This Episode is about Louis XIV’s contribution to Versailles and a bit about his History before he renovated the castle. In the last Episode, I don’t think we mentioned Anne Of Austria’s involvement of Versailles, which is Louis XIV. His expansion is his gift to the world, and boy did he believe it!
He was nicknamed Louis Dieudonne (D-yu-don-ae) aka Louis the God Given. This nickname was given partially because it took a long time for his parents to get around to producing an heir.
But when he was born, man was France happy. He was born at the Palace of Saint-Germain (If you are thinking of the Football team, you aren’t wrong) in 1638. Before we get all the way into XIV’s life and legacy, it is worth pointing out that there was absolutely no shortage of resources on the Sun King. I will only be putting some of the books used for this episode, because most of my research was done with books, and there were so many. In fact, project Gutenberg had about 10 books, and Google Play Books had another 10 for FREE!
Louis XIII died and Louis XIV rose to “power” in 1643, with his mom and his mom’s “friend” Cardinal Mazarin as co-regents. Technically his mom wasn’t supposed to be helping rule the country, but she found her way around that.
Mention The Fronde
Other than being his mother’s “special friend” (JK OKAY, GUYS) Mazarin was Louis’ Prime Minister, and after he died, Louis decided that he wouldn’t need a Prime Minister and would go on ruling as an “Absolute Monarch”. Shortly after the Cardinal’s death Louis also decided that he was going to expand his father’s hunting lodge, Versailles.
It is my belief that he decided to live at Versailles wayyyy before he ever made the proclamation to move the court there, and I believe he was waiting for his PM to die to do so. He had some of the worst experiences at the Louvre, including one where a bunch of protesters broke into his room in the middle of the night, demanding to speak with him (he was 8-9). He was constantly either fleeing the Louvre or being held prisoner.
So, with the excuse of loving the countryside, and a love for hunting, the parties at Versailles grew larger and longer until one day he decided to stay for the rest of his reign. Before his move, though, he had huge parties that would last for days and would annoy his neighbors to no end! His dad’s palace wasn’t quite large enough for these extravagant fete’s. In 1662 he decided to begin the expansion of Versailles. He never quits, either
When his architect, Louis Le Vau, brings XIV the first “draft” for the palace, Louis (king) is NOT HAVING IT. He wants his father’s castle to remain standing. He doesn’t care if this creates problems for his builders and for Le Vau. Is The Sun’s way or no way. That is when the idea of the “envelope” comes into play. It is and expansion of the castle that envelopes the original structure.
40 thousand stonemasons worked on this remodel, and many of them of received 5 sous, a sum that was equivalent to a tablespoon of butter. Not only did he pay next to nothing, but he wrote to the POPE to ask special permission to work these guys on Catholic holidays as well as Saints days. Chip and Jo Gaines would NEVER.
While all this is going on, his advisors are side eyeing him for putting nothing into the Louvre. Keep in mind, Versailles is still just the country home with bangin’ parties. While Versailles gets grander, with men like Andre Le Notre coming in on the project, his ministers attempt to push some of the funding towards the castle that has been broken into and torn at and is currently the seat of power, but Louis rebuttals with a “Nah, Thanks x.o.”
In 1670, Le Vau died and his prodigy, Jules Hardouin-Mansart, took over. Mansart is responsible for the expansion of the south wing, construction of the Hall of Mirrors, the Grand Trianon, and the Chapel (The Chapel took ten years itself to build) Despite Versailles being under constant construction, Louis decided that “ready or not here he comes!” And there he was with his entire court. While his nobles constantly asked to go back to the Louvre, court never left Versailles. Though there were grumbles from the peanut gallery, Louis really began to flex his absolute power over everyone in court. You really needed to be there if you wanted anything, and you had to be there often. Before, Nobles could come and go from court (after being received) and could spend their lives in there respected homes, on their respected lands without worrying whether or not the king knew they existed. He was known to say “I hardly know them” about courtiers who hadn’t put in their “time” with the King, and lack of acknowledgement from the King was the final nail in the coffin. You may as well be literally dead.
As Louis reign went on, the palace go bigger on the outside and life got much smaller on the inside. Louis put all sorts of new etiquette into place. Rules for every shoe made, every shoe worn, and every step that shoe took. But for every rule, there was a reward for those who obeyed. Oh, how would you like a title that grants you no lands, no power, but just sounds nice. Maybe it’s cutting in line at the lever and coucher. Maybe it’s the king asking about your family over dinner. One can hope.
Competition grew fierce for the King’s attention, causing an outbreak known as the Affair of Poisons. The epidemic went as far as the King’s inner circle.
Just like the sun, life revolved around Louis, and as if in direct correlation to the growth of the palace, his ego did grow. Also growing was Europe’s opinion of France’s power. When ambassadors came to visit Versailles they would take with them stories of beautiful women and even better accommodations. The palace was becoming the bar for what royal life was supposed to be. Unless you were English. Or Prussian. Or Austrian...
Louis made no friends with his expensive wars and 20 years worth of debt gone into the castle. 20 years of Frances income went into the Versailles that stands today. That includes the Menagerie, the Gardens, the Grand Trianon, the orange grove that was set just outside the kings window and stayed in bloom all year round for his majesty's pleasure.
Louis moved the capitol from Paris to Versailles in 1682, making no friends amongst the ministers or nobles. First order of business, let’s take care of those pesky Calvinists! The revocation of the Edict of Nantes was signed into law at Versailles in 1685. Not only are we going to persecute the Protestants by tearing up the treaty made to protect them and end a civil war, but we are going to make it so they can’t leave the country. Oh, and King Charles II is on our side, so good luck with that! Now that Louis has reached the same age that his father died, Louis is seriously looking at the sins he has committed in his life. His many mistresses. The many wars won, the many wars lost. The life that he should have been living for his country. This is when Ms. Maintenon enters stage left. Pios, devote Madame Maintenon, known in the context of Versailles as a major BUZZKILL. The parties began to end earlier, the king became more sullen, and less joyful as told by those at court at the time
Major bummer, right?
Wars went on and the treasury dried up, causing some silver palace furniture to be discreetly shipped away and melted down as payment for soldiers.
His whole life he collected beautiful objects, hosted magnificent parties and plays, and was renowned for his dalliances. His reign is the longest in the history of European Monarchies.
He contracted gangrene and died in 1715 after 72 years on the throne.
Comment below if you are interested in any extra reading! Also, check out youtube for some cool documentaries. And as always en.chateauversailles.fr has all the best regarding Versailles