Who was known as the 'Sun King'?

Who was known as the 'Sun King'?

• A. Charles II
• B. Louis XV
• C. Louis XVI
• D. Louis XIV

Answer: (D)

The main idea is identifying who earned the nickname “Sun King” because of how he used sun symbolism and centralized royal power. Louis XIV is known for adopting the sun as his emblem and presenting himself as the central source of light, order, and authority in France. His long reign, the move of the royal court to Versailles, and a grand program of arts and ceremonies all reinforced a system of absolute monarchy where power flowed directly from the king. The other rulers listed don’t fit that title. Charles II was the English Restoration-era king often called the Merry Monarch, Louis XV is known as the Beloved, and Louis XVI is famous for his role during the French Revolution. Because of the distinctive sun symbolism and the consolidated authority it represented, the Sun King nickname belongs to Louis XIV.

The main idea is identifying who earned the nickname “Sun King” because of how he used sun symbolism and centralized royal power. Louis XIV is known for adopting the sun as his emblem and presenting himself as the central source of light, order, and authority in France. His long reign, the move of the royal court to Versailles, and a grand program of arts and ceremonies all reinforced a system of absolute monarchy where power flowed directly from the king.

The other rulers listed don’t fit that title. Charles II was the English Restoration-era king often called the Merry Monarch, Louis XV is known as the Beloved, and Louis XVI is famous for his role during the French Revolution. Because of the distinctive sun symbolism and the consolidated authority it represented, the Sun King nickname belongs to Louis XIV.