10 Life Lessons From Louis XIV

Louis XIV was King of France and Navarre from 1643 to 1715. His reign was one of immense transformation. France emerged as the leading power in Europe, not just in military or political affairs, but in the arts and culture as well. Louis tamed the nobility, made immense territorial gains, and ended the traditional Spanish threat by placing his grandson on that country’s throne.

Throughout his long life, Louis had an insatiable desire for glory. Unknown to most, Louis left a significant collection of memoirs. Below are some of the most relevant lessons Louis has to teach us:

 1. Learn From History and Follow the Examples of Other Great Men

“Whoever is poorly informed cannot avoid poor thinking.”

Louis knew that he needed to learn the lessons that other men could teach. Just as we are learning from him, he learned from others:

“It is not sufficient for a prince who wishes to distinguish himself merely to know what is passing in his time, but he ought also to inform himself of every remarkable circumstance which took place at a more remote period. I considered that the knowledge of those great events which have taken place in different centuries, when meditated upon by a solid and active mind, tend to fortify reason in all important deliberations; that the example of those illustrious men which antiquity furnishes would supply useful hints for war or peace, and that an enlightened mind, intent on the ideas of those glowing virtues, would ever find a stimulus to the practice of great actions.”

2. Shut the Fuck Up

“One of the best experiences to practice is to listen oftener than to speak; for it is a difficult matter for persons who are fond of speaking to refrain from saying too much.”

Madame de Calyus, writes of him:

“He carefully examined the respective dispositions and thoughts of his hearers: he was extremely prudent: he knew how every word a monarch utters is canvassed over in public, and he often kept to himself those discoveries his penetration had enabled him to make. If important affairs were the subject in question, the most learned persons were astonished at the knowledge he displayed; they saw that he was more thoroughly conversant with the matter than they, and were charmed with the manner in which he expressed his thoughts.”

Equestrian Portrait of Louis XIV (1638-1715) (oil on canvas)

3. Regulate Your Conduct Wisely

As Louis found it necessary to regulate his speech wisely, he says the same regarding one’s conduct and moral character:

“A bloody and ferocious temper is despicable in a man, and beneath the dignity of a king.”

[…]

“On every occasion declare yourself to be on the side of virtue and against vice.”

[…]

“The greater the merit and virtue of the prince, the harder the envious will try to dim his brilliance. Some faults will be attributed to him which he is entirely innocent. A sovereign cannot live too wisely or too innocently. It is not enough to provide for general affairs, but you must regulate your own morals.”

4. Make Decisions with Conviction

What separates the successful from the unsuccessful is the ability to make good decisions and follow them through. On this matter, Louis writes:

“There are often troublesome occasions which may cause you to hesitate in making a decision, but once you do, and think you have seen the best course, you must take it.”

[…]

“Uncertainty will sometimes make a prince pass painful moments; but when a reasonable time has been bestowed on the examination of an affair, he must take a determination according to his best judgment, without protracting that state of suspense any longer.”

However, Louis warned not to make decisions too hastily:

“Better to conclude our business late than to ruin it by precipitancy. Our impatience only tends to delay that which we eagerly wished forward.”

Louis_XIV,_King_of_France

5. Get off Your Ass

Louis did not make France the leading power by engaging in idle hedonism. He devoted himself to his work so much that on the same day he had an operation for an anal fistula in 1686 (an extremely serious condition at the time), he still attended his council meeting. He notes:

“You will always find in me the same perseverance in labor, the same firmness of resolution, the same love for my people, the same passion for the prosperity of my state, and the same ardor for true glory.”

Louis decided to work twice daily with various people in addition to his other work:

“I cannot tell you what fruits I immediately gathered from this decision. I could feel my spirits and courage rising. I discovered something new about myself and joyfully wondered how I could have ignored it for so long. That first shyness, which always comes with good sense and which was especially disturbing when I had to speak at some length in public, vanished in less than no time. I knew then that I was king and born for it.”

The biggest impediment to glory is doing nothing. This is suicide by stasis, and I know this intimately because that’s how I used to be. Louis warns:

“Nothing is more taxing than prolonged idleness. You will be disenchanted first with affairs, next with pleasures, and third with idleness itself. You will seek everywhere in vain for what cannot be found. That is the problem with rest and leisure without some labor to precede it.”

6. Have No Favorites

Louis, in consolidating power, made sure to elevate himself. He understood the danger of placing too much esteem even in his own family, as such attachments could prove dangerous:

“Have no attachment ever to anyone.”

[…]

“In consequence of the friendship which I entertained for my brother, I could have wished never to deny him anything, but aware of the consequence this encroachment might be, I let him know, immediately, with all possible delicacy, that I could not grant his request; that I was willing to do everything to elevate him beyond my other subjects, but that such demands which seemed to interfere with my dignity, I thought it my duty to refuse.”

LeBrun_Louis_XIV_at_Douai_in_the_War_of_Devolution_1667

7. Your True Friends Are Never Yes Men

“Love all people attached to you, do not give preference to those who flatter you most, and hold in high esteem those who for a good cause venture to displease you. They are your real friends.”

[…]

“Praise is very delicate, and we should be careful how we are caught by its dazzling appearance, as it requires much to discern our flatterers from our real admirers.

[…]

“Supposing that we conceive ourselves deserving of which is spoken in our favor, instead of contenting ourselves with the praises which we have received, they ought to serve us as a stronger stimulus to merit new encomiums; for this is one of those mediums whereby the elevated may be distinguished from those who never rise beyond mediocrity; to behold the latter charmed with the empty noise of applause which is incessantly flattering their ears, abandoning themselves to inactivity and indolence, eager to persuade themselves that they have done enough; while the former seem never fully satisfied.”

8. Maintain The Frame of the Master

Louis was a firm believer in his divine right to rule. When it comes to maintaining this frame, Louis has much to say:

“The mistakes I have made, and which have caused me infinite trouble, have been caused by kindness, and by allowing myself to surrender too heedlessly to the advice of others.”

[…]

“Never allow yourself to be ruled. Have no favorites or prime minister. Listen to and consult with your council, but decide yourself.”

[…]

“Nothing is so dangerous as weakness, of whatever kind it be. To command others, one must raise oneself above them; and after having heard all sides one must decide on the judgment one may come to with an open mind, always keeping in view to order or do nothing unworthy of the character one bears.”

Louis also understood the psychology and arrogance of the mob. In this day and age especially, his advice is sage:

“In a popular assembly, the more you assent to, the more they grasp after: the more you caress them, the more they will despise you; and that which they are once put in possession of is retained by so many hands that you cannot deprive them of it but by extreme violence.”

[…]

“Of so many persons who compose those assemblies, the most ignorant are those who often take the greatest liberties; and if you pay any deference to their opinion on any occasion, they pretend to the right ever after to regulate your projects according to their own fancy.”

Louis Embassy

9. Never Take Serious Advice From Women

Louis had many mistresses during his reign. This combined with his astute mastery of power meant he was speaking from extensive experience:

“In the same manner as a fortified place is attacked, so is the heart of a prince. An artful woman first sets about removing all who are not in her own interests; she inspires us with suspicions against some and excites our displeasure against others, in order that she and her friends alone may be listened to; and unless we are well on our guard against these practices, we are exposed to the necessity of giving offense to every person in order to gratify her alone.

[…]

“From the instant that you allow a woman the liberty of speaking to you on affairs of importance, it is impossible but what she must mislead you. This predilection we feel for her induces us to approve of arguments that are bad in themselves. She infallibly adopts ill-timed and pernicious resolutions.

[…]

“We have no means left to escape than to forbid their speaking about any subjects, save those of pleasure and amusement, and make up our minds not to believe any of their suggestions concerning matters of business.

[…]

“I will confess, however, that a prince whose heart is strongly possessed by love, being at the same time disposed to esteem her whom he loves, will find it hard to observe these precautions; but they are most indispensable and it is for want of their being attended to that we behold in history so many fatal instances of royal houses extinct, thrones destroyed, provinces laid waste, and empires overturned.”

10. You Alone Are Responsible For Your Fortune

Most people blame something else for the misfortunes suffer. This is a form of narcissism, because it holds the implicit belief that they are infallible. We’ve all fallen into this trap, and modern society only coddles this flaw. Louis admonishes this mindset:

“The greater part of mankind are accustomed to regulate their conduct by their humor more than by their reason, and very often have nothing to guide them in their designs but their honor and their passions, that disposition of theirs, which always remains the same, always keeps them in the same route; so that in any disorders which they see in their affairs, or any misfortunes which happen to them, they have not the good sense to seek the cause in their conduct, but they impute every evil to the simple caprices of Fortune, and do not consider that if after they had felt her first blows they had adopted a new method of acting with her, they would most assuredly have secured themselves from greater evils; for it is certain that one of the safest remedies against the changes of Fortune is to know how to change with her, and you ought not to think my son, that the firmness of which I spoke to you at other times is at all opposed to the maxim which I have established for your guidance here, as that virtue does not consist in always doing the same thing, but in doing the thing which tends to the same end.”

Equestrian_portrait_louis_xiv_1692

Read More: Lessons From The Life Of Casanova

138 thoughts on “10 Life Lessons From Louis XIV”

  1. It’s always a pleasure to read about great leaders of the past. Leaders of today are lying sacks of shit and celebrity baboons like Tony Blair, Harper, and Obama.

        1. Here in the States we’ve solved that problem by allowing them to be elected by Diebold electronic voting machines now, instead of people. That’s us, problem solvers!

        2. You echo my thoughts. Even in the case of small local elections which would not merit such fraud, the candidates are bought and paid for in advance. Gone are the days where ordinary people can simply enter their name on a ballot, participate in a debate or two, and stand a chance of winning an election. Voters sleepwalking though the process does not contribute to success either. I fear we have long ago lost our Republic.

        3. Well, we “decide” who’s the lesser evil and hope for second worse.

    1. Leaders men of the past often had great flaws to accompany thier virtues. I wouldn’t even flatter modern leaders by saying they are evil or deeply flawed. They are simply spineless mediocrities.
      Great post by the way Libertas. Writing a post drawing lessons from well known and lesser known men from history would be some good homework for all of us.

        1. Great blog. Can you recommend a book with a good 10,000 foot view of French history? BTW I read recently that the monarchy held only loose control of France during the 1700s, most of France being nearly uncharted backwoods, similar to how Germany did not exist as a single nation until the late 1800s. True or false?

        2. I’m not too sure. The monarchy’s authority and reputation did begin to deteriorate rapidly during the reign of Louis XV, but it was still strong enough that Louis XV abolished the parlement.
          Germany on the other hand was a hodge podge and remained so until the latter 19th century. France was much more centralized from the late Middle Ages onward.

        3. France was much closer to an absolute monarchy than other states in Europe. I’ve read that the kings of France were able to start strengthening their power to the detriment of the nobility thanks to the decisiveness of the Battle Of Bouvines. The Holy Roman Empire was a collection of small principalities and electorates. The nature of the “Empire” prevented the Emperors from wielding too much power. Eventually, Prussian leadership unified the German people (except for those living in Austria and Switzerland). While Gaul was 80% forested, during the Middle Ages, forest cover in France dropped to 50%, then to 15% at the end of the 18th century. Even if you are using “backwoods” to mean “wilderness”, France was a country with a high population that was widely dispersed, so it’s not like there was nothing outside the biggest cities. There were many small towns and many, many villages. And as to “uncharted”, France was the first large country to have a map of it made through triangulation (thus far more accurate than previous maps, which were based on guesses and estimates), and this happened at the end of the 18th century.

    2. That’s a grossly erroneous statement. Sacks of shit are good for crops, while celebrity baboons are colourful, interesting and well-groomed.

    3. fucking retard, that’s exactly the point: you must be a lying sack of shit and a celebrity baboon. And guess what, Louis XIV was too, and it looks like he got you too.

  2. unfortunately he did not transfer this good advice to his offspring.

    1. To be fair, Louis XV was his great-grandson rather than his son, so there’s that logistical problem. And Louis XVI was XV’s grandson.

    2. This seems a good observation on exceptional leaders. That all it takes is one incompetent son or whom ever comes after him to completely wreck all the work he has done for good and even make it worse.
      It is easier to destroy than to create.

      1. Agreed with only a few exceptions. It’s why the pre-Norman invasion Anglo-Saxon system of selecting their cynnig was far better than the Latin inspired hereditary model as it relied more on a nascent form of meritocracy as opposed to somebody being granted a privilege simply for being the correct sperm to fertilize the queen’s egg. Alas but that the Norman invasion put the kibosh to that way of doing things. End of the day, you live and learn. Well, you live at any rate.

      2. Your observation is spot on.
        There is a old Chinese saying, approximately: “Money doesn’t pass three generations”. Save exceptional measures being taken to brainwash mediocre heirs and safeguard wealth and good across future generations, one can rest assured that the descending one or two generations after him will probably wreck everything.
        This happens because of how genetic mixing operates in human reproduction.
        How many cases of outstanding parents with retarded, ‘loser’ sons or daughters have you personally met or know about? I’d bet that’s a sizable number. Sexual reproduction is a WILD lottery and genes get so RANDOMLY mixed up in the process than even if the reproducing parents are outstanding individuals the result could EASILY be less than average. The probability of this happening increases as the generational gap from the originating outstanding parents increases. Hence the consequences.
        If you’re an overachiever with children you need to take extra steps to make sure your children and hopefully step children will not undo all your work, if they are sub par. Past two generations one will be long gone and not remembered of by his descendants, unless he was truly exceptional during his life. People into ‘dynasty building’ have the odds against them.

  3. Never take serious advise from women???
    and you say you’re not a misogynist website? omg, this like literally the most misogynistic thing I have ever read. It is very direct and dry misogyny, its like “yeah, women suck”
    go fuck yourself, bunch of small dicked virgins living in your mothers basements trying to act wise behind a screen

    1. By the way,any guys here looking for an empowered 45 year old single Mom with a degree in Women’s Studies and three cats?

      1. HAHAHA!!!!! Yes, In fact, Im going to let her learn the way of the Sun King himself….by getting an anal fistula.

      2. “It is very direct and dry misogyny, its like “yeah, women suck””
        Yeah, its somewhat like the “if women were in charge, everything would be oh so better” argument that you “Feminist warriors” like to put forth.
        ” go fuck yourself, bunch of small dicked virgins living in your mothers basements trying to act wise behind a screen.”
        The authors of this forum include top-notch gamers like Roosh who have fucked more women than they can be bothered to count. Perhaps its you who have been under-fucked on account of the fact that you’re as big as a house down there ? Maybe part of the reason why your husband left you ?
        “empowered 45 year old single Mom with a degree in Women’s Studies and three cats?”
        A 45 year old menopausal trollop, with an “empowered” attitude because of what? she did a degree in some useless, impractical, politically correct course, already has a baggage to support and THREE cats for fucks sake!
        RETCH!! The only people interested in you would be retarded Manginas (far too common sadly).

  4. “Shut The Fuck Up” – sage advice indeed. No wonder one of the commentaries from the Hagakure stipulates that the wisest of men has the look of knowing nothing at all. His extreme transcendence simply makes his unfathomable even to other learned personalities, to say nothing of the average commoner.

    1. The smartest people I’ve met have all had two things in common – humility and gratitude for everything.

      1. Easy to follow. Women despair of trying to give me advice that I overrule. I occasionally empower them by asking their opinion on things that have already been decided. They make sure to provide the correct answer.

        1. I agree with this.
          I’ve seen the ill fate of young men who give up on their dreams to satisfy what a women says she wants.
          At the same time I wouldn’t say that you can’t learn anything from dealing with a woman. I’ve met women that are far more successful and intelligent than many confused young men. In this case I’d take the advice of someone who has the most experience with a subject.
          Just keep in mind she has her own agenda, and to her u are replaceable (in western society this is often the case).

        2. If I’m paying her for her advice I’ll certainly pay attention. My physio is female and certainly knows her stuff!

        3. well if im paying a prostitute to show me how to fuck a girl sure i might take her advice (shes been on the train to pound town after all) but id rather listen to you guys and see what you all think first because women cant make up their minds in the first place

      2. “An artful woman first sets about removing all who are not in her own interests; she inspires us with suspicions against some and excites our displeasure against others, in order that she and her friends alone may be listened to; and unless we are well on our guard against these practices, we are exposed to the necessity of giving offense to every person in order to gratify her alone.”
        That’s easily the most important part of the quote. One must watch the behavior that seeks to separate a man from his own pack and indoctrinate him into hers. Any woman caught acting in this way is one not to be listened to.

      3. Oh yes. Never worry yourselves about taking advice from us. We control you without your knowing. Ignorance is bliss.

        1. Very much like any of your exploits in bed…that is if you HAVE any, which I highly doubt.

        2. I guess you’ll just have to find out for yourself. But then I’m sure an ugly butch like yourself wouldn’t know about sensational sex either, considering the lack men who aren’t manginas to grace the likes of you with their cock.

        3. LOL How would you know what I even look like, you idiot? You have to resort to name calling because you are all about FAIL. And as for implying I don’t get sex…nice try. You know it’s not hard for girls to get laid. Duh.

        4. It certainly is hard for below average butches to get laid. Common sense apparently isn’t that common.

        5. You implied the same thing about him, without knowing anything about him. You resorted to insults because YOU are the one about FAIL. It’s not hard for women to get sex, but it is hard for women like you to get sex from real men.

        6. Except when you meet an abusive creep. Then it’s move in with him, get knocked-up and whine about how hard it is to leave Creep Face. Yeah, real control.

        7. “Don’t hate because you can’t have me.”
          Strange. You actually made me laugh. Bitches be crazy.
          Anyways, I would sooner sodomize myself with a broomstick than “have” you.
          Who are your fans anyways, liberal, marxist leaning, so called “intellectuals” with some or the other worthless degree in say “Hispanic Gay studies”?

        8. Ohhhh somebody didn’t get da pussy and is butthurt that someone else won it…Poor boopsy-woo!

        9. Actually, I’m a girl so I like the bone, not the pussy. I wouldn’t call co-habitating with a retard creep “winning”.

        10. So why do you have a cat as your avatar? You really that much of an eyesore? Listen, I’m taken. I know you want me, but I don’t fuck monkeys.

  5. Man, another great post – you guys are on a roll the last couple of days. Thank you for sharing! Perhaps this is simply because of my preferences, but if others feel this is as great a post as I do, why can’t we have more consistent quality? Instead of the hits and misses. You don’t need shit to make the pearls appear shinier. Gems will always be gems, and will attract the kind of people that recognize them as such.

    1. I’m glad you like this post, but look at the comment count. Posts like this get low page view counts and engagement compared with more exciting topics, but I publish them because I enjoy them personally.
      Readers need to step out of their bubble and understand we can’t cater completely to their tastes. We cater to a wide spectrum, meaning you will love one post but hate the next.
      If you don’t like a post, take a deep breath and move on with your day. If you like a post, extract the value from it and thank god for ROK.

      1. It does offset the clickbait, racebaiting articles so good on you for bringing balance to the force.

    2. Thanks, if you like, I have a longer version of this post on my own blog with more passages. I had to shorten it for brevity:
      http://masculineepic.blogspot.com/2014/06/ten-lessons-in-life-from-louis-xiv.html
      And if you really like it, I would suggest reading the memoirs for yourself.
      And as Roosh says, you unfortunately need to have your more trashy topics to get more traffic and increase revenue. As a website owner myself I understand this completely. Unfortunately that is the way of the mob.
      I just think of it this way: the trashy stuff allows for guys like Quintus and Wycked to continue to do their posts.

    3. Good article…and it’s always a good thing to have a little variety.
      I can tell you (from experience) that you’ll read stuff (today) that will seem interesting to you. But, in a few years, you may come back to another topic (article) that will be very interesting to you.
      I try to ‘review’ what I’ve learned every 5 years; see how far along I’ve come on the journey through life (gathering wisdom). It’s very different, say from 25 yrs old to 30 yrs old..and so on.
      Try it…and see how much you’ll find yourself growing.

    1. Your articles on historical case studies of masculinity have been excellent as well. Definitely an inspiration to write a post like this one.

  6. I would imagine it would be easy to get off your ass with an anal fistula, lolz

  7. After reading about how the French wrecked their society in the French Revolution article and how the French sided with the Turks in the Lepanto article, it’s good to see that they had their good days.

    1. actually, despite his mistreatment in the Disney version of the Three Musketeers, Cardinal Richeliu was perhaps the greatest Frenchman of all time. He was utterly loyal to France, used his position and influence to keep the other threatening powers warring with each other instead of threatening France, and even his power bidding with the throne was built on the fact that Louis was a piece of shit little boy with delusions of grandeur.
      He kept France out of three wars and helped consolidate it as (temporarily) ‘the’ superpower in Europe.
      The French are notable for their great leaders, statesmen, and builders, for allowing themselves to be led just to the very edge of greatness… and then tearing those leaders down and destroying them and themselves in the process. The French have a failure complex, and the better they are off, and the more powerful they become as a people, the harder they sabotage it. Look at Today’s France for a perfect example of the garbage that they have happily trampled their own nation into… reveling in filth, perversion, and self-destruction is the only thing that can make them happy.

      1. I can’t agree more with you on the topic of Richelieu who was a really brilliant statesman.
        I find the usual french bashing disappointing however. You obviously don’t know what you’re talking about…

        1. What specifically do you disagree about? It isn’t bashing, it seems a rather blatantly obvious historical observation. The French have had so many uprisings and revolutions that it’s hard not to notice. Hell they still manage to go out and have revolts over things as trivial as corn.
          As to modern France I would disagree somewhat with him, insofar as the French countryside is relaxed, beautiful and filled with wonderful and mostly content people (excepting when a farm political issue comes to light). Paris I’m of mixed opinion, it’s quite beautiful and elegant, but it’s hard not to notice the graffiti when arriving in Nord du Gare, and it doesn’t take but walking off the well beaten tourist path to start encountering seedy and sleazy sex stores. That said, this is an epidemic in the West, not just France.

        2. I disagree with the following statement, which is blind french bashing : “Look at Today’s France for a perfect example of the garbage that they have happily trampled their own nation into… reveling in filth, perversion, and self-destruction is the only thing that can make them happy.”
          “garbage”, “filth”, “perversion”, seriously ? I don’t think we are better than the other nations but I think we definitly don’t deserve that. It seems quite insulting and just plain wrong.

        3. It’s true across the West, not just France. I don’t know how he meant it, but if I were to say such things I’d probably state it in a similar manner, but not keep it restricted to France. The London riots a little over a year ago, or the Greek chaos, are proof enough that the epidemic is spread far and wide
          I mean come on, one need only pass ten seedy sex shops in back alleys a couple of times before one starts to feel dirty. This is true in Paris as much as it’s true in New York City or Chicago or New Orleans. And the riots across the West, including such idiocies as the Occupy movement in these united States, are wretched and self destructive and comprised of an awful lot of nihilistic anarchy.
          Dunno man, he can speak for himself on this, I was just adding my perspective as a man who has traveled in France and actually enjoys the French people and culture.

        4. I agree with you when you put it like that (even though I don’t feel dirty each time I walk past a sex shop). The West is declining ; it has happened before and it will happen again. Sic transit gloria mundi.

        5. I was referring to the fact that virtually all of western civilization has plunged itself into sickness, and that France had one of the better starting positions, and slid the furthest, fastest, and it is due to their remarkable ability to crucify their own greatest men just at the very cusp of thrusting France as a whole into greatness.
          London has them beat, but London of course has been a cesspit of corruption for the better part of five centuries.

        6. It sounds like pure ideology to me. French people didn’t crucify Richelieu nor did they execute Louis XIV or Henry IV or Philippe II or Louis XI or, more recently De Gaulle, who were all great leaders. You need to look for facts a little bit before judging a whole nation so harshly.
          The West is declining, I agree, and so do France, but this is the way things go ; not much can be done about it. Let the Chineese have their turn.

        7. I don’t give a Rat’s ass. I was simply expanding on my comment because I assumed based on:
          “”garbage”, “filth”, “perversion”, seriously ? I don’t think we are
          better than the other nations but I think we definitly don’t deserve
          that. It seems quite insulting and just plain wrong.”
          That you didn’t actually understand what I said.
          If you are looking for treefucker debate about whether or not the west deserves to be called ‘perverted’, find someone else.I am sick of having this argument with pussies about what a country ‘deserves’ or what people ‘deserve’. People deserve what they can take and hold, and not one bit more. I could give a fuck if you consider that ideology or not, it’s solid fact and has been put into practice a million times.

        8. If you wish. But really I am just tired. I have heard this stupidity too many times. I am too old for this shit. Might be time to retire to the farm and just shoot stupid overeducated fuckers that are looking for reasons to ‘debate’ and force you to explain shit they should have learned when they were five years old.
          YOU go beg the Chinese to take over America/Europe. I will simply flip you the bird and start shooting chinks when they show up. You are convinced they are brilliant, I am convinced that you, like every other dumbshit out there, believe chinese government propaganda and think that asian immigrants are the average when in reality 95% of Asia is made up of the same dumb peasants that infest much of Africa and south America.
          The asian immigrants are the cream of the crop. pay attention to the fact that the ‘brilliant’ chinese, with ten times as many people, twice the resources, and a four thousand year old culture took half a century longer to get to the moon… even with all the technology and engineering right at their fingertips for the last 25 of those years. I ain’t debating why.
          You are welcome to play into your masochistic yellow fever all you like, but I am not going to fall into the role of Simplicio to your Galileo, find some other stupid sap to play the game.

        9. You had a French soldier killed by jihadis near paris and muslims have declared no go zones for indigenous French.
          Génération Identitaire is the only hope. What muslims couldn’t do with armies they are doing via the welfare/benefit/refugee system.

      2. Agreed, Louis XIV was given an excellent foundation to start with by Richelieu and Mazarin. If Richelieu has some writings, I would very much like to read them.

    2. Louis XIV was actually allied with the Ottoman Turks, but this is because he used that alliance to keep the Austrian Habsburgs in check, as had been the tradition for a long time.

  8. We need more articles like this. Any modern analysis of great thinkers of the past inevitably devolves into how racist or misogynistic they were and all the good stuff is lost!
    Where can I access the thoughts and interpretation of the early 20th century scholars who studied history in a constructive and REAL way?

  9. The most important lesson to be learnt is that: Have no attachment to anyone.
    That’s always been, always is, and always will be – the true hallmark of a great king, a great person, a great man.
    Always rely on yourself.

    1. Have no attachment to anyone? Self reliance is important, but I think the idea of having no attachments to anyone else goes far beyond that into a denial of life. Man is a social animal, and good personal relationships can be one of the most satisfying part of life. Im a heavy Introvert, but even I realise that a life with no attachments to other human beings is neither realistic nor desirable.
      I think the better path is to manage your affairs such that the people you do have attachment to are trustworthy and share your values, and so that losing some of them from your life would not be catastrophic.

      1. Attachments can be a man’s downfall. If you have them, maintain the proper frame so you don’t lose too much if those attachments break. I think you’re confusing attachment with friendship. Friendship is important, but he’s saying if you’re devastated when a friendship ends, you’re too attached and it will lessen you.

        1. Theres lots of positive things in life that could potentially lead to a mans downfall. Want to avoid them all?
          No, Im not confusing attachment with friendship, Im taking attachment to mean some sort of positive ongoing relationship with another person that you would prefer to maintain. This would include but not be limited to friendship.
          I believe I know what hes trying to say (dont be overly reliant on others), but his solution, of avoiding all personal attachments is a binary, black and white solution, when the proper approach would involve shades of grey. Forsaking all attachments in order to avoid a risk of damage when a relationship ends is a solution thats worse than the problem it attempts to solve.

      2. I think it`s not about having no attachments, but not to be afraid to let go any of them If It`s for the better and never let any emotions cloud Your judgement.

        1. Now thats a workable approach, but its certainly not what the OP was describing.
          Read it again – “Have no attachment to anyone”. Thats pretty unequivocal.

  10. The part about not listening to women is very important. A lot of men make mistakes and crimes in their lives listening to women. Eg. Karla Homolka etc.
    Women are always the source of evil, and always think for their own benefit, and often target men who can be of use of them. The more powerful the man, the more he can be of use to her. Men should beware of women, especially beautiful women.

  11. This is the kind of post that i read ROK for. Far superior to the articles that the wounded woman bashers post.

    1. I think we can all learn a little something from each post. I know I find it helpful to listen and learn from another man’s journey (or experience).
      Sometimes it the little things.

  12. Listened to the video, I currently want to stab this dude in the neck with a knife.
    Women dont need help getting men. They’re evil enough as is.
    Also, Bitch in the video totally brings up feminist B.S. about objectifying

  13. Interesting article. A few caveats, though; we must keep in mind that Louis XIV’s reign was a benchmark in the lamentable centralization of power that destroyed liberties in France (Tocqueville refers to the process in his magnum opus). That is why I find it quite ironic to see a fellow with the pen the name Libertas writing an article that celebrates Louis XIV. Incidentally, I must confess that one of the things that always bothered me about this website is its title. To hell with kings! We need noblemen and aristocrats.

    1. These are the writings of a man born to absolute power. Whether he liked it or not is irrelevant. This is how he needed to think in order to maintain his position or else be destroyed. It is a rare man in history that has survived after giving away so much power. A man like this has to constantly be on his toes. There is no middle path for a man like this. If you find yourself in a position of power, you would do well to learn the lessons of history. He seems to be a practical fellow. Don’t worship him as a king, just learn from his example. This is the purpose of the article.

    2. Compared with the French revolutionaries, Louis XIV was rather tame. I would much rather spend time with Louis XIV than any of those guys.
      But that’s a digression, Osman is correct. Louis was the most powerful and successful man of the 17th century. Men in the 21st century would do well to learn a few things from him.

    3. I would like thank Louis for being such an oppressive fucking prick that my Huguenot ancestors decided to leave his shitty country.

      1. Why do you still carry the bitterness? It’s over and done and nobody in your family is alive or has been alive for over a century and a half (or longer) who was harmed by his mishandling of the Huguenots.
        I mean dude, seriously, I don’t get bent out of shape because William the Conqueror came over and bashed around a lot of my anglo-saxon ancestors. It’s done, it’s over, we moved forward.

        1. I’m not bitter, I really am grateful. But I’m not going to celebrate the life of a Statist absolute monarch.

        2. You don’t have to celebrate his life, but you can recognize wisdom if he says something wise I’d hope? Now whether you consider his insights wise or not is your call, but I think a lot of what was presented in the article is insightful and bears out well in the waters of reality, no matter who said them. Heck it could be Stalin and Hitler having their pillow talk recorded in some cheap greasy hotel room in 1938 Berlin, but if the words are revealed to be true and good then I’d have to agree despite my loathing of both of those men.

        3. I believe it was Lou Goebbels or something that said ‘if you tell a lie enough times it becomes truth’ or the bigger the lie the more people will buy it. Its hard to write this out properly on a tiny touch screen, but people in those camps certantly provide us with more insight into how people work. As much as i dont care for their movements and stuff they did have some useful stuff to say.

  14. Great article. I like that #1 is where it is. Human nature hasn’t changed significantly for millennia. Many would have you think that the study of history is about dates & names, but nothing could be further from the truth. History is the real psychology 101.
    Machiavelli and this true king had it right years ago. The lesson of history is that regardless of the emotions you feel, there are no lasting emotional safe havens for a man. Pragmatism always triumphs. Guard your thoughts. Always act rationally.

  15. 11. Never take a bath – It’s a known fact he bathed only 2 times in his life. Actually, it was very common at that time. I mean he smelled pretty bad.
    12. Shit and piss on the ladder and everywhere you find suitable for that purpose.
    In other words, he was not so noble as described in the books.

    1. Why the urge for deconstruction and nihilism? The point isn’t to make him into a deity, but to recognize his wisdom that was bought through a very unique experience.

      1. Yeah, he looks like he has to fight the girls off with that stick he’s holding.
        You do know that we’re comprised mostly of water, right?

  16. Top notch article, fascinating subject and overall wonderful and engaging writing. Well done Libertas.
    I’m also grateful that Roosh allows these high quality types of articles onto the site, but per his explanation below I do understand why he posts a wide variety of articles and not just the high brow intellectual ones like this, or the writings of Quintus.
    Again, fantastic job.

  17. If people like
    Louis XIV ruled today we would not have the internet and other privileges for the commons.
    Fuck Lu!

    1. People far worse than him rule today actually. Obama is not an improvement on Louis in any sense except that he was (we’re told, jury is still out) elected.

      1. There is one major difference between the tyrants of yesterday (Louis XIV) and the tyrants of today (Obama). Louis XIV believed that he was answerable to God for the way he ruled. Obama appears to believe he is answerable to no one but himself, which can make a tyranny far more brutal and heartless.

        1. That is a very, very insightful distinction, I’m going to be lifting that from you and using it from this point forward. heh

        2. Go for it, brother. Glad to add to the conversation. Occasionally I have an original thought 🙂

        3. Dude, you don’t know shit. Louis XIV believed, like his predecessors, that he as king controlled the Catholic Church and that it did his bidding. During his reign he ordered the persecution and murder of anyone who did not practice his brand of Christianity.

        4. No one here denies that despite his qualities, his religious intolerance was a serious flaw. It did cost France due to emigration of huguenot tradesmen. If it hadn’t been for that, France under him would have prospered even more.
          But as for:
          “he as king controlled the Catholic Church ”
          Read up history and you will find that the papacy had this irritating habit of trying to interfere in the workings of other states under the guise of piety and furthering its own influence and wealth at the cost of the that Kingdom’s and its king’s. They even had the audacity to impose taxes on christian kingdoms to fill Vatican coffers, on the pain of so called “damnation”. Leaching from already impoverished people. Desire for a new wife wasn’t the only reason Henry VIII seceded from the Roman church.
          As such propaganda was meant to counteract the influence the pope had on the minds of his people. Just saying.

  18. This deserves a better comment than “Well written.” Hopefully the words are well read too.
    Points 2 and 7 are particularly applicable to me. I learned 2 as, “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt,” and then through listening, became less of a fool. I do not think I’m exceptionally smart, but I’ve been told by several acquaintances that I am, “the smartest person [they] know,” or, “fiercely smart.” When I have said I’m not smart and asked why they think that, the response is usually along the lines of, “You can say more in one sentence than I can in 5 minutes. You understand everything you want to easily.” The only reason I can think of for these facts is that I listen more than I talk. People listen with their mouths these days.
    Point 7 is what I took away from this website when I discovered it. I needed someone to tell me I was fat, lazy, and would die early if kept living my life the way I had been living it; and I wasn’t going to find happiness seeking a woman to be a provider and protector for. I have lost weight, gained strength, and sought happiness from myself instead of from others, and found happiness given to me by others when I wasn’t seeking it. A true friend calls out his friend’s bullshit so he can fix it.

    1. I need practicing lesson 2 also. Although I usually have good things to say and am talkative (this helps a lot in approaching women), sometimes I just need to learn to shut up. Been working on that and still am.
      I’ve read it’s hard for us ENTJ/ESTJ types to keep their mouths closed. It’s true.

  19. I’m pretty familiar with Louis XIV but I’d never read this. Fantastic stuff. Henry VIII is pretty red pill too. Pope won’t grant me a divorce? Fuck him. Bitch not toeing the line? Off with her fucking head. That dude had serious frame.

    1. Henry VIII is one of my favorite kings. When he wasn’t pissing off the rest of the world he was experimenting with new ways to kill people with the neat new weapons called firearms.

  20. This is the kind of article that makes ROK such a jewel. I don’t think you will find this kind of article anywhere else.

    1. Probably not, because bronies and other prepubescent morons tend to flock here and nowhere else.

      1. No, its because mangina slaves of women like you are far too common everywhere else.

  21. This article is excellent, healthy, and inspiring. I particulalry liked point #5: the biggest impediment to glory is doing nothing. Thanks for sharing it.

  22. This article was great. Love reading about people in the past and how one can always learn from them. I agree with some of the comments below how their needs to be more articles like this with a good balance on the previous type. Self improvement is key though,always!

  23. Note that Louis himself blew it with #9: he started letting his mistress give him advice, influence who he picked for his council of ministers, and ultimately talked him into revoking the Edict of Nantes — which meant that France’s Protestant middle class up and left for Holland, England, and America, with consequences the country still feels today.
    I told him it was a dumb idea, but the dude was thinking with his lower head at the time.

    1. It’s not really known how much influence Madame de Maintenon had on that matter, as Louis had in fact begun revoking Huguenot privileges for decades and the Edict of Fountainebleau was the natural progression of this policy.
      Nevertheless, he did indeed blow it at other places. It was under Maintenon’s influence that the replacement of the successful general Catinat with Marshal Villeroi was her doing. Said Villeroi would be used as a punching bag during the War of the Spanish Succession by the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene of Savoy.
      Even the wisest among us fail to heed their own advice sometimes, it seems. Another lesson to be learned.

  24. “Never take serious advice from women.” This is literally the stupidest fucking site I have ever come across. It’s morons like all of you who make the male gender look like a pack of weak bumbling idiots. If you ever got off your asses and stopped jerking it to that fucking pony show, maybe you’d realize that it’s not all men or all women who are pathetic fuck ups – it’s losers like you.

    1. “Never take serious advice from women.”
      If that statement makes you think that this is the stupidest site, and doesn’t inspire pragmatism, as to when exactly to listen to a woman and when not to (lets face it, how long they have been trying to manipulate men for their own gains), then you’re probably the stupidest prick we ever have had the displeasure to come across.
      “Good luck in the real world, in case you ever get there.” As for that, there plenty of contributors to this site (Roosh V eg) who have literally gone around the world and fucked them all.
      Fuck off, and go kiss your woman’s boot, you fucking blue piller.

  25. Also, Know Your Limits. Louis was great but ultimately this hurt his dynasty and kingdom. His conquests and construction were expensive.
    Another idea from Louis is To Try to be Ahead of Your Time, but Recognize You are a Product Of Your Time. He essentially created the modern bureaucratic state and the modern army chain of command. But he remained a noble and had all the same trappings, which he recognized were not solely his. This is why he made the nobles of the court jump through hoops and recognized that the peasants didn’t understand the workings of the monarchy. As such he made sure to impress them visually.

  26. King Louis XIV was very much easily manipulated by women. Madame de Montespan, known as “The True Queen of France”, was a master manipulator and had the King’s ear in many instances. What’s more, King Louis’ foolish principles of monarchy led to the ultimate downfall of the French Aristocracy. If he were a stronger monarch, his legacy wouldn’t have been so easily toppled in so short a time. He was very flamboyant, show boating his authority. But true power does not require such constant showboating of dominance. His legacy was destroyed by peasants. Which, if any of you were to come into this man’s presence, he would consider you all little more than that. Whining, mewling Beta males who talk big in the anonymity of the internet, but are overruled in power and authority in their every day lives. This article has 31 likes…How…charming. Yet unimpressive and not at all surprising. I do hope you all enjoying your obscurity.

    1. “Madame de Montespan, known as “The True Queen of France””
      Can you point to any actual evidence confirming that ?
      “King Louis’ foolish principles of monarchy led to the ultimate downfall of the French Aristocracy.”
      Either you are confusing Louis XIV and Louis XV, or you simply don’t have a complete brain. It was the weakness of Louis XV and Louis XVI that led to the downfall of the French aristocracy. They simply weren’t strong enough. And guess who were heavily to blame? Yes two ladies. Madame de Pompadour and Marie Antoinette (She actually gave that stupid statement about the cake which precipitated the revolution, whats more even before that she went about draining state treasury extensively with her obscenely lavish “lifestyle”, it was one of the main reasons why the royal family was despised by the hoi polloi). Louis XIV brought France to an unprecedented stage of prosperity. And guess who benefited? the common people. His “constant showboating of dominance” brought the power of the nobles to its knees and facilitated the well being of the common-folk, unlike the two cunts that succeeded him. The only fault of his was that he overreached a bit in his later wars.
      Either get your facts straight or shut the fuck up. Go fume into the same obscurity which you speak of.

      1. You don’t think his idiocy led to ANY of his country’s downfall? Do you not know the last words of this fabled “great king”, nor his regrets at how he had failed France? You’re a fool and like to cherry pick to suit your stupidity. Marie Anoinette DID NOT make that statement, you idiot. ALL historical records show this, if you’d be willing to do a little research. But it’s alright. You’re to simple to truly know history in any regards.

        1. “You don’t think his idiocy led to ANY of his country’s downfall?”
          Again what idiocy exactly would that be? And don’t mention the persecution of Huguenots, for that has nothing to do with the revolution. As for his last words
          “Why weep you? Did you think I should live for ever? I thought dying had been harder.” They were directed at the future Louis XV. I fail to see the regret over failing France here. And even after all he achieved for France, if he showed such a notion, its only a proof of his devotion to his country.
          As for Marie Antoinette, ok so she didn’t make that one statement but read up any account of her exploits after her marriage and they will show she was a major reason people had become disenchanted with the royalty and even downright hated it. Unless of of course you are a “fool and like to cherry pick to suit your stupidity” and “too simple to truly know history in any regards”

        2. The fool painted Versailles halls with SILVER. He literally enforced ridiculous traditions upon the court that would strain the finances of the French people! The construction of Versailles alone was enough to kill the kingdom’s morale; the customs HE created forcing members of the court to attend his every body function; awakening, meals, sleeping, and that he would REQUIRE royals and court to change four times daily on clothing that’s worth could feed a small town. He began needless wars with Austria, and LOST THEM, losing much money. In the end, the marriage between Marie Antoinette was France going belly up due to the rashness of their great grandfather-king! But as for Marie Antoinette’s “exlpoits”; what exactly are they? Because the extravagance of the members of the court were not customs of Austria, but of Versailles and this so called “great king”, who created a legacy of excessive spending that was doomed to fail. His legacy didn’t even last 100 years.
          His last words to his grandson (the one who was later to attempt to clean up his grandfather’s mess) was to remain a peaceable prince, and not to be as much of a war monger as he himself was.
          My, you are an ignorant cuss. Typical foolish American, who lacks any form of understanding.

        3. “The fool painted Versailles halls with SILVER. He literally enforced ridiculous traditions upon the court that would strain the finances of the French people! The construction of Versailles alone was enough to kill the kingdom’s morale; the customs HE created forcing members of the court to attend his every body function; awakening, meals, sleeping, and that he would REQUIRE royals and court to change four times daily on clothing that’s ”
          You would make a terrible politician. Thats for sure. You simply forget the fact that at that time, the feudal system still had power in France. And a country that has disunity can never prosper. All of that was to impose a sense of grandeur and power over the nobles, make them feel humbled,restrict their maneuvering space for political intrigue, keep a close watch on them and play them against one another to his own advantage. In short, he brought the power of the feudal nobility to its knees, at his feet
          “He began needless wars with Austria, and LOST THEM”. Get your facts straight, he won way more than he lost.
          ” In the end, the marriage between Marie Antoinette was France going belly up due to the rashness of their great grandfather-king! But as for Marie Antoinette’s “exlpoits”; what exactly are they?”
          Seriously? could you be that dumb or ignorant. If Louis XIV was responsible for all of the bullshit, why was it that Louis XV ended up being called the effeminate loser who let his state go to hell, spending his his time with someone nothing more than an educated harlot. Why is it that Louis XVI and Marie lost their heads and not Louis XIV. Why was he renowned as the sun king in history yet there is only criticism for his successor for being weak? As for that pig Marie…
          http://www.misterdann.com/eurarenemyofpeople.htm
          And feel free to cross check these facts.
          “Because the extravagance of the members of the court were not customs of Austria, but of Versailles and this so called “great king”, who created a legacy of excessive spending that was doomed to fail.”
          That, and the above statement, would be like having your family owned farm razed and blaming your grandfather for acquiring the farm, to feed his family, in the first place rather than admitting your own inability to protect your land.
          You see, this extravagance you speak of was indeed there, both with Louis XIV and his successors. But that is to be taken with a grain of salt. The key difference was that unlike Louis XV or XVI, Louis XIV wasn’t a lazy effeminate loser who let his country’s economy go to shit. His reign was marked by prosperity. And he could actually afford the extravagance without inciting people to revolution (history is witness), unlike his two “peaceful” successors. Now this begs the questions as to why would a driven ruler like him bother. I told you. One of the main themes of his reign was the centralization of power in the monarchs hands to ensure decisive governance. If were to read up on behavioural psychology, as advocated in management studies, you would know that when you control the frame (surroundings, settings, atmosphere etc.), it gives you a distinct advantage at influencing people. The nobles of his court, visiting dignitaries, church officials and ambassadors were overwhelmed by the artful grandeur. Whats more he stamped his personal heraldry on it to link that sense of power and grandeur to himself in their minds. In the hands of the Sun King, even extravagance was a weapon.
          Whereas his inferior successors merely indulged in extravagance.
          “His last words to his grandson (the one who was later to attempt to clean up his grandfather’s mess) was to remain a peaceable prince, and not to be as much of a war monger as he himself was.”. You are misinformed. I found only one source, not a very credible one at that, which supported this. What he really said was:
          “”Why are you weeping? Did you imagine that I was immortal?” “”
          Again, in your retarded leftist, libertarian fervor, you don’t give a fuck about the factuality of your arguments. Typical feminist. get your facts straight.
          “His last words to his grandson (the one who was later to attempt to clean up his grandfather’s mess”
          Read any version of history. The only thing you will find that Louis XV was unmotivated, weak ruler who didn’t clean any shit but himself shat on his grandfather’s work by sheer neglect. He held no real power (and thats not surprising. How is someone who cannot exercise power over himself ie self-discipline, going to retain power over other. But alas, that is the price one usually pays for being brought up in security and plenty. Louis XIV, in comparison, didn’t have that luxury ie Fronde. But I digress). Again, get your facts straight. You feminist would rewrite history, just to suit your arguments.
          All in all, not only are YOU the ignorant cuss here, you actually are a simpleton (I don’t claim to be the epitome of the intellectual, but I certainly don’t have your mixture of naivete + sheer stupidity + and hollow, bitchy arrogance to compensate for it). Your head is far too deep in all that libertarian, fluffy, fairies politically correct bullshit. You fail to read between the lines and present an easy, gullible in the hands of a certain kind of person (read sociopaths).
          The article present here acknowledges that Louis XIV had faults (religious intolerance etc), it only attempts to point out those qualities that made him a successful monarch of his time, who brought prosperity and the title of the greatest European power to his nation. And he was humble enough of to even admit his faults, just because they affected his beloved country too. And even if his measures were ruthless, greatly to blame are the times he lived in. Either you do (seize power) or die (Louis XVI getting guillotined by the revolutionaries). Ultimately what would you prefer, the draconian but successful policies of Louis XIV or Robespierre’s reign of terror, which Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette simply allowed to happen, by neglecting governance? You consider none of that and begin frothing at the mouth like a rabid bitch just because you are a feminist (whether you know it or not) and the article was posted on ROK.
          To top that you argue without any factual basis and completely subvert context just because it suits your feminist, libertarian agenda. You blame others of ignorance despite the gaping hole of ignorance in your own skull.
          Furthermore I know perfectly well that you will try to twist word and meanings, come up with more prepackaged feminist jargon and cliches (read: the hamster) and make many more ad hominem attacks like the typical feminist troll. Thus, having proven my point amply, I see no further reason to argue with a simple, loud fool like yourself on this matter. If anyone reads this conversation, let them decide for themselves.
          By the way, I’m not American, so thats another point on your folly quotient. Adios fuckwit!

  27. “In a popular assembly, the more you assent to, the more they grasp
    after: the more you caress them, the more they will despise you; and
    that which they are once put in possession of is retained by so many
    hands that you cannot deprive them of it but by extreme violence.” On the surface, this reads as wise. I shall consider it. Thank you Libertis.

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