How was Louis XIII and Louis XVI alike?

Answer 1

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Answer 2

Peter the Great was an absolutist ruler because of a want for power and a belief that the power was his by right. He was traumatized at the age of 1o when he was first made the Tzar by a rebellion of the Strelzi who brutally killed two of his uncles, and over 60 people including his adviser Matveev hacking him to death in front of him. After that he hated the Streltsi and did not trust the aristocrats who encouraged this offering cash rewards for the murder of these people. Louis had a similar wish and belief, having been traumatized as a child by nobles during the Fronde in his youth, in which he had to hide with his mother from a similar rebellion. There was also in both a form of self-preservation. Both rulers had to subdue their respective nobility.

Peter the Great was obsessed with the practical and improving the economy of Russia. To make it a respected trading partner he turned a number of practices on their ear, such as outlawing the beard, a traditional part of Russian custom, and changing the style of women's clothing to a less cumbersome western one. He also made smuggling a light offense and got rid of tariffs on merchants, as well as starting many industries and mines. Most of his efforts were on getting connected with Europe by getting a sea port in a landlocked country and trade routes to Asia. He was labeled the Antichrist by the Orthodox church which was very conservative and competed with him for control of Russia. Louis XIV was the ultimate in a European power and all of Europe imitated his court and his manners. Like Peter he overhauled the method of taxing, cut nobles out of the collection with risen commoners entirely loyal to him given high positions. Like Peter and all effective monarchs of the time, he moved the country to mercantilism. Louis XIV effectively placed the country in a financial position just good enough to keep them out of treacherous waters. Peter came from a poor country and ran them almost bankrupt by 1722 but he spent the money in an manner that improved the future of his country. He spent it on wars for trade gain and sending aristocrats to gain needed skills as well as bringing in foreigner. Peasants in France were drafted into a month of work on a country-wide project each year as a show of how directly he controlled all aspects of his empire. Peter had a conscription system in which the aristocrats had to serve without end or lose their estates. Peasants who were drafted had a 25 year term of military service. They deserted at a rate of over 50% each year.

Peter the Great started all Russian naval enterprises, though his father tried and failed to make ships and a navy. Louis focusing on a large standing army and even larger wartime army. Peter had great success because the most powerful country in Europe at the time, Sweden was defeated by him after entering Russia with its large size, bitter winter and poor roads. He won in Persia also because they chose to surrender to him rather than the Ottomans. Louis XIV did well in the first part of his reign and poorly at the end. He was not able to put his grandson on the throne of France and Spain, and Peter who always did well but lacked all dignity could not keep his own Grandson Peter II off the throne despite his best efforts. Both rulers saw the importance of a strong army as part of their control.

Louis' most visible legacy was the great palace of Versailles, a model for all future rulers that wanted to demonstrate power and control. At the same time, Versailles was used to lure the restless nobility who saw their power equated to their ability to reside in luxury. At Versailles, the aristocracy was kept busy with endless parties and concerts, hunting and gambling, and dozens of diversions. In the midst of it all was the sun king, the epitome of absolute rule. As before mentioned, the intendant system was another method of keeping the nobility from maintaining power under his rule.

In Russia, Peter's 1703 construction of St. Petersburg on the Neva River achieved similar purposes. It was his "window to the west." Originally built as a fortress in the quest to deprive Sweden Baltic dominance, the city came to represent the ideals of Peter's vision. Peter's control of the nobility was linked with this city. He required all nobles to move there and as it was very far north, it cost far more than remaining on their estates. The two were opposites in that Louis XIV was very fond of ritual attending to the smallest detail at Versailles. His door was to be scratched on with the nail of the small finger, one had to have a mistress even if you loved your wife. He invented the term etiquette for cards he passed out telling guests what was permitted at his gatherings. Peter hated ritual. He said the nobles were not to spend a fortune on clothes, address him with his titles, bow, etc. Finally he told his advisers on his only trip to France right after the death of Louis XIV that the wealth of the aristocrats would be its downfall as the peasants were so poor. He saw that this would be their major problem.

Both Peter and Louis died leaving an uncertain future. Peter declared that he would say who succeeded him and then died saying "Give all to.." never finishing his sentence. Peter's second wife, Catherine, ruled with the help of advisers and for two years. Essentially Peter continued to rule through the vindictive but brilliant Menshikov. Following her death Russia continued to follow the lead of Germany and the west and never returned to Asiatic customs. In France, a regency oversaw the interests of the infant king left behind.