Louis XIV embodied absolutism, calling himself the “Sun King” and famously stating “L’état, c’est moi” (“I am the state”).
He ruled through personal authority, limiting the power of the nobility by requiring them to live at Versailles, where he could monitor them.
Louis centralized authority, reduced the influence of the Estates-General, and controlled the Catholic Church in France with the Gallican Articles (1682). He also built one of Europe’s strongest standing armies.
His wars (War of Devolution, Franco-Dutch War, War of the Spanish Succession) aimed to expand France’s borders and increase its dominance.
Peter the Great of Russia (1682–1725)
Peter sought to westernize Russia, strengthening autocracy by crushing noble revolts (Streltsy Rebellion) and forcing the boyars (nobility) to serve the state.
He built a powerful bureaucracy and modern army.
Peter took control of the Russian Orthodox Church by abolishing the Patriarchate and replacing it with the Holy Synod, making the church a tool of the state.
He expanded serfdom to ensure a labor force for his modernization projects.
His most important aim was to secure a “window to the West” through access to warm-water ports. This led to the Great Northern War (1700–1721) against Sweden, which gave Russia access to the Baltic and allowed him to found St. Petersburg, the new capital symbolizing modern Russia.
Tip
Both rulers centralized power, limited noble independence, and used art/architecture (Versailles for Louis, St. Petersburg for Peter) to symbolize absolutism.
Louis focused on maintaining dominance within Europe, while Peter looked outward, aiming to modernize Russia and project it onto the European stage.
Common Mistake
Exaggerating absolutism, forgetting both monarchs faced limits (e.g., Louis struggled with finances, Peter faced resistance from traditional nobles and peasants).
Focusing only on domestic policy without linking it to foreign policy goals (e.g., Peter’s westernization was tied to building a modern army/navy).
Exam technique
Structure case study answers around the three required areas: nature of rule, extent of power, foreign policy.
Use specific examples (e.g., Versailles, Gallican Articles, Holy Synod, Great Northern War)
Active recall
Compare the nature of the rule and the extent of the power of two absolutist monarchs.
Examine the foreign policies of two absolutist rulers and assess their success.
To what extent can Louis XIV and Peter the Great be considered successful absolutist monarchs?