Biography of King Louis XIV, France’s Sun King

Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, was the longest-reigning monarch in European history, ruling France for 72 years and 110 days. He was responsible for moving the center of French government to the Palace of Versailles in 1682.   Fast Facts: Louis XIV Known For: King of France, 1643-1715Born: 5 September 1638Died: 1 September 1715Parents: Louis XVIII; Anne of AustriaSpouses: Maria Theresa of Spain (m. 1660; d. 1683); Francoise d’Aubigne, Marquise de Maintenon (m. 1683)Children: Louis, Dauphin of France Louis XIV assumed the throne at the age of five, and he was raised to believe in his divine right to rule. His experience with civil unrest during his childhood simultaneously fostered his desire for a strong France as well as his distaste for the French peasantry. He built a strong central government and expanded France’s borders, but his lavish lifestyle laid the foundation for the French Revolution.   Birth and Early Life Louis XIV’s birth was a surprise. His parents, Louis XIII of France and Anne of Austria, were married when they were both 14, and they strongly disliked each other. Their marriage had produced a series of miscarriages and stillbirths, for which Louis blamed Anne. At the age of 37, Anne gave birth to a son, christened Louis-Dieudonne or Louis, the Gift of God. Two years later, she had a second son, Louis’ brother, Philippe I, Duke of Orleans. Louis XIV, King of France (1638-1715) in his Coronation Robes. Found in the collection of Ambras Castle, Innsbruck. Artist : Egmont, Justus van. Heritage Images / Getty Images Louis was doted on by his mother, and the two built a strong bond. He was raised from birth to believe that he was a gift from God, and it was his divine right to rule France as an absolute monarch. Even in his early years, Louis was charismatic, and he had an aptitude for languages and the arts.   The Sun King Louis’ father died when he was only four, making him Louis XIV, king of France. His mother served as regent with the help of Cardinal Mazarin, but the years were marked by civil unrest. When Louis was 9 years old, members of the parliament in Paris rebelled against the crown, and the royal family was forced to flee to the Chà ¢teau de Saint-Germain-en-Laye. The rebellion and subsequent civil war, known as the Fronde, sparked Louis’ dislike for Paris and his fear of rebellions, impacting his future political decisions. In 1661, Cardinal Mazarin died, and Louis declared himself as the Absolute Monarch to the French parliament, breaking with past French kings.  In Louis’ view, treason wasn’t a crime under the law, but rather a sin against God. He adopted the Sun as the symbol of his monarchy, and he immediately began to centralize control of the government. He developed strict foreign policy while expanding the navy and army, and in 1667 he invaded Holland to claim what he believed to be his wife’s inheritance. Under pressure from the Dutch and the English, he was forced to retreat, though in 1672, he was able to ally with a new English king, Charles II, to conquer territory from the Dutch and expand the size of France. Louis XIV, King of France, by artist Charles le Brun, c1660-c1670. From the Musee du Louvre, Paris. Print Collector / Getty Images Louis appointed those loyal to the crown to government offices to carry out legal and financial matters in the different regions of France. In 1682, he formally moved the center of government from Paris to his palace in Versailles. A staunch Catholic, Louis revoked the Edict of Nantes in 1685, which had provided legal protection for French Protestants, causing a mass exodus of Protestants to the Netherlands and England. Marriage and Children Louis’ first significant relationship was with Marie Mancini, the niece of Cardinal Mazarin, but his first marriage was a political union with his first cousin, Maria Theresa of Spain. Though the pair produced six children together, only one survived to adulthood. The relationship was said to have been friendly but never passionate, and Louis took numerous mistresses. Louis’ second wife was Francoise d’Aubigne, a devout Catholic and once governess of Louis’ illegitimate children. Maria Theresa of Spain In 1660, Louis married Maria Theresa, the daughter of Philip IV of Spain. She was his first cousin on his mother’s side, a Spanish princess of the House of Habsburg. The marriage was a political arrangement intended to foster peace and unity between the neighboring countries.Of their six children, only one,  Louis le Grand Dauphin, also known as Monseigneur, survived to adulthood. Though Monseigneur was heir to the throne, Louis XIV outlived both his son and his grandson, passing the throne to his great-grandson at the time of his death. Francoise d’Aubigne, Marquise de Maintenon As the governess to Louis’ illegitimate children, d’Aubigne came into contact with Louis on numerous occasions. She was a widow, known for her piety. The pair was secretly married at Versailles in 1683, never announcing the marriage to the public, though it was a matter of common knowledge. Mistresses and Illegitimate Children Throughout his marriage to his first wife, Maria Theresa, Louis took both official and unofficial mistresses, producing more than a dozen children. He was more faithful to his second wife, Francoise d’Aubigne, likely due to her piety, though the two never had children. The Palace of Versailles As a result of the rebellions he saw in his youth and the subsequent civil war, Louis developed a strong dislike for Paris, and he spent long stretches of time at his father’s hunting lodge in Versailles. During his lifetime, Versailles became Louis’ refuge. A view of the equestrian statue of King Louis XIV in front of the chateau de Versailles on October 30, 2015 in Versailles, France.   Chesnot / Getty Images In 1661, after the death of Cardinal Mazarin, Louis began a massive construction project on Versailles, transforming the lodge into a palace suitable to host the Parisian court. He included the symbol of his monarchy, the sun with his face stamped into its center, as a design element in almost every part of the palace. Louis formally relocated the French seat of government from Paris to Versailles in 1682, though construction continued on the palace until 1689. By isolating political leaders in rural Versailles, Louis strengthened his control over France. Decline and Death Toward the end of his life, Louis faced a series of personal and political disappointments in addition to failing health. The House of Stuart fell in England, and the Protestant William of Orange took the throne, eliminating any chance of continued political association between the countries. Louis XIV also lost a series of battles during the War of Spanish Succession, though he did manage to maintain the territory he had gained in previous decades. Medical journals from the 18th century indicate that Louis faced a myriad of health complications towards the end of his life, including dental abscesses, boils, and gout, and he likely suffered from diabetes. In 1711, Louis XIV’s son, le Grand Dauphin, died, followed by his grandson, le Petit Dauphin in 1712. Louis XIV died on September 1, 1715, from gangrene, passing the crown to his five-year-old great-grandson, Louis XV. Legacy During his lifetime, Louis XIV built an empire, reconstructing the government of France and transforming the country into the dominant European power. He is the most significant example of an absolute monarch during the 17th and 18th centuries, and he built the Palace of Versailles, one of the most famous contemporary historical landmarks in the world. However strong Louis XIV made France to foreign adversaries, he created a stark divide between the nobility and the working classes, isolating the political elite in Versailles and separating the nobility from the common people in Paris. While Louis created a France that was stronger than it had ever been, he unknowingly laid the foundation for the revolution that was to come, a revolution that would see the permanent end to the French monarchy. Sources Berger, Robert W.  Versailles: The Chà ¢teau of Louis XIV. The Pennsylvania State University Press, 1985.Bernier, Olivier. Louis XIV. New World City, Inc., 2018.Cronin, Vincent.  Louis XIV. The Harvill Press, 1990.Horne, Alistair. Seven Ages of Paris: Portrait of a City. Macmillian, 2002. Mitford, Nancy.  The Sun King: Louis XIV at Versailles. New York Review Books, 2012.

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass - 565 Words

Picture this going through life without the ability to read or write. Without these abilities, it is impossible for a person to be a functioning member of society. In addition, imagine that someone is purposely limiting your knowledge to keep a leash on your independence. Not only is an American slave raised without skills in literacy, he cannot be taught to read unless someone breaks the law. In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, the reader is given a detailed explanation of why slave masters keep their slaves ignorant and the effects such a strategy has on the slaves’ lives. In his autobiography, Douglass describes how the knowledge he obtains has substantial positive and negative effects on his psyche. He is given renewed passion and hope for freedom while struggling with the burden of enlightenment of his situation. Ultimately, however, education shapes his fate, and he achieves freedom and prominence as an advocate for abolition. Even though the words of his master degrade Douglass, they also inspire him to pursue reading and freedom more passionately. When Douglass sees how intimidated his master, Hugh Auld, is at the idea of his wife, Sophia Auld, teaching young Frederick to read, he realizes that knowledge is truly power. He feels the constraint his master imposed on him his entire life, and he begins to understand how to free himself. Douglass writes that, â€Å"From that moment I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom†¦I was gladdened by the invaluableShow MoreRelatedNarrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass987 Words   |  4 PagesLife of Frederick In the â€Å"narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass an American slave written by himself† Frederick reveled to audience the time he was living as a slave and the moments of brutal treats for example psychological, emotional and physical abuses. He was suffering terrible moments during his 20 years as a slave in the twentieth century. In addition, he describes in his own words the strategies he used to escape from the slave holders and to be free. This story the â€Å"Narrative of theRead MoreNarrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass1730 Words   |  7 PagesOne of the most well-known slavery narratives was lived and written by Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Frederick Douglass was a civil rights activist who was born into slavery on a plantation in eastern Maryland in February 1818. His exact birth date is unknown, he states in his narrative, â€Å"I have no accurate knowledge of my age, never having seen any authentic record containing it.†2 His birth name was Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, which was given by hisRead MoreNarrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass Essay1102 Words   |  5 PagesDate Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass Writing in the favor of black people has always remained controversial from the very beginning. Critics regard such writing as â€Å"a highly conventionalized genre† indicating that â€Å"its status as literature was long disputed but the literary merits of its most famous example such as Frederick Douglass s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass†¦are widely recognized today.† (Ryan:537) Despite of such severe resistance, writers like Douglass have pennedRead MoreThe Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass1566 Words   |  7 PagesThe â€Å"Narratives of the Life of Frederick Douglass† is the story of Frederick Douglass’ life from the time he was born into slavery, to the time he escaped to freedom in the north. When Douglass wrote this book, slavery was still legal in a large portion of the United States. After Douglass’ escape to freedom and his continuation of his education, he became an abolitionist through his works of literatu re and speeches. In â€Å"The Blessings of Slavery†, by George Fitzhugh he states that southern slavesRead MoreNarrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass1257 Words   |  6 PagesBook Review By Mary Elizabeth Ralls Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass: An autobiography written by Frederick Douglass Millennium publication, 1945edition 75 pages Frederick Douglass whose real name was Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey approximately birthdate is in1818, the month or day is not known, he died in 1895. He is one of the most famous advocates and the greatest leaders of anti-slavery in the past 200 or so years.Read MoreNarrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass Essay1498 Words   |  6 Pagessoutherners believed that one of the most essential means of life was slavery. In the novel, Narrative of The Life of Frederick Douglass, Douglass challenges and debunks the idea of slavery being a necessary part of the white lifestyle; many pro-slavery arguments consisted of religion justifying slavery, slaves being â€Å"easily manipulated†/ignorant, and slavery keeping the southern economy from disappearing (The Proslavery Argument). Frederick uses personal experiences and other tactics to expose theRead MoreThe Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass1363 Words   |  6 Pages In The Narrative of the Life of Frederic k Douglass, Frederick Douglass portrays the importance of education because of its influence in leveling the playing field between the races in the 1800s. Education and knowledge are themes that are heavily dwelled upon throughout the novel, inspiring the reader to see the full power of such important ideals and to take the full advantage of both at all times. Douglass gives the reader a new appreciation for education as he delivers his message regardingRead MoreThe Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass1527 Words   |  7 Pagesconsidered â€Å"property† of their slaveholders and had no control over their own life. They were victims of psychological and physical brutal treatment. This story represents confinement, slavery and the lack of power African people had in such a racist society back in those days. African talents were absolutely wasted and they were considered inferior to white individuals. The â€Å"Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass† sim ply addresses that white society was causing negative effects to itself andRead MoreNarrative Life Of Frederick Douglass1549 Words   |  7 PagesThe Narrative Life of Frederick Douglass’ is an autobiography of Frederick Douglass, the slave who escaped and became one of renowned social reformers of his time. The book is a collection of actual experiences of the author during his time in slavery and experiences of fellow slaves. He describes brilliantly the oppressive conditions into which he was born, lived, as well as his struggles and triumphs. The author meant to make the reader comprehend life of the African Americans in slavery beforeRead MoreNarrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass1255 Words   |  6 PagesFrederick Douglass, throughout Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, uses religion to get many of his points across. In one way, religion plays a huge role in Douglass’ ability to become literate throughout the text. With the Bible and other Christi an texts, Douglass is able to further his ability and the ability of others to read. This becomes important because as Douglass points out the slaveholders believe a literate slave is not a good slave. This union of literacy and religion show the

Surgical Care Practitioner Dissertation Guide Free Essays

The following article is a guide on how to approach a dissertation about surgical care practitioners. This would be helpful for students looking to gain a perspective in the subject. Background Since its introduction there has been much hostility towards the new professional role of the surgical care practitioner (SCP) within the surgical community. We will write a custom essay sample on Surgical Care Practitioner Dissertation Guide or any similar topic only for you Order Now However as the outlook of the NHS is rapidly being modified and European influence in the form of the European Workforce Team are being directed and beginning to have effect in the UK, it is evidently proving to have a huge impact on the UK workforce [1]. The introduction of the SCP role was created to alleviate the problems of unsustainable turnover and training of doctors. The role o SCPS both complements the government’s commitment to enhancing career opportunities within the field of healthcare and also develops a flexible training framework that is built on the competence of individuals’ rather than fixed traditional roles such those of doctors and nurses [1]. The SCP role is considered to be a nationally transferable role (NTR), a number of new roles, which emerged to reduce the waiting times across the UK. Consequently four groupings were created consisting of 30 new roles; amongst them the SCP is part of the â€Å"Advanced practitioner† group [2][3]. Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust reveal the cost savings of some advanced practitioner roles which have for â€Å"each half-day session stated as saving ?10k per year in consultant time†. Additionally, the time saved by the consultant can be diverted to increased surgery time [3]. References [1] Kneebone. R New professional roles in surgery. Would be effective in selected surgical settings and can offer benefits. BMJ 2005; 330:803–4 [2] Skills for health. Impact of Nationally Transferable Roles on Productivity – Building an Evidence Base, March 2010 [3] http://www.skillsforhealth.org.uk/rethinking-roles-and-services/national-transferable-roles/advanced-practitioner.aspx General Structure When was the SCP role introduced within the UK and why What can the SCP do in the operating theater (OT) What evidence is there of time/cost efficiency thus far(E.g. cost of training, patient care, effects on surgeons etc) Has the introduction of the SCP role reflected a great deal of improvement within the OT and if so – evidence to back this up. What is the future for this new and emerging role within the NHS across the UKHave attitudes changedWhat are the effects on other professionals, which traditionally take up this role How to cite Surgical Care Practitioner Dissertation Guide, Essays

Environment Prep free essay sample

Explain how the environment is prepared, maintained and cleaned to ensure it is ready for the healthcare activity All areas that are being used for healthcare activities should be cleaned with either disinfectant wipes each morning and in between patients/procedures. Equipment should be all new out of the packets and clean. For things more major such as vasectomy’s, minor surgery or family planning clinics, areas should be cleaned everywhere with a disinfectant fluid and also with wipes, gloves should always be worn as well as other PPE such as aprons and hats. All equipment should be new from the packet and only touched by the person who is using them when they have washed their hands and got sterile gloves on. All equipment is normally opened in a none-touch procedure to prevent any cross infection. Any equipment such as sterile covers, gloves, blades and needles should all be immediately replaced if they come into contact with anything that isn’t sterile. We will write a custom essay sample on Environment Prep or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The environment is always kept clean by the same cleaning routine being done between each patient and procedure, mainly clinical disinfectant wipes are used and hands always need to be re-washed and equipment changed for each procedure. Also the prevention of injury risk is very important, sharps bins are always in each environment and need to be used properly to prevent any injuries. 1. Describe the roles and responsibilities of team members in the preparation and management of the environment and resources All staff are required to work safely which can help everyone identify any risks to prevent themselves or others being harmed, such as broken equipment. Also staff should always wear the PPE that is required, and understand the health and safety rules as well as the infection control procedures so that the prevention of risk is easier and everybody is aware. 2. Explain how to investigate, make the necessary adjustments to and report problems with the environment Each employer should have a policy or procedure on how to report any problems, all staff should be aware of this. All healthcare workers are required to report anything that effects the environment. For example speaking to a senior staff member or manager straight away, explaining the problem so it can be dealt with properly. Reportable incidents: deaths, major injuries, some work-related diseases; dangerous occurrences – where something happens that does not result in an injury, but could have done; registered gas fitters must also report dangerous gas fittings they find, and gas conveyors/suppliers must report some flammable gas incidents. RIDDOR applies to all work activities but not all incidents are reportable 3. Describe the impact of environmental changes on resources including their storage and use Most consumables used in healthcare have a use by date and will need to be replaced, at haxby we check stock weekly to make sure it is all in date. some pieces of equipment/drugs can be ruined by temperature or sunlight. 3. 1 Describe the importance of ensuring that environments are ready for their next use To make sure the area is sterile and ready for use and also that all needed equipment is available and also sterile. Preparing this makes it easier to prevent any cross infection. E. g procedures at haxby- we prepare couch and equipment while the patient is waiting so it is all ready and prepared for their procedure when they are called in, doing this helps as we have more time to make sure everything is cleaned. Also considering safety of yourself and the patient is important as well as removing hazards. 3. 2 Outline the factors that influence the readiness of environments for use in health care activities Lighting, cleanliness, enough staff, correct equipment ready, emergency equipment e. g.