Absolutism Vs Absolute Monarchy

Throughout history, there have been many different systems of government at work. Depending on where, when, and who you look at, you might find a dictatorship, socialism, or one we are all more familiar with – a democracy. During the 17th century, however, under the reign of King Louis XIII and King Louis XIV, France was being ruled under a system of government known as an absolute monarchy, or absolutism. Although this has been “regarded as the best example of the practice of absolute monarchy,” it could also be argued that the government of the day was more of a hybrid of absolutism. To begin with, the question needs to be answered, “What is an absolute monarchy?” With so many different systems of government, including more than one version of monarchy itself, it can be easy to confuse one with another. By definition, an absolute monarchy is a form of monarchy in which supreme and sovereign power is vested in a single king. Unlike royalty in other forms of monarchies, this king possessed the power to do essentially anything he pleased, and he could do so
The most evident example can be found after Louis XIV decided it was time to be the “real king and the sole ruler of France.” After Mazarin’s death, he expressed his desire to take control, and it wasn’t long before he began making changes that would push France closer and closer to being an absolute monarchy. For example, as I mentioned before, many high nobles were unwilling to relinquish their authority, but Louis made quick work of putting them all back in their place. Since he wanted to be the sole ruler of France, he had to do away with the delegation of power from the past, and put it back in his own hands. So, even though Louis XIV’s reign wasn’t totally and completely an absolute monarchy in its entirety, he did make tremendous headway when he finally decided to do