Louis XIV was, by any standards, an impressive human being. His kingship was a sustained tour de force and his reign among the most important in the history of Europe. Though less powerful in practice than in absolutist theory and propaganda, Louis XIV reign still represents the apogee of French royal power in the ancien regime. The age of Louis XIV was a period of French dominance, advances in government, great influence abroad and rich cultural achievement. Majestic in conception, bold in ambition and splendid in image and ceremony, the monarchy of Louis XIV set standards and posed questions which have challenged us ever since. The stature of Louis XIV is beyond doubt. Between adulation and hostility, historians have struggled to achieve a balance in their interpretation of Louis XIV. In this new history, Geoffrey Treasure expertly manages to achieve this balance by setting Louis in the style and thinking of the period . He emerges as a credible figure because he is of his age. Also providing powerful sketches of the leading figures, Colbert, Bossuet, Fenelon, Mme de Maintenon and many others, Treasure helps to evaluate the propaganda and detach Louis from the image and the 'spin'. Geoffrey Treasure's compelling history shows that it is possible to enter fully into the spirit and temper of the age while still offering an objective study of Louis as a person and as a ruler. Geoffrey Treasure was history master at Harrow school. He has written extensively about French and European history, notably Seventeenth Century France (revised edition 1981), The Making of Modern Europe (1985) and the authoritative Mazarin (1995).