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Louis XIV. Photo courtesy of

Top 10 Facts about Centralisation of Power in France by Louis XIV

Louis XIV was a French king who lived between 1638 and 1715. He was born in Saint-German-en-Laye and assumed the throne at the age of four after the death of his father, King Louis XIII. This saw his mother rule for some time as he came of age. He was thoroughly educated by his grandfather Cardinal Mazarin and his mother Anne. He was however coroneted at the age of fifteen but took over absolute power over France seven years later after the death of his grandfather.

He was referred to as the Sun King for his exceptional rule and ability to centralize power in the French monarchy during his reign. He has his place in the history of France as the most influential and famous king in European history. He was successful in centralizing power in which France was the dominant power in the entire of Europe.

Below are the top ten facts about the centralization of power in France by Louis XIV

1. The Nobles had significant powers before France Centralization

Nobles. Photo by Jan Matejko.

In the reign of his father, Louis XIII, the nobles had many powers and controlled most of the activities in the monarchy. After the death of his father, the nobles took advantage of the young king, and this led to the period known as the Fronde. During this period the federal lords and the sovereign courts resulted in a rebellion as a result of the rise of royal power.

The nobles had the power to raise their armies and that meant that the king depended on them to defend the nation. The lesser nobles were knowledgeable in reading and writing and they acted as the agents of the king and representatives of the government.

2. The Inner Circle of the King was the Royal Council in Richelieu’s days

The royal council was a powerful body that was appointed by the monarch and consisted of nobles. The council was tasked with advising the king and mainly consisted of three to four nobles. This council excluded the king’s relatives and the king. They were referred to as ministers but did not hold any rights to the title. One ceased to be a minister if the king decided not to summon them.

The royal council of king Louis was Nicolas Fouquet who was later withdrawn, Hugues de Lionne, and Michel le Tellier. During the early years of Louis, the royal council dominated the government but was under the jealous eye of the king.

3. All Important matters of the State Were Examined at the High Council

In the process of centralization of powers in France by Louis, all important matters of the state were discussed and decided at the high council. In this case, the high council involved the king’s ministers who were expected to provide sound advice and opinions on the matters. They gave their opinions and advice on all matters of their expertise and beyond. However, throughout the reign of king Louis, he appointed seventeen ministers to his service. All the decisions were however overseen and met in the presence of the king.

4. The Council of Interior was Responsible for Home Affairs

Photo courtesy of

Apart from the king’s council that made most of the important matters of the state, there were more loosely councils that were tasked with specific responsibilities.

The council of the interior was tasked with handling the home affairs which also included the activities of the intendants. However, the meetings and the decisions of the council were presided over by the king. The council advised the king on matters of home affairs and ensured a sound judgment.

5. All the Councils Were Presided over by the King

The councils included the high council which was made up of the king’s minister, the council of the interior and the Royal Council of Finances. The royal council of finances was tasked with financial matters of the king’s domain lands.

All the councils were presided over by the king who mostly had the final say in most matters after contemplations and advice from the members. However, the royal council could meet in the absence of the king and deliberate on administrative and judicial matters.

6. The king used provisional Intendant to execute Decisions agreed by the High Council

Intendant. Photo courtesy of wikimedia commons

The intendants were the administrative officers during the ancient regime in France. They were appointed by the king and served as the king’s agents in the provinces. All the decisions were reached by the high council and were carried out by the intendants. They were the chief instruments of the king in the administration of his government. The intendants remained functional from 1640 until 1789 when the Declaration of the rights man and of the Citizen was enacted.

7. The Intendancies were Chief instruments used in the Centralization of France

Under the French monarchy, intendancies were the main instruments used in the centralization of France. While the king and the royal councils made decisions, these decisions were implemented by the intendancies at the provincial level. It was at the provincial level that they excised the power of police and enforce the laws, enforce censorship as well as handled financial affairs at the community level.

8. King Louis XIV Reduced the Powers of the Nobles Significantly

Louis XIV of France. Photo by Hyacinthe Rigaud.

The nobles had much power which saw the king rely on them. They also raised armies and the kings would rely on them to defend the state. The king required that the nobles spend some time of the year at the palace of Versailles as courtiers in residence.

The powers of the nobles were brought down under the watch and control of the royal government. When they were granted residence in Versailles they gave up their former duties to the royal council. This was an initiative of centralizing the state.

9. All the Social Classes were under the Royal Council

King Louis XIV was determined to ensure that all the institutions and the social class were under the royal council which was also his ministers. In this case, he was able to bring everyone under his control. The powers that from ages belonged to the nobles began to lose ground and the political significance of his ministers was established.

10. What were the Outcomes of the Centralization of France?

The centralization of France resulted in the removal of castles and the powers of the nobles thus centralizing powers to the king and the Ministers. The government ministers were also replaced and the financial policies crafted by Colbert reduced the state’s debts to significant amounts. It also resulted in reduced dominion of France Kingdom and the rise of other kingdoms

The centralization of France by king Louis XIV involved several changes and adaptations. However, it resulted in positive and other negative consequences.