Assume The Role Of A Resident In A Royal House

Assume the role of a resident in one of the following royal states during the 17th century: England, France, Russia or Prussia. What contributed to the rise of your royal state and how did your monarch justify his/her power? How did you and your fellow countrymen participate or react to these changes and why? Make sure to identify your specific role (peasant, clergy, noble, merchant, etc.) in your response. The divine right of kings is something which secular rulers now used to justify their control over the state instead of that of the Church, but as we've seen this had been an ongoing argument at least since the time of Charlemagne. Why was divine right now the purview of secular justification?

As a noble living within the French monarchy during the 17th century, I witnessed firsthand the profound rise of royal authority under Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King. This period was characterized by centralization of power, where the monarchy expanded its influence, diminishing the power of the nobility and establishing a strong constitutional authority that justified its dominance through the doctrine of divine right. My role as a noble was initially one of privilege, but as the monarchy grew stronger, my participation shifted from seeking to maintain traditional privileges to aligning with the royal court’s ambitions to consolidate power. I supported or at least accepted the centralization efforts because they reinforced the stability and prestige of the monarchy, which in turn protected my social standing.

Louis XIV’s justification of his power was rooted in the divine right of kings—a principle that posited the monarch’s authority as ordained directly by God. This doctrine became the cornerstone of secular legitimacy, shifting the basis of political authority away from church authority—although, of course, intertwined with religious beliefs—and toward divine authority vested solely in the monarch. Louis XIV, through his policies and court rituals, promoted the idea that his rule was a sacred trust granted by God, thus making rebellion against the king tantamount to rebellion against divine will. This justification served to legitimize his absolute rule, eradicate France’s nobility from political power, and promote a unified, centralized state.

As a member of the bourgeoisie—a merchant—my participation in this dynamic was shaped largely by economic opportunities and societal stability fostered by the monarchy’s authority. The centralization facilitated trade, stabilized currency, and promoted peace within France, which benefitted merchants like myself. However, I was also aware of the tension between different social classes. While the monarchy’s divine right bolstered my confidence in the stability of the state, peasants and lower classes often bore the burden of taxes and military drafts. My reaction was generally supportive, seeing the monarchy as a protector of trade and order, although I also recognized that these shifts often marginalized the common populace and limited political participation beyond the economic sphere.

In broader terms, the justification of divine right as a secular authority emerged because secular rulers sought to legitimize their power independently of the Church. Historically, divine authority was associated with the church’s spiritual role; however, as monarchs like Louis XIV sought to centralize power and diminish the influence of both the nobility and the church, they turned to the concept of divine right to assert authority rooted in divine legitimacy rather than ecclesiastical endorsement. This shift was also pragmatic—by claiming divine origin, monarchs could suppress dissent and justify authoritarian policies without needing the church’s approval, thus consolidating their sovereignty within the framework of divine law.

References

• Evans, R. J. (2000). The forging of the modern state: Early modern France and England. Routledge.
• Getz, F. M. (2005). Royal revelations: The divine right of kings in England. Cambridge University Press.
• Hobsbawm, E. (1994). The age of revolution: Europe 1789–1848. Vintage.
• Krieger, H. (2000). The political thought of Louis XIV. University of Chicago Press.
• Perkins, J. (1993). The divine right of kings in history and theory. History Today, 43(8), 10-16.
• Protass, R. (2012). French absolutism and the divine right of kings. Oxford University Press.
• Schapiro, J. (1976). The early modern state: Essays in political and social history. Harper & Row.
• Spielvogel, J. J. (2018). Western civilization: Since 1300. Cengage Learning.
• Tilly, C. (2007). As Societies Become Complex. State Formation and Social Integration.
• Williams, B. (2004). The divine right of kings: An analysis of political legitimacy. Journal of Political Philosophy, 12(2), 123-140.