Description
Louis XIV built Versailles as a refuge from Paris and moved there in 1682. He rarely returned, but had musicians and theater companies come to him. On his death, his heirs continued to exploit Paris for entertainment. The relationship between the court and the city became more strained until the outbreak of the Revolution. In 1789, the market women of Paris forced the king to return to Paris. The palace never recovered.
Charlie Steen’s classes place historical events in context with art, architecture, religion, and other cultural aspects of a period. He teaches western civilization at UNM. He is the author of several books, including his recently published A Cultural History of Early Modern Europe. A graduate of UNM, he also holds a PhD in early modern European history from UCLA.