HI 309

Louis XIV, the Sun King, is one of the most famous rulers in European history. During his seventy-seven-year-long reign, France reached unprecedented heights of political power and cultural splendour. This course examines the king and his kingdom. It focuses on such topics as the rise of the state and the problem of royal absolutism, diplomacy and warfare, the court of Versailles, social life and social change, and the expansion of France overseas. {P} <br>