During the 15th and 18th centuries, Royal Absolutism was the dominant political structure in Western society and personified France and King Louis XIV. In a previous century, Niccoló Machiavelli, wrote a document called "The Prince". This book was about what it takes to be a successful ruler, and the number one rule of course was: “Power is everything.” How you acquired power made no difference as long as you had it. Many people rejected Machiavelli's idea of ​​power at all costs, but it would soon become the basis of government in some countries. In the 17th century, every leader embraced Machiavelli's idea of ​​"power at all costs." The meaning of sovereignty is to have complete control over something, and the components that make up the sovereignty of a government are two things. The government has complete control over the military and all operations it carries out, and all legal actions are also under the control of the government, which means it also makes and enforces laws. Absolutism means that the sovereignty of the government is in the hands of one person and that the absolute ruler is not limited by any law, is not limited by others, is not limited by religion or religious groups, and has acquired control of the nobility. In an absolute state, the ruler believed he must be the embodiment of the state. In 1589, it marked the end of 70 years of devastating religious civil war, and historians began to see the emergence of the absolute leader or absolute monarch. During this religious civil war, France was hit hard. At the end of the civil war historians begin to see the rise of a new king, Henry IV, who ended any future religious civil war by stating that everyone in France would be granted religion... middle of paper ... ... The mother of the XIV did not want to do what Maria de' Medici did, she immediately chose a regent, and it was another cardinal, Cardinal Mazarin who governed the country until Louis In 1648, the nobility of France had a last gasp that lasted in a battle that lasted 6 years until Cardinal Mazarin defeated the nobility once and for all. In 1661 Mazarin died and Louis XIV, then 24 years old, became king. When Mazarin died, he left Louis XIV a country where the nobility was tamed and enjoyed enormous power and international prestige. It was also a country where no representative institutions existed and the people were willing to accept an absolute ruler. It is arguable that King Louis XIV had a perfect scenario left for him to be an absolute ruler. Louis XIV truly understood the absolute position, which is why he is arguably the greatest absolute leader in history.