The French king Louis XIV, popularly referred to as the Sun King, reigned from 1643 until 1715. He is well-known in France for his ambitious approach to power consolidation and governance. His promotion of the notion that laws should be regarded as supreme rulers was one of his main points.

Think of laws as an invisible hand that directs everyone's behavior, even those in positions of authority. Louis XIV felt that everyone should be governed by the same laws, just as a shepherd leads his flock. According to him, the same laws that apply to regular people also apply to kings and queens. Because it proposed a distinction between political and legal authority, this concept was groundbreaking at the time.

This idea was used by Louis XIV to bolster France's legal system. He sought to establish a more stable and predictable society where all people, regardless of status, would uphold the same values by highlighting the idea that no one is above the law. This strategy offered a clear framework for decision-making and lessened tensions between the various branches of government.

Louis XIV essentially held that laws should be the ultimate watchdogs in any society, guaranteeing equality and consistency among all social classes. By advancing this notion, he aimed to create a system in which the rule of law was valued above individual power or regal privilege.