roach. He is fair and reasonable in his description of the intricate personal and political relationships that influenced the decisions of Louis XIV. His treatment is positive and friendly with no undue emphasis on personal weaknesses of the king. Goubert's own French nationality gives his work the flair of one who loves his country and culture and all associated with it.
The opening chapter sets the scene for the beginning of Louis XIV's reign. At the time of the 1660's, the average life expectancy in France was about twenty-five years. Death was a central part of life. About twenty-five children out of every one hundred born died before the age of one. Only about ten would reach the age of sixty. Young mothers often died in childbirth and men quickly remarried, putting behind them the losses of previous wives and children who had died (21).
The economy of France was agricultural. Peasants worked very hard to earn a living, pay their taxes, and attempt to increase their holdings. The peasant had to perform diverse activities in order to
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