Monarchy

Monarchy: A Study of Louis XIV is the mature Belloc at his best. The young Belloc had had been loyal to the notion of the French Republic, seeing it as a patriotic duty. The mature Belloc went deeper, considering the role of monarchy in resisting the rise of the plutocracy that would lead to globalism. Those wishing to understand history and political philosophy on a deeper level should read this book and learn the lessons it teaches. -Joseph Pearce, author of Old Thunder: A Life of Hilaire Belloc

An axiom that Belloc carried with him throughout his life was one he had heard in his youth (aged 22) from Benjamin Jowett, Master of Balliol, Oxford: "You cannot have a Republic without Republicans." In some respects, Belloc remained a republican until his death, but increasingly realized that there were not enough republicans to make a republic function effectively. Belloc thus felt that monarchy was the most practicable, superior form of government to-to use Napoleon's words-master the Money power in the State, and he explored this theme increasingly through his biographies and other histories in the later years of his life. Monarchy: A Study of Louis XIV is an important contribution to-and explanation of-this development in his thinking. -Michael Hennessy, Chairman of the Hilaire Belloc Society

In many Catholic histories today, Louis XIV-due to his enmity toward the pious House of Habsburg-is portrayed unrelentingly as a villain. With his habitual flair Hilaire Belloc exposes for us the complexity of the Sun King, as well as his real triumphs and failures. On the one hand, he shows us Louis' actions according to the author's intentions (whether or not they were justified is another issues). On the other hand, he shows us Monarchy in the abstract through one of its foremost practitioners-independent of other political considerations. The reprinting of this book is indeed a great favour to us all. -Charles Coulombe, author of Blessed Charles of Austria: A Holy Emperor and His Legacy