How Did Louis’s Vanity Influence Royal Policy?

2. How did Louis’s vanity influence royal policy?

King Louis’s vanity influenced much of the royal policies. Policies changed drastically due to King Louis’s vanity; his need of admiration and glorification. Nobles took advantage of King Louis’s vanity weakness by flattering him to elevate themselves in royal status creating social instability. This flattery also led to military glorification which led to wars creating political instability. Over all, King Louis’s vanity created instability socially and politically.

Vanity can always interfere with many tasks, and for King Louis it did exactly that. Not only did King Louis vanity interfere with his tasks and king but also created problems. Due to King Louis vanity, he found himself “involved…in major wars”. King Louis’s need to be admired and glorified as a superior general “kept France at war for thirty-three of the fifty-four years of his personal rule”(Absolutism and Constitutionalism). King Louis being at war almost for the his full reign brought much political instability. Louis last war ended horribly bring high taxes, crop failure, mal nutrition and death which meant political, social, and economical decline. Due to mal nutrition, and death society population decreased, due to high taxes and crop failure the economy deteriorated and political weakness came along as well. King Louis vanity weakness also created social instability by allowing ministers and secretaries to rank up in status. Ministers and secretaries simply fed King Louis compliment after compliment praising him and glorifying him. By doing so they “raised themselves above all ranks” soon secretaries and ministers were taking privileges of the nobility. As the document states these ministers and secretaries soon began to eat at the table with King Louis and riding in the royal coaches. This created instability because now, one did not have to work for their place in nobility, one could simply flatter and praise King Louis and receive royal treatment. Over all King Louis vanity created political, social, and economical instability and influenced royal policies drastically.

4. How did Louis control