The “Sun King,” Louis XIV, ruled France for 72 years, longer than any other major European monarch. A strong believer in dictatorship by divine right, he viewed himself as God’s representative on Earth and became the archetype of the absolute monarch, reigning over a highly centralized state. He waged several wars, built one of Europe’s most elaborate palaces at Versailles, and was a great patron of the arts. What is the meaning of “L’état, c’est moi,” a remark long attributed to Louis? Discuss