What is History Hit TV?

A platform for history documentaries, similar to Netflix.

Known as the Sun King, Louis XIV was a powerful French monarch.

Why did Louis XIV choose Versailles?

Louis XIV chose Versailles for sentimental reasons despite its unfavorable location.

Court rituals at Versailles included public activities like dressing and meals.

Louis XIV's reign ended with illness and a decline in his lavish lifestyle.

Louis XIV, known as the Sun King, transformed Versailles into a grand palace despite its unfavorable location, showcasing his desire for magnificence and power.
Versailles served as a symbol of Louis XIV's absolute authority, where court rituals and extravagant displays reinforced his belief in divine right and ultimate power, influencing French aristocracy and European taste.

What is History Hit TV?
A platform for history documentaries, similar to Netflix.
Who was Louis XIV?
Known as the Sun King, Louis XIV was a powerful French monarch.
Why did Louis XIV choose Versailles?
Louis XIV chose Versailles for sentimental reasons despite its unfavorable location.
What were the court rituals at Versailles?
Court rituals at Versailles included public activities like dressing and meals.
How did Louis XIV's reign end?
Louis XIV's reign ended with illness and a decline in his lavish lifestyle.

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Alice Loxton presents documentaries on History Hit TV, a platform akin to Netflix but solely for history enthusiasts.
History Hit TV offers ad-free documentaries on royal history, with a discount available using the code "real royalty."
Louis XIV, known as the Sun King, sought magnificence in love, battle, and art, particularly at Versailles.
Louis chose Versailles for sentimental reasons, despite its unfavorable location in a mosquito-infested marshland.
Louis hired architect Louis Le Vau to transform the hunting lodge at Versailles into his dream palace.
Louis had numerous affairs, including with his mistress Louise de La Valliere, whom he adored.
Louis' marriage to Queen Marie Therese was politically vital, despite his numerous affairs.
Louis believed himself appointed by God, viewing himself as the ultimate power in the realm.
Louis enjoyed being the center of attention, taking part in performances and dressing up as the Greek god Apollo.
The construction of Versailles involved preserving the old hunting lodge within an envelope of new buildings, a massive and dangerous task involving thousands of workers.

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Louis XIV made Versailles his permanent home, insisting that leading French nobles also live there.
Nobles at Versailles were essential for gaining favor from the king and his ministers.
Finance Minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert was concerned about the cost of accommodating all the nobles at Versailles.
Architect Louis Le Vau's project was completed by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, who added wings to accommodate the court.
Mansart's ambitious plan included building a gallery lined with mirrors, despite delays and cost overruns.
Versailles was a chaotic construction site, with court ladies complaining about the dust and mess.
Louis XIV's extravagant wardrobe and fashion choices influenced the aristocracy.
Court rituals at Versailles included public activities like the royal getting dressed and eating meals.
Versailles served as a showcase for French manufacturers and Louis XIV's claim to European leadership in taste and arts.
Louis XIV's personal life at Versailles included relationships with mistresses and a secret marriage to Françoise d'Aubigné.

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In France, exclusion from the king's side was disastrous for a nobleman, as people spent years seeking a word or gesture from the king.
Louis XIV, a charismatic figure, faced a serious medical issue, an anal fistula, which required risky surgery with a new instrument designed by his senior physician.
Despite efforts to keep it secret, Louis underwent the risky surgery without anesthesia, displaying extraordinary self-control and conducting a council meeting the same night.
Following his recovery, Louis faced challenges including enemies, costly wars, and signing unfavorable peace treaties, leading to a decline in his reign and loss of enthusiasm.
Louis XIV's later years were marked by illness, tragic losses in his family, and a decline in his once lavish lifestyle, ultimately passing away at the age of 76 after a long reign.