselves. They would informally speak of issues so that Louis would remain informed on issues without being burdened by minuscule