... grand yet tragic rule of Louis XIV, the Bourbon kings watched as their power slipped out of their hands like a bar of soap. The Bourbon king Louis XIV, the powerful monarch of the early seventeenth century (1661-1715), had been the most successful absolute monarch in history, but his grandiose imperial ... this electoral body representing the three major estates or classes of France, which had not met in over one hundred years, shocked the nation. The king knew that they could grant him the taxing authority he wanted but also knew that he would need to compromise his powers in doing so....

• Word Count: 4395
• Approx Pages: 18
• Grade Level: Undergraduate