Versailles [antikvár]

Versailles is known throughout the worlcl as the largest and most sumptuous palace cvcr Imiit. In the mind of the visitor unfamiliar with the twists and turns of the history of Francé, the names of Louis XIV and Marié Antoinclte are jumbM up togetlier, and the other kings, queens and pincés who Üved here arc too often neglected. In their entliusiasm l'or an over-elaborated sym-bolism developed only after the event, certain au-thors have attempted to explain Versailles as an expression of the solar myth, on the pretext that Louis XJV was known as the Sun King (many of his forebears had been called the same thing), and that lűs bedchamber was placcd at the geo-metrical centre of the chateau (which was a re-sult of (he re-working of the Royal Apartments m 1700).In reality, the importance of Versailles and its inliabitants must be sought elsewhere. Rather than a solar symbol, Versailles was the sym-bol of the monarchy called the Ancien Régime, sometimes tenned the absolu-te monarchy, which would however be better described as personal monarchy by divine right. Cmiously, it was al Versailles, in a lninting-lodge soon to be replaced by a small chateau, cluiing the .loimiée desDupes in 1630, thai Louis XIII confirmed Cardinal Richelieu in his powers, wholly posses-sed of royal authority just as had been Henri IV. the first king to come and hunt in the woods of Versailles. It was at Versailles in 1789 that the Estates General met for the last time, and the ancient Capetian monarchy which had ruled over Francé since 987 began its death agony.Between 1630 and 1789 the chateau grew and its park developed into its present form, whi-le a new town was built alongside it. From Louis XIII's hunting-lodge, Louis XIV made a coiui-try house, which grew larger and larger and ever more impressive, and in April 1682 he decided to establish his cajjilal at Versailles. Le Vau and la-ter Hardouin-Mansart, his architects, Le Brun, his painter and Le Nőtre his landscape gardener all made their mark, but die King's influence was decisive. From his motlier Aiuie of Austria and liis grandmother Marié de Medici Louis XIV had inherited a taste for the plastic arts; from his fa-ther Louis XIII, whom he had hardly known, and of whom he was told little, he got his taste for music.In 1715 he was succeeded by liis great-grand-son Louis XV, who made no changes to tJie ar-chitecture of the chateau tmtil towards the end of his reign in 1770. He had nonetheless inherited his grandfather's artistic tastes, as is witnessed by the private apartments; his sense of the importance of secrecy in politics he had received from his Italian ancestrors the Medici and the House of Savoy.