ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the practice of writing both ancient and modern histories in old regime France, focusing on the reign of Louis XIV, which represents the apogee of royal history-making enterprises. It introduces the nascent discipline of history from the official court histories produced by those who held the title of royal historiographer to the courtier memorialists, who recorded what they witnessed for posterity. Various modes of history-making are examined, from the writing of “universal histories” to odes and panegyrics that marked a special occasion. Focus is placed on the role of material culture as evidence for history with the antiquarian turn in history that coincided with the Sun King’s reign.
