How Did Louis XIV's Belief in the Divine Power and Authority of the Monarchy Reach into Religious Freedoms in Europe?

 By Donna Wichelman

Have you ever visited a historical site that stirred your heart and left an indelible effect on your life? Several places have done that for me, but I confess a particular sympathy toward the Waldensian Valleys of the Cottian Alps in the Savoy region between France and Italy. Today, I continue the series I began on April 4th, 2023 about the Palace of Versailles and King Louis XIV.

Last time, we discussed how Louis's expansion of the Palace of Versailles from a modest hunting lodge into an extravagant residence symbolized his desire to extend France's reign over Europe. In this blog, we'll examine how Louis used his religious policies to advance his belief in the monarchy's absolute divine power and authority by reaching into the realm of religious freedoms across Europe.

Waldensian Headquarters, Torre Pellice, Italy: Donna's Gallery

Louis XIV came to the throne at four years of age in 1643, when his father, Louis XIII, died. His mother, Anne of Austria, annulled her husband's will, appointing a regency council to rule on Louis's behalf in favor of making her sole regent. Anne and her chief minister, Cardinal Jules Mazarin solidified the absolute power of the monarchy, angering nobles and aristocracy alike, who revolted in a civil war called the Fronde. But by 1653, Mazarin suppressed the rebels and, at the end of the decade, negotiated a peace treaty with Spain, making France a leading European power.

Influenced by his mother, who instilled in Louis the fear of "crimes committed against God," and Cardinal Mazarin, who had centralized power on the throne, Louis XIV declared himself God's representative on earth when he began his rule in 1661 after Mazarin's death. He viewed himself infallible and all disobedience or rebellion against the throne sinful.

Louis's self-exultation translated into various indulgences, extravagances, and manipulations, but gave France the economic means to become self-sufficient.

Also viewing himself as a defender of the Catholic faith and all Protestants as disobedient enemies of the throne, Louis fostered a grand sweep of persecution across French-controlled Europe. He revoked the Edict of Nantes, granting freedom of worship and assembly to French Protestants established by his grandfather, Henry IV in 1598, and in 1685 replaced it with the Edict of Fontainebleau aimed at wiping out all Protestantism, particularly the Janesnists of Port-Royal, the Huguenots, and the Waldensians of the Cottian Alps.

The edict destroyed all Protestant churches, closed their schools, and mandated conversion to Catholicism on the threat of death. Thousands died as their children were taken away and given to Catholic parents to raise. Thousands more fled to neighboring countries in exile from their homes.

Foxe's Book of Martyrs dedicates one page to the Waldensians. Yet, they greatly impacted Christian Europe during the second millennium A.D. and helped set the stage for the Reformation in the sixteenth century. Their story of enduring faith and valor high in the Cottian Alps between France and Italy during Louis XIV's reign captivated my attention over a decade ago and set me on a journey that led me to the Waldensian Valleys west of Turin, Italy to talk to local scholars and visit the many museums and sites dedicated to their story.

Monument of  Sibaud, Bobbio Pellice, Italy: Donna's Gallery

Oath of Loyalty among the Waldensian Faithful when they Reached Their Home Valleys, 1689

Some say this courageous group banded together in 1170 A.D., when merchant Peter Waldo took a vow of poverty and appealed to the pope to consider their grievances. Others have suggested that these great men and women of faith came down from the first-century church and carried on the traditions of their ancestors throughout the first two millennia A.D.

After several days combing the Waldensian Valleys, I became convinced their story bore telling. Whether the Waldensian narrative began in 1170 A.D., as is the official church position, or their ancestry is as ancient as the first-century church, it is a real-world drama that breathes life into a steadfast faith that stays the course no matter the cost. The Cave of Faith provides an example of enduring faith where tradition says as many as 300 gathered in secret to worship. When Louis's dragoons discovered them, they were smoked out and died of smoke inhalation.

Cave of Faith, Angrogna Valley, Italy: Donna's Gallery

The tide turned against Louis XIV’s stranglehold on Europe in 1689, when William of Orange began his Glorious Revolution, engaging Protestants to fight for their freedoms and return from exile to their homes. Waldensians know this as their Glorious Return when they marched from Switzerland to their home valleys.

Museum Depicting the Glorious Return: Balsiglia, Italy: Donna's Gallery

A Sketch of Waldensian Soldiers March to their Home Valleys

Museum at Basiglia, Italy: Donna's Gallery

The Waldensian story so inspired me that it took on a life of its own in a contemporary romantic suspense series. I wanted to create compelling circumstances for my protagonists in the present that mimicked a need to run the course and finish the race as their ancestors had done through their enduring faith and courage in the past.

A remnant of Waldensians still exists in their home valleys in Italy, and they are always excited to talk to people about their history. They welcome visitors to step into the past and discover their historical roots. You can learn more about them at the Waldensian Cultural Center Foundation or Chiesa Valdese. 

But one doesn't have to fly to Italy if they live in North America. A community of Waldensians lives in Valdese, North Carolina. Each summer, a theater troupe rehearses the Waldensian history in an outdoor amphitheater dramatic production called From This Day Forward. The visitor can also walk the Trail of Faith, a pathway constructed with to-scale outdoor replicas of the historical sites throughout the Waldensian Valleys. There are also other Waldesnian-related museums in the area. Visit their tourist office to get more information.

Replica of the Cave of Faith, Valdese, North Carolina: Donna's Gallery

An interesting side note about the Waldensian story: In July 2015, Pope Francis made peace with the Waldensian faithful, asking forgiveness for crimes perpetrated by the church in past centuries. It was a monumental moment for the Waldensian Church.

Donna worked as a communications professional before turning to full-time writing. Her short stories, essays, and articles have appeared in various inspirational publications, and she has two indie-published Christian contemporary suspense novels in her Waldensian Series, Light Out of Darkness and Undaunted Valor. 

Weaving history and faith into stories of intrigue and redemption grew out of her love of history and English literature as a young adult while attending the United World College of the Atlantic--an international college in Wales, U.K. She loves to explore peoples and cultures of the world and enjoys developing plots that show how God's love abounds even in the profoundly difficult circumstances of our lives. Her stories reflect the hunger in all of us for love, forgiveness, and redemption in a world that often withholds second chances.

You can find out more about Donna at www.donnawichelman.com. 

How the Palace of Versailles Has Played a Key Role in History

By Donna Wichelman

My daughter instigated my first visit to the Palace of Versailles in the summer of 2018. She’d known about its extraordinary role in history, heard about the spectacular gardens, and seen a feature film that took place there during the time of Marie Antoinette. Since we were already going to take a family vacation to Ireland and England, it would only be a hop across the English Channel to do a four-day mother/daughter trip to Paris.

Palace of Versailles, France: Donna's Gallery 2018

The Palace of Versailles conjures a multitude of extravagant celebrations or significant historical events in its four-hundred-year existence. The most recent lavish affair would have welcomed King Charles III of Great Britain in March 2023. Unfortunately, riots in Paris and elsewhere in France delayed the event until at least summer. 

We might ogle such landmark occasions with awe as we consider entertaining guests in our own modest castles. If you’re like me, we take a little more casual approach when it’s family. But, invite a new acquaintance, give a wedding shower or a large holiday party, and it takes days to prepare--cleaning the house until it’s immaculate, planning a menu of the choicest delights, and serving up a spread that gives guests the royal treatment.

Palace Interior: Donna's Gallery 2018

Imagine, then, Louis XIV’s conception of a monolithic enterprise so extravagant that it elicited the grandest of all royal treatments. What started as an unremarkable hunting lodge surrounded by a vast forest with plenty of game constructed by Louis XIII in 1623, became the opulent palace we know today on a massive 800-hectare (3 square miles) estate. The palace consists of no less than 2,300 rooms, while the rest of the estate includes two more chateaux, two opera houses, Marie Antoinette’s Museum, and hectares of parks and formal gardens with numerous fountains.

Marie Antoinette's Estate & Museum: Image by Andre e Luciene from Pixabay

Exterior Gardens, Palace of Versailles: Donna's Gallery 2018

Exterior Gardens, Palace of Versailles: Donna's Gallery 2018

Exterior Gardens, Palace of Versailles: Donna's Gallery 2018

As a boy, Louis's mother, Anne of Austria, instilled in Louis a belief in the divine power and authority of the monarchy. Versailles embodied the expression of that premise. The lavish expansion of the palace was allegorical of his desire to extend France's reign over Europe, which he eventually accomplished, moving his borders eastward into the Hapsburg dynasty. He also warred against Spain, developing a European coalition to gain the throne for his grandson.

But Louis’s vainglorious attitude was most demonstrated in his lavish parties put on for hundreds, sometimes thousands of people.

The Party of the Delights of the Enchanted Island in 1664 was his first and purported to be in honor of Louis XIV’s mother. Instead, it was a ruse to host his mistress Louise de LaVallière. The party took place over a week in which a fictional tale on a grand scale was acted out with costumes, sorcery, and seduction—the king himself being the hero. Thousands of torches and lanterns lit the gardens at night, while dinner guests watched ballets and theatrical performances. A grand display of royal fireworks consummated the event.

The Great Royal Entertainment in 1668 gave Louis an excuse to expand his gardens and fountains. It featured the new Dragon Fountain, an extravagant tea party, and a theater production performed in a new theater with crystal lamps. The celebration included a banquet and the traditional fireworks display.

Dragon Fountain, Palace of Versailles: Donna's Gallery 2018

Louis XV carried on his father’s tradition in 1745 with the Yew Ball in celebration of his eldest son’s marriage to María Teresa Rafaela of Spain. However, history has conferred on the ball an entirely different event. 

As with all the parties at the palace, theatrics played a huge role as guests were ushered into the Hall of Mirrors and met by eight people dressed as clipped yew trees. In the hall, Louis, encountered Jeannne Antoinette, dressed up as the goddess Diana, and the rest is history as it was the beginning of their infamous affair with Louis imputing to her the title of Marquise de Pompadour.

Hall of Mirrors, Palace of Versailles: Donna's Gallery 2018

Other events of note include Marie Antoninette’s Wedding Party in 1770 with all its fanfare, theatrics, garden parties, and fireworks, and the Ball for Queen Victoria hosted by Emperor Napoleon III in 1855.

By the time of Queen Victoria’s visit, the French Revolution had chased the last of the royal court to Paris in 1789. As a gesture of reconciliation with the people of France after the revolution, King Louis-Philippe turned the Palace of Versailles into the Museum of the History of France in 1837. 

When Queen Victoria visited in 1855, Napoleon III wanted to put on an extravagant event equaling those of the monarchy. Twelve hundred guests saw the Marble Courtyard, the Hall of Mirrors, and the Royal Opera House illuminated by gas lamps. Four orchestras played in the four corners of the Hall of Mirrors conducted by Isaac Straus and Dufresne where, according to the Chateaux website, (https://en.chateauversailles.fr/discover/history/key-dates/visit-queen-victoria-1855) “Hundreds of chandeliers, girandoles and torches were reflected in the mirrors, and large garlands of flowers were hung from the ceiling. Gold and diamonds glistened everywhere among the men dressed in evening attire and the women in crinoline dresses."  And Queen Victoria was treated to the most sumptuous dinner and, of course, the royal fireworks display.

Vintage Engraving from 1856 Showing Queen Victoria Visiting Napoleon III Emperor of the French in August 1855

Perhaps the most well-known historical event in modern history at Versailles is the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, marking the end of World War I, June 28, 1919, also held in the Hall of Mirrors. Unlike the lavish balls of earlier centuries, the signing of the treaty took on a more somber tone and has been considered one of the greatest diplomatic blunders of the 20th century, leading to Adolf Hitler’s rise and World War II.

Hall of Mirrors, Site of the Signing of the Treaty of Versailles: Pixabay

In a few months, I’ll have an opportunity to visit the Palace of Versailles and its gardens once more. This time, I’ll observe it with a keen eye, knowing more about Louis XIV and what motivated him to create the palatial estate. I hope to provide more of my reflections on this grand estate in another blog in the coming months.

Donna worked as a communications professional before turning to full-time writing. Her short stories, essays, and articles have appeared in various inspirational and secular publications. She has two indie-published novels in her Waldensian Series--Light Out of Darkness and Undaunted Valor on Amazon.com.

Weaving history and faith into stories of intrigue and redemption grew out of Donna's love of history and English literature as a young adult while attending the United World College of the Atlantic—an international college in Wales, U.K. She still loves to explore peoples and cultures of the world, developing plots that show how God’s love abounds even in the profoundly difficult circumstances of our lives. Her stories reflect the hunger in all of us for love, forgiveness, and redemption in a world that often withholds second chances.

Find out more about Donna Wichelman at www.donnawichelman.com.