Henry VIII And Louis XIV Essay Research

Henry VIII And Louis XIV Essay, Research Paper

Henry VIII and Louis XIV

Henry VIII and Louis XIV were both men whose accomplishments on a

national level for their respective countries of England and France were great,

but whose very different personal problems gave them a negative impression in

history.

The two leaders had very different ruling styles, but with a few similar

themes throughout. Perhaps the best thing to look at first is their very

different attitudes toward God and God.s power in monarchy and state. Henry

VIII on England grew up as a very strong Catholic, at the insistence of his

mother and father. He was known to be .a man of daily devotionals, setting an

example for his people. (Canon 76). His own writings, most especially a book of

Catholicism entitled The Sanctoreum earned him the title from Pope Leo III the

title .Defender of the Faith.. His book had served as an answer to the

teachings of Martin Luther, a man whose principals Henry later put into effect

in his very own country, in the Protestant Reformation.

France, however, was a very strongly Catholic country where the Roman

church had a great deal of influence. Louis, although supposed not to be a very

fastidious devote of the religion, or any religion, took part in a minor

reorganization of the Roman Catholic Church inside France. It is apparent now

that Louis basically went along with the reforms dictated by the pope in regards

to religion.

In economic matters, the two rulers perhaps differed even more greatly.

Henry was a fastidious economist, often commenting about the expense of things

at the royal court, and taking action to have whatever the latest offense to the

treasury happened to be. Louis, however, spent extravagantly, sparing no

expense for himself or his nobles. His ultimate goal was once again to make the

court of France the center of fashion and art once again. He created Versailles,

a monstrosity of Baroque art, most of it gilded with pure gold and other

precious metal. It is a sprawling country estate with an even more spectacular

exterior than interior. Louis bankrupted the Treasury of France through another

extrvangance as well: his wars. Louis fought four major wars. His great aim

was to make himself supreme in Europe. As a start, he planned to conquer all

lands west of the Rhine River. He gained several important territories, but was

always checked by the alliances that other countries formed to oppose him. In

the War of Spanish Succession, England took an important part in defeating him,

leading to animosity between the two countries and their respective rulers.

This war, which ended in 1714, left France exhausted and weakened.

Both men had a common ability to see the goodness in other men as royal

advisors. Both hired surprisingly intelligent and wise men to run their affairs

for them, perhaps Henry even more than Louis XIV. One of Henry.s chief advisors

is immortalized in Shakespeare.s .The Life and Times of Kind Henry VIII..

Cardinal Wolsey is spoken of there as .a man such as history had never yet laid

their eyes upon, a man who could have others get his own will enforced.

(Shakespeare 78). Wolsey spent little time at the British court, but the time

he spent was valuable. He served as chief advisor to a young, newly crowned,

and impressionable King Henry. He formed Henry.s ideas about government, spoke

for the monarch in assembly, and reputedly taught Henry everything he knew about

economics from an early age. Two other advisors are also known to history as

serving in Henry.s later life, Thomas Cromwell and Thomas More.

Likewise, Louis XIV, in a mark of true genius, was wise enough to

appoint someone wiser than himself to run the government. He had many, and

oddly, most of their names have been erased from history. Jean Baptise Colbert,

advisor to Louis in his formative years as a monarch, later wrote in prison, .

The man was a fool, but would not surround himself with other fools. (Olivier

178).

In their personal lives, the monarchs had a great number of similarities.

Both Henry VIII and Louis XIV were fond of women, drink, and debate.

Henry is perhaps most famous for his six wives, and the bloody ends that

most of them came to. Out of six, only two were not banished, publicly executed,

or otherwise humiliated. A quick rundown: Katharine Aragon of Spain, Henry.s

first bride. She was banished from royal view and stripped of her title after

she failed to produce sons and Henry fell in love with a young lady in waiting

named Anne Boleyn. Anne Boleyn: was executed for adultery and charges of

witchcraft. Jane Seymour: recorded in history as the only wife Henry truly

loved. Died a few weeks after giving birth to Henry.s much wanted son. Anne of

Cleves: Princess of Germany who was not beautiful in Henry.s eyes, and was sent

away. Catherine Ho

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