Duc de Saint-Simon observed Louis XIV and his court, and he documented the styles and strategies of his French leader in his Memoirs.
· The king liked no man in his court to be close to superior him in any way.
o Therefore he chose ministers that were ignorant – so that he could shape them and teach them trifling things
o The same with his generals – he liked to be credited with the great military successes
· This vanity cause his ruin
o He was praised too much
o He held little intelligence himself, and his subordinates discovered that all they had to do to succeed with him was to please him
· He was an abnormally jealous person and also very in-tune to his surroundings
o Mainly he noticed people, especially their absence
o He noticed even those who wished to remain unnoticed
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· He had to know all that was going on at all times
o He had countless informants carrying him information all the time
o He also had a great memory, and was extremely unforgiving
· The King was magnificent, extremely polite to women, elegant in sports
o He was obsessed with love and was surrounded by women in his younger years
o He was also very religious, only missing mass once his whole life
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