Every morning, the king performed a ritual called the levée, which is just a fancy word for “getting out of bed.” But it wasn’t a normal wake-up. Dozens of people—doctors, priests, servants, and nobles—watched him stretch, yawn, and put on his slippers. Imagine brushing your teeth with twenty people staring at you. That was Louis’s life. He turned even a morning routine into a solar event.
He also invented court etiquette that made everything revolve around him. If you were a duchess and you wanted to sit down, you had to wait for the king to offer you a stool. If you stepped on his rug, you could lose his favor. It was like a cross between a strict school and a reality TV show. But nobody was voted off the island—they just lost the sunlight.
Why should you care about a fancy French king?
Okay, so Louis died in 1715. Why does his “Sun King” image matter to you, right now, scrolling on your phone? Here’s the thing: Louis invented modern celebrity. Before him, kings were just military leaders or religious figures. But Louis understood that image is power. He used art, fashion, and architecture to build a brand. Sound familiar?
the sun king | sun king beatles – JQPGG
Think about your favorite influencer or athlete. They don’t just play a sport or sing a song—they create a persona. They wear certain clothes, post certain photos, and control how the world sees them. Louis XIV was the original creator of the “brand.” Without him, we might not have Beyoncé’s stage shows, Kylie Jenner’s Instagram grid, or even the way politicians give speeches. He turned his life into a constant performance.
A little sunshine in your own life
You don’t need a palace or a crown to be a “sun” in your own world. Think about the people in your life who bring warmth and energy just by showing up. Maybe it’s your friend who tells the best stories, or your grandma who always has a kind word. They’re not trying to control everyone. They’re just being a steady, bright presence.
Louis XIV took this idea to a weird, excessive level. He wanted to be the only sun, and that kind of ego is exhausting. But the core lesson? We all have a little bit of that “center of attention” energy. We want to feel important, seen, and valued. Next time you see a beautiful sunrise or a bright, hot day, remember: that’s what Louis wanted to be—but he forgot that even the sun has to share the sky with the moon and the stars.
So, was he a narcissist? Absolutely. But he was also a brilliant showman who understood that perception is reality. And on a lazy afternoon, when you’re thinking about why history matters, just smile and say, “Well, at least I don’t need 300 people to watch me put on my socks.” That’s a win for us regular folks.
