Louis XIV: Sun King and Propagandist

Louis XIV: Sun King and Propagandist

Author: History Hit May 14, 2026 Duration: 47:22

How did Louis XIV use his day-to-day life, especially his marriage, to help create the mythology of the Sun King as semi-divine, radiant and unrivalled?

In 17th-century France, monarchy was performed, witnessed, and widely circulated. Using portraits, medals, sculptures and official pamphlets, Louis XIV meticulously constructed his own image, appearing as Apollo, Jupiter, Hercules, Neptune, a Roman emperor, and even as the sun itself. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and Dr. Abby Zanger explore the Sun King's carefully staged world.


More:

Marie Antoinette

Listen on Apple

Listen on Spotify


Montaigne: Philosopher of the French Renaissance

Listen on Apple

Listen on Spotify


Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast


Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. 



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Step beyond the well-trodden path of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I with historian Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. While the Tudor dynasty remains a central touchstone, the conversations in Not Just the Tudors roam a much wider, richer historical landscape. You might find an episode delving into the court of Mughal India or examining the artistry of Velázquez, followed by a deep dive into the world of Shakespeare or the haunting history of witch trials. This approach reveals how the 16th and 17th centuries were a time of global connection and dramatic change far beyond the English court. Each week, Suzannah is joined by fellow historians and specialists, turning each session into a compelling dialogue that uncovers incredible, often overlooked stories. The result is a layered portrait of an era, built through detailed discussions and fresh perspectives. Produced by History Hit, this podcast releases new episodes every Wednesday and Sunday, offering regular escapes into a past that is both complex and surprisingly familiar. It’s a series for anyone who loves history but craves a broader view, proving that context is everything.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Not Just the Tudors
Podcast Episodes
James II: The Restoration's Last Catholic King [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:28
A king with unyielding faith. A nation on the brink. A crown lost to revolution.King James II is often dismissed as the unfortunate monarch swept aside by William and Mary. But behind the Glorious Revolution lies a story…
Katherine Howard's Deadly Affairs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:22
Was Henry VIII's fifth wife a promiscuous teenager and then heartless adulteress and schemer? Celebrated, scrutinised, and endlessly talked about at court, Katherine Howard’s reign was dazzlingly brief; within two years…
Charles II: Restoration of the Monarchy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:56
From clinging to a tree while evading capture, his face blackened with soot, to triumphantly sailing home to reclaim his crown — the story of Charles II is one of survival, spectacle, and transformation. Professor Suzann…
Why Cromwell's Republic Failed [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:04
After the execution of King Charles I, England became a Republic for the only time in its history. Yet why was this revolutionary moment so short-lived? Why did Oliver Cromwell’s Commonwealth collapse?Professor Suzannah…
"Bloody Mary": Debunking the Myths [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:38
Was Mary Tudor truly “Bloody Mary”? Has England’s first reigning queen been misunderstood for centuries? Determined to restore Roman Catholicism, her reign became forever associated with the burning of Protestants. But w…
Ireland Under the Brutal Tudors [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:36
What impact did the Tudors have on Ireland, not just in the councils of kings and earls, but in the rhythms of ordinary life? What were the consequences for ordinary citizens when English power was asserted through marti…
Elizabeth I's Doctor - & Poisoner? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:01
Why was a Portuguese-born Jewish doctor, who rose to become Elizabeth I’s chief physician, brutally executed for treason in a scandal that shocked England? Was Dr. Rodrigo Lopes truly guilty, or simply caught in the cros…
Girl With a Pearl Earring: Identity Revealed [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:41
Could one of art’s greatest mysteries at last be solved? Who was the luminous girl with a pearl earring in Vermeer's iconic painting? Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Andrew Graham-Dixon who believes he's finally…
Henry VIII's Reckoning: Pilgrimage of Grace [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:14
The Pilgrimage of Grace sounds calm, but was in reality a major uprising in the north of England against Henry VIII’s religious and political reforms, including the dissolution of monasteries.Professor Suzannah Lipscomb…
Hamnet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:29
How much do we really know about William Shakespeare, his wife Anne Hathaway, and the family tragedies that may have shaped the bard's greatest work? This is the premise of Maggie O'Farrell's luminous novel Hamnet, now a…