Louis XIV - Elizabeth Nix | Library

Duc de Saint-Simon: The Court of Louis XIV
The Duc de Saint-Simon resided for many years at Versailles. He left an account of Life there. 
His mind was occupied with small things rather than with great, and he delighted in all sorts of petty details, such as the dress and drill of his soldiers; and it was just the same with regard to his building operations, his household, and even his cookery. He always thought he could teach something of their own craft even to the most skilful professional men; and they, for their part, used to listen gratefully to lessons which they had long ago learnt by heart. He imagined that all this showed his indefatigable industry; in reality, it was a great waste of time, and his Ministers turned it to good account for their own purposes, as soon as they had learnt the art of managing him; they kept his attention engaged with a mass of details, while they contrived to get their own way in more important matters.

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1. (Determine Central Idea) How did Duc de Saint-Simon feel about Louis XIV as king?

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(Identify words/phrases for meaning) In the passage, “contrived” most closely means

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(Structure for Meaning) The author’s use of “…and he delighted in all sorts of petty details…” is used to describe

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(Assess Claims) Do you think others in France would agree with Duc de Saint-Simon’s assessment of Louis XIV? Explain your answer. (Use, but do not quote, examples from the text)