The Rise of French Monarchical Power Dominated by Louis Xiv

THE RISE OF
FRENCH MONARCHICAL POWER

D O M I N AT E D BY
LOUIS XIV
The reign of France’s Louis XIV (1638-1715), known as the
Sun King, lasted for 72 years, longer than that of any other
known European sovereign.
• In that time, he transformed the monarchy, ushered in a

golden age of art and literature,
• presided over a dazzling royal court at Versailles,
• annexed key territories and established his country as
the dominant European power.
• During the final decades of Louis XIV’s rule, France was
weakened by several lengthy wars that drained its
resources and the mass exodus of its Protestant
population.
International recognition of French creativity in the arts,
literature, and science formed an integral part of Louis XIV's
strategy to dominate European culture. Recognizing that
political power lay in cultural superiority, and assisted by his
minister, Colbert (Controller General of the Finances, 1662–
1683), Louis XIV (1643–1715) initiated an all-encompassing
cultural program designed to glorify the monarchy in his
person. Fueled by state patronage, this cultural initiative
channeled the creative forces of French elite culture into
academies, luxury goods, industries, technology, engineering
projects, and imperial expansion.
K I N G LO U I S X I V ’ S C O N T R I B U T I O N I N T H E FA S H I O N D E V E LO P M E N T
The rise of Louis XIV, the Sun King, and his court at Versailles, signaled the dawn
of the Classical Baroque era in art, architecture, music, and fashion.
Louis XIV increased and emphasized fashions importance by making it a part of

social edict and increasing rather than belittling its cost. It has been debated
whether or not Louis stressed fashion to the extend he did in order to throw the
nobles into debt, to distract them from scheming or for an entirely different
motive.

motive.
Unlike many courts in Europe in past and present, Louis required a different code
of dress for each formal event. In most countries, one code was set for all
occasion in order to keep clothing inexpensive, whereas Louis’s system sent
many into bankruptcy. One such festivity, which was extremely expensive, was
the carrousel, where various groups of nobles came clad in the most splendid
costumes they could design. If bankruptcy was Louis’s intent, he used fashion in
events like these to cause it. Debt led to constraints and Louis named the terms
of these limitations, thereby making him the most important and most powerful.

motive.
Unlike many courts in Europe in past and present, Louis required a different code
of dress for each formal event. In most countries, one code was set for all
occasion in order to keep clothing inexpensive, whereas Louis’s system sent
many into bankruptcy. One such festivity, which was extremely expensive, was
the carrousel, where various groups of nobles came clad in the most splendid
costumes they could design. If bankruptcy was Louis’s intent, he used fashion in
events like these to cause it. Debt led to constraints and Louis named the terms
of these limitations, thereby making him the most important and most powerful.
The nobility wanted to remain within the higher circles, which were quickly
congealing at the court of Versailles, because it was “believed that mere physical
proximity to the monarch…would elevate them to a higher social level” and the
king spent almost all of his time at court. It was thus necessary to attend all the
fashionable balls and festivities and spend outrageous amounts of money on
new clothing.
It was defined by natural, curving silhouettes,
flowing lines, gold filigree, rich colors, and overall
voluptuousness.

voluptuousness.
Clothing contained an abundance of lace, pearls,
ribbons, and gold embroidery, and was refreshingly
free from the excessive decoration of the
Renaissance.
voluptuousness.
Renaissance.
Fashion changed rapidly: the growing middle class
would copy the styles of the nobles, who would in
turn create new fashions to stay more “refined”
than the middle class. Unlike earlier periods,
where bodices, sleeves, skirts, jackets, and
breeches were made to mix and match, clothing
during this period was made as separate and entire
matching outfits, often made of the same fabric.
voluptuousness.
Renaissance.
This was referred to as en suite, and was the
predecessor for our modern-day “suit.”
voluptuousness.
Renaissance.
Seasonality also began to be widely used, a
grateful relief from yearlong, heavy gowns and
doublets as worn during the Renaissance. The
most important development of this period was
the rise of fashion designers after Louis XIV
certified the establishment of a dress-makers
guild.
voluptuousness.
Renaissance.
Seasonality also began to be widely used, a
grateful relief from yearlong, heavy gowns and
doublets as worn during the Renaissance. The
most important development of this period was
the rise of fashion designers after Louis XIV
certified the establishment of a dress-makers
guild.
This profession contained both men and women.
The most popular designers were well-pursued by
the nobility and even the middle class.

Louis would stage elaborate ball after exquisite party after expensive festival and
require luxurious attire at each one. The nobility wanted to remain within the
higher circles, which were quickly congealing at the court of Versailles, because it
was “believed that mere physical proximity to the monarch…would elevate them
to a higher social level” and the king spent almost all of his time at court.
It was thus necessary to attend all the fashionable balls and festivities and spend
outrageous amounts of money on new clothing. Eventually it was almost certain
the courtier would fall into debt and should they want to remain within the court
they would be required to ask for a loan from the king.
The king would only grant them said loan or even hear their request for the loan if
they had been spending the proper amount of time at court.This endless cycle
kept the nobles trapped in Versailles and focused on the wearing the proper and
most fashionable clothing, which led them to be both too poor and too
preoccupied to revolt against the monarch.
In order to generate competition among his nobles, Louis made his dressing and
undressing in the morning and evening the most important times of the day. Only
the most powerful courtiers were present. It was at this time they could speak
with him.
This made the ability to attend his dressing and undressing extremely desirable
because finding a time to speak with the king could be difficult and he would only
grant an audience if he thought the noble was worthy enough to speak to. Those
that were present at his dressing and undressing had already been established as
worthy and they had a substantial amount of time every day to make a request.
Louis also designed a blue silk jacket, embroidered in silver and gold, which only
his most favoured courtiers were permitted to wear, after they had been granted
permission by the king. Only fifty nobles at a time were approved to wear this
highly fashionable piece of clothing, which meant that even among those that
should by birth be considered one of the king’s favourite, had to fight for it.
As an additional benefit, those with permission to wear the jacket were allowed to
“follow the King on his hunt whenever the wearer wanted.” This, again, required
the aristocrats to spend much of their time at court as well as appearing socially
elevated, which meant they had to wear fashionable clothing.
Louis also extended fashion down to the
middle class to increase his power.
Louis also extended fashion down to the middle class to
increase his power. Any person who was reasonably well
dressed was allowed to enter the Versailles gardens. Instead
of isolating anyone who was anything less than a noble,
Louis extended the exciting prospect of not only being in the
king’s gardens but perhaps even seeing the king to what
middle class there was. This stressed Louis’s power because
it made it clear that the middle class was willing to save their
money just to be in his gardens and, thus, obviously admired
him. While in the gardens, they might also see such events
like the carrousel, which would dazzle and impress them.
The image this gave of the king was that he was very
powerful and very rich.
When Louis came to the throne in 1643, the fashion capital of the world wasn’t Paris, but Madrid. Taste tends to
follow power, and for the past two centuries or so Spain had been enjoying its Golden Age, amassing a vast
global empire that fueled a booming domestic economy. Spanish style was tight and rigid,both physically and
figuratively,and predominantly black. Not only was black considered to be sober and dignified by the staunchly
Catholic Habsburg monarchy, but high-quality black dye was extremely expensive, and the Spanish flaunted their
wealth by using as much of it as possible. They advertised their imperial ambitions, as well, for Spain imported
logwood, a key dyestuff from its colonies in modern-day Mexico. While Spain’s explorers and armies conquered
the New World, her fashions conquered the old one, and Spanish style was adopted at courts throughout
Europe.
Europe.
Just as French aristocrats imported their fashions from Spain, they bought their tapestries in Brussels, their lace
and mirrors in Venice, and their silk in Milan. They didn’t have much choice; France simply wasn’t producing
luxury goods of a comparable quality, and it didn’t have the political, economic, or cultural clout to dictate
fashions to other countries.
Europe.
Just as French aristocrats imported their fashions from Spain, they bought their tapestries in Brussels, their lace
and mirrors in Venice, and their silk in Milan. They didn’t have much choice; France simply wasn’t producing
luxury goods of a comparable quality, and it didn’t have the political, economic, or cultural clout to dictate
fashions to other countries.
Louis XIV set out to change that, and, over the course of his long reign, he succeeded brilliantly. Luxury was
Louis’s New Deal: The furniture, textile, clothing, and jewelry industries he established not only provided jobs
for his subjects, but made France the world’s leader in taste and technology. Louis’s reign saw about one-third of
Parisian wage earners gain employment in the clothing and textile trades; Colbert organized these workers into
highly specialized and strictly regulated professional guilds, ensuring quality control and helping them compete
against foreign imports while effectively preventing them from competing with each other. Nothing that could
be made in France was allowed to be imported; Louis once ordered his own son to burn his coat because it was
made of foreign cloth. It was an unbeatable economic stimulus plan.
As he waged a never-ending series of
expensive wars across Europe, the French
luxury goods industry replenished his war
chest and enhanced the king’s reputation at
home and abroad. Louis transformed
Versailles—a dilapidated royal hunting lodge
buried in the countryside 12 miles from Paris
—into a showplace for the best of French
culture and industry; not just fashion but art,
music, theater, landscape gardening, and
cuisine. A strict code of court dress and
etiquette ensured a steady market for
French-made clothing and jewelry. Louis has
been accused of trying to control his nobles
by forcing them to bankrupt themselves on
French fashions, but, in fact, he often
underwrote these expenses, believing that
luxury was necessary not only to the
economic health of the country but to the
prestige and very survival of the monarchy.
France soon became the dominant political
and economic power in Europe, and French
fashion began to eclipse Spanish fashion
from Italy to the Netherlands. French was
the new black.
Louis chose to dress in bright colors instead of
sober blacks because although black cloth was
extremely expensive and represented sobriety
and piety, Louis was neither particularly
restrained nor conservative in terms of religion
until later in his reign. He held large parties,
stayed up late gambling, and ate extravagant
amounts of food. It was for this reason that he
chose color to express his powerful reign rather
than black. For example, he used the design of
red heels to both draw attention to the feet and
as a symbol for “the elevation of his court above
the rest of humanity”
The red heel eventually became one of the most popular and
widespread trends in Europe. Even William III of Orange, who had
become one of Louis’s most devoted enemies, after Louis attacked
the Dutch Republic, wore red heels. Louis chose to dress in bright
colors instead of sober blacks because although black cloth was
extremely expensive and represented sobriety and piety, Louis was
neither particularly restrained nor conservative in terms of religion
until later in his reign. He held large parties, stayed up late gambling,
and ate extravagant amounts of food. It was for this reason that he
chose color to express his powerful reign rather than black. For
example, he used the design of red heels to both draw attention to
the feet and as a symbol for “the elevation of his court above the rest
of humanity.” The red heel eventually became one of the most
popular and widespread trends in Europe. Even William III of Orange,
who had become one of Louis’s most devoted enemies, after Louis
attacked the Dutch Republic, wore red heels.
It was not long before the fashions of France began to
appear all across Europe. Although it was not fashion that
made France powerful, fashion did make France appear
powerful, especially in terms of its court, which expressed its
power to the outside world by appearing magnificent.
Fashion also provided a sense of national identity and patriotism to the wearer.
Accepting another country’s fashion was, to an extent, accepting that national
identity and wearing French clothes while in England or Germany or
somewhere else outside of France showed respect to France. Fashionable and
expensive clothing was already a sign of power and the spread of French
fashion across Europe and the pride nobles took in wearing it both in and out
of France, was Louis’s way of proving France and its monarch were powerful.
Fashion was also important for a more practical reason; the employment of
the lower class. Louis XIV banned foreign cloth, lace, and trimmings, which
meant fabric had to be made in France by the French. This led to an increase
in velvet and silk in France, while in other countries like England, wool
became more popular. Of the possible accessories and cloth, lace was among
the most difficult and time consuming to make; a narrow strip of lace alone
could take months. Making lace was not usually considered an enjoyable task,
but it was better than having no employment at all and since lace was such a
commodity, a good deal of people had to be making it. The rest of the outfit
was just as expensive and time consuming. A court gown alone was put
together by three people, the tailor, couturier and marchand de modes. It
took several days per gown. French fashion employed roughly “a third of
wage-earners in Paris…It employed 969,863 individuals compared to only
38,000 in the iron and steel industry.” Periods of court morning were said to
be so drawn out and to encompass so many people that those making
clothing, which were a substantial amount of the population, struggled to
survive because no new, expensive clothing was bought for the duration.
Clothing also, to an extent, aided in the circulation of wealth. Although it was
certainly not his main motivation or even necessarily something Louis often
kept in mind, the extravagant fashion did keep many people employed and
the greater employment rate empowered France.
Louis XIV chose fashion because it had historically been
important, often because of its expense and impracticality.
Although not all clothing was uncomfortable, as some of it
was designed specifically to be comfortable, much of it was
painful or difficult to wear. Shoes were narrow, sitting down
in some gowns could be a major feat, most hats were either
ridiculously wide or tall, and the lace, ribbons, feathers, and
mountains of cloth that accompanied every fashionable
outfit could make avoiding collisions and, especially, dining a
near impossibility. For certain occasions noble women were
required to wear the grand habit de cour, a type of dress
with a long train. The longer the train, the more elite the
wearer and the more difficult the train was to manage.
Despite the fact that the dress was impractical in the case of
both the train and the sleeves, which required the wearer to
have bare shoulders in all sorts of weather, it was the height
of fashion.
Women. Women’s clothing became much less
restricting. Flexible stays replaced hard, tight-fitting
corsets. Flowing lace collars replaced stiff ruffs. Large
farthingales were abandoned and skirts were merely
layered or padded at the hips to produce a full,
flowing look. Usually two skirts were worn, the
overskirt (manteau) open at the front and usually
forming a train or bustle at the back, and an
underskirt. Decorative aprons became popular with
the middle classes. The plunging neckline called
the décolletage became common, often accompanied
with wide lace collars. Waistlines were also high
during the first part of the period, though long,
pointed bodices and stiff stomachers came back
during the latter half of the period. Sleeves were
large, gathered at the wrist or elbow and often with
turned-back lace cuffs. They progressively became
more and more ruffled and segmented as the period
progressed. Solid-colored silks and brocades were
used more often than patterned fabrics, and usually
decorations consisted only of lace, tied or rosetted
ribbons, limited embroidery, and simple pearl jewelry.
Women wore their hair in tight curls at the forehead and on both sides of
the head, called “heartbreakers,” during the first half of the period.
However, hairstyles progressively became higher (fontage hairstyles). Lips
and cheeks were often rouged, something previously only done by
courtesans. Face patches made of silk and velvet and cut into small
shapes became very popular. Since people believed water was bad for
the skin, bathing was not a regular activity. To cover up body odor, people
wore profuse amounts of perfume and carried around scented purses.
Shoes acquired
pointed toes and high
heels, but women’s
shoes were ironically
much simpler than
men’s. Jewelry was
very simple during
this period, consisting
of single strings of
pearls or diamonds or
sometimes a ribbon
tied around the neck.
Men. During the early half of the
Baroque period was when the cavalier
style for men emerged (see right image).
It was much less restrained than
Renaissance fashions and copied
women’s styles of the earlier period with
its high waists, wide lace collars, and lace
cuffs. This style also featured knee-high
boots, often turned down with lace, wide-
brimmed hats with feathers, long, loose
hair, pointed beards and moustaches, and
capes thrown over one
shoulder. Pantaloon breeches fell to or
below the knee and were loose. These
were the kind of fashions you would
associate with the “Three Musketeers.”
Further into the reign of Louis XIV,
however, men’s fashions became more
extravagant. Rhinegrave breeches, or
long, loose, overly decorated pants
ending just below the knee (which really
looked like skirts) became popular and
were worn with lace ruffles
called cannons just below them. Large
collars were replaced with long lace
ruffles or jabots at the opening of the
neckline. Square-toed, high-heeled shoes
with rosettes replaced boots. Men curled
their hair and grew it past the shoulders
or simply wore wigs of the same style.
Before the death of the Sun King, men’s
fashions underwent yet another change
(see left image). Breeches became close-
fitting and either tied, buttoned, or
buckled at the knee, with hose worn
underneath. Long coats with braid-
trimmed buttonholes (brandenburgs) and
large, folded-over sleeves were worn
(think Captain Hook here). Scarf-
like steinkirks replaced the jabot. This
suite was refered to collectively as the
Persian style and still serves as the base of
a man’s suit–the coat, waistcoat, and
breeches. Wigs became larger and were
usually powdered white, still elaborately
curled and even longer than before.
LOUIS XIV
REVOLUTIONIZED
POWER DRESSING
No one has been more important to the history of
power dressing than French King Louis XIV.
Power dressing to Louis XIV was an essential strategy in his quest for absolute
power. It created the image of opulence that surrounded him, creating the
eternal image of him as the sun at the center of the metaphorical
galaxy at Versailles.
Starting in 1648 was the civil war known as the Fronde which saw the nobility and French parliament
revolt against Louis XIV’s rule. The rebelling nobles could count among their ranks Louis’ paternal uncle,
Gaston Duc d’Orléans. This was a major blow to Louis’ power and arguably contributed to his great
concern over his kingly status and his distrust of the nobility. Louis’ side later won the civil war and to
commemorate he had a portrait commissioned of himself titled Portrait of Louis XIV as Jupiter
Conquering the Fronde.
Starting in 1648 was the civil war known as the Fronde which saw the nobility and French parliament revolt
against Louis XIV’s rule. The rebelling nobles could count among their ranks Louis’ paternal uncle, Gaston Duc
d’Orléans. This was a major blow to Louis’ power and arguably contributed to his great concern over his kingly
status and his distrust of the nobility. Louis’ side later won the civil war and to commemorate he had a portrait
commissioned of himself titled Portrait of Louis XIV as Jupiter Conquering the Fronde.
Starting in 1648 was the civil war known as the Fronde which saw the nobility and French parliament revolt
against Louis XIV’s rule. The rebelling nobles could count among their ranks Louis’ paternal uncle, Gaston Duc
d’Orléans. This was a major blow to Louis’ power and arguably contributed to his great concern over his kingly
status and his distrust of the nobility. Louis’ side later won the civil war and to commemorate he had a portrait
commissioned of himself titled Portrait of Louis XIV as Jupiter Conquering the Fronde.
The painting, Portrait of Louis XIV as Jupiter Conquering

the Fronde is a dramatic composition which sees Louis
depicted as the King of the Gods, victorious and godlike
as he asserts his image of power. Viewers are directed
to gaze upward at Louis XIV who appears in all his
baroque splendor in classical clothing. However, the
image of a godlike king was incredibly unrelatable to
the average subject so after a series of military
setbacks in the 1670s Louis abandoned the godlike
image for a more relatable modern image.
One of the earlier portraits to achieve this was Claude Lefebvre’s Portrait of Louis XIV in armor. By wearing
armor, Louis alludes to his military strength, his crown and helmet lie beside one another on an embroidered
tapestry of the French Fleur de Lys. It indicates that kingly power and military strengths are one and the same.
The most noticeable part of Louis’ clothing in this portrait is his red stockings and shoes, it represents his
personal change towards power dressing as a political tool.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MHt49P9YgM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX1pqTK_Bko&t=89s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPeFvGME9_0
Biography of the life of Louis XIV The Sun King

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gqG-kdouqw
Movie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzfNF1t5DTk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSZAYuaHxnI

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THE RISE OF

FRENCH MONARCHICAL POWER

• In that time, he transformed the monarchy, ushered in a

Louis XIV increased and emphasized fashions importance by making it a part of

Louis XIV increased and emphasized fashions importance by making it a part of

Louis XIV increased and emphasized fashions importance by making it a part of

The painting, Portrait of Louis XIV as Jupiter Conquering

Biography of the life of Louis XIV The Sun King

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