The Unstable Childhood of a Young Monarch

France was politically unstable in the mid seventeenth century, and having a king who was too young to participate in government only made the situation worse. There were civil wars and rebellions as different groups within society fought to make the child king their puppet. Louis had a political vision for the french monarchy, and building up his own majesty was part of it. Even the decadent palace he built at versailles served important political purposes. Forcing the aristocracy to live at his court and attend to him put louis at the centre of the french aristocracys social and domestic lives. He also spent lavishly on the military, which was massively expanded and improved under his rule.