Seventy-two years of reign for Louis XIV, fifty-nine years for Louis XV. Two reigns covering almost the entirety of the 17th and 18th centuries. While the stability at the head of the state is ensured, these two reigns will become mired in their longevity.
Pierre Gaxotte’s book takes us on a journey following Louis XV, his power, and his views on the administration of the state.
While Louis XV leads his kingdom towards the modern conception of public affairs and the state, he will need to confront the nobility and this aristocracy that has not relinquished its feudal privileges. By not taking action against the parliaments and not asserting his will, Louis XV will sow the seeds of 1789.
The revolution had been brewing since the Fronde. Louis XIV and his ministers knew how to counteract the ambitions of the powerful. Louis XV will have to face on the international stage the traditional enemy of France: England. A continental policy maneuvering between Prussia, Austria, Spain, Russia, and Savoy forces him not to effectively counter the English in India and Canada.
Domestically, Louis XV will modernize France, its infrastructure, and its commerce. Towards the end of his life, he becomes aware of the dangers awaiting the Dauphin and the monarchy. The author concludes his historical study of this century: “If the king could live another five years, the monarchy would be saved.” Unfortunately, Louis dies, the king is dead, long live King Louis XVI.
Thierry Jan
