The Sun Kings: A History of Kingship [Hardcover]

For thousands of years, the style and authority of kingly rule shaped the world. From Solomon of Israel and Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon, through Kublai Khan, Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, to Catherine the Great of Russia and the Emperor Napoleon, the greatest rulers of history came to personify the grandeur of the empires over which they held sway. Expert not only in the wielding of power but also in its dazzling public display, they are the Sun Kings. Each understood how pomp and magnificence could be used both to advance their own ambitions and to enhance the glory and renown of their realms. As the colossal statues raised to Ramses II in Ancient Egypt or the great palace of Louis XIV at Versailles, or the huge and devoted armies of Alexander the Great and of Suleyman the Magnificent attest, the Sun Kings were the living embodiments of their kingdoms. In the apocryphal words of the definitive Sun King, Louis XIV: “l'etat, c'est moi”. Sun Kings not only describes in vivid detail the lives and achievements of more than 50 glorious monarchs, it also provides a fascinating survey of the historical development of kingship - and an overview of some 3000 years of world history. 150 full-colour images display the grandeur and propaganda of the Sun King's magnificent reigns - their palaces, monuments, portraits and symbols of office. Detailed timelines set each ruler's achievements in their full historical context. The Sun Kings of history covered in these pages are not just kings and princes, but emperors and sultans, queens and popes, including: Ramses II, Nebuchadrezzar II, Croesus, Darius I, Alexander the Great, Augustus Caesar, Constantine the Great, Charlemagne, William the Conqueror, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Kublai Khan, Cosimo de' Medici, Montezuma II, Henry VIII, Charles V, Suleyman the Magnificent, Elizabeth I, Pope Urban VIII, Louis XIV, Peter the Great, Frederick II, Catherine the Great, Napoleon and Queen Victoria, amongst many others.

A lavish illustrated history of the world's greatest monarchs. Richly informative accounts of the lives and reigns of more than 50 magnificent rulers, from Ancient Egypt to the 20th century. Generously illustrated with 150 full-colour images, showcasing spectacular palaces, monuments, portraits and royal regalia. Each ruler's achievements are described alongside the history of their time, including detailed timelines and key biographical facts. An informative and reliable history of kingship and hence of the making of our world.