The Weirdest Rules of Royal French Etiquette

Versailles etiquette was as complicated and ornate as the furniture and artwork filling the great chambers of the French royal palace. The smallest details of life at court, including personal hygiene, were dictated, regulated, and policed. But more often than not, court etiquette at Versailles was more bizarre than it was dignified.

#etiquette #france #weirdhistory

[starwarzchik]

My dog also relieves herself in public, scratches at the door when she wants in, and watches me sleep and eat. And she’s a French breed. 😳IS SHE NOBILITY?!

[Rosedawn]

Louis XIV actually created this expensive circus to force his nobles to give up their private armies. He made it too difficult to maintain both a standing militia and a “proper wardrobe”. By forcing them to compete to be seen he kept them from going home to their estates and scheming up any meaningful rebellion.

[EducatedPsycho]

“My blood is so pure because my family only breeds with other members of my family”. Lmfao

[MotivationClubXX]

For me, scratching on the door seems WAY more unsettling than a knock

[btetschner]

I can see why the French Revolution happened.
I don't think I could have endured such a strange lifestyle as a royal.

[ArcherSuh]

I've got to admit there's a certain degree of satisfaction in knowing that people who were genuinely once perceived as being "superior" are going to be best remembered in the annals of history for politicking over chairs, sh*tting on the floor and getting publically beheaded by the neglected subjects they ruled over.

[ivyrose]

Correctly fitting corsets are not uncomfortable at all. And they not only provide support for your back but also provide support to hold up all of those heavy fabrics in the dresses.

[Midlife_Manical_Mayhem]

your information on "corsets" is wrong. they wore stays, which were NOT worn tight. they were a foundation garment that helped the lines of the dress and to support the weight of it. the stays would have a hook to help hold the skirts and petticoats up. the wide hip portion of the robe was supported by a garment called "panniers". the only time in history that corsets were worn tight was by SOME women during a PORTION of the victorian period, as a fashion statement. it was by no means the norm to tight lace. also, louis xiv and charles ii were not brothers. but they were probably distant cousins.

[laurenyuckert]

I think what happened to Louis XIV as a kid played a big role into making everything regimented. If you keep the nobles around you at all times and busy and standing they are probably too tired to plot against you.

[questfortruth]

"It's GOOD to be the King!" Except for that head-lopping deal at the end.

[bengheinrich]

That is a clever way too keep the nobles under control. By keeping the nobles arguing over who gets too hand the King his napkin they are prevented from revolting or raising armies which they were doing during the Frondes at the beginning of the Reign of Louis XIV.

[cindyellis]

If you do a little extra research, starting with Louis the 14th, he invented most of those rules that all the courtiers, etc. had to be present at all times and help him dress and all of those; meaningless rituals. The reason is the aristocracy was full of people trying to get ahead and I’m anything under the sun to get there. So in order to keep them under his thumb and in his eyes he made all these rules so that they were always there in his sight and he could keep an eye on them. I’ve re-search this extensively and that is what I found out. He wasn’t just a crazy man. he was very very smart and very very aware of what is aristocracy was up to

[timmmahhhh]

So when the French Taunter in The Holy Grail uses the insult "you silly wipers of other people's bottoms", at that time it was more of a prestigious position than an insult.

[odysseusrex]

6:25 Whoa, what the heck? Louis XIV and Charles II were *not* brothers. They weren't even particularly closely related as royals go. Where the heck did you get that idea?

[amyrat]

Louis XIV's brother was Phillipe I, Duke of Orleans, not Charles II.

[foxxyinu]

Please talk about The Affair of the Poisons! French history is kinda my thing ❤

[pcbassoon]

Corsets didnt exist yet. They had stays, which could not be tightened like Victorian corsets because they were laced in a spiral. The discomfort would have been from the fact that they were wearing like 40 pounds of fabric.

[nedludd]

Ancient Chinese rulers also had elaborate rules. Maybe do a report on them.

[sydwashere]

Corsets were not highly uncomfortable. Well, maybe the ones worn in the French court, but that is a general misconception. Remember every woman wore a corset every day, from the working women to the queen that didn’t change till after the First World War.

[lexigrimhaive]

VIDEO CORRECTIONS:

The residents of Versailles relieved themselves wherever because there was no other option. There were no public bathrooms; there weren’t even chamber pots in the common areas, and only a few of the highest residents had anything resembling a bathroom in their private rooms.

They specifically grew out their *pinkies* for scratching at the door.

Charles II *of England* was NOT the brother of Louis XIV *of France*. Louis' brother was Philippe of Orléans. Yes, Louis & Charles were cousins, but not brothers.

The photo shown when discussing Louis XV & elaborate dinners is a still of Louis XVI & Marie Antoinette from Sophia Coppola’s “Marie Antoinette” movie.

No one HAD to follow the extreme etiquette rules. But if they didn’t, they would not be able to see the king, advance at court, or even attend Versailles. So if you wanted to climb the ladder, you had to follow the rules. And those who followed them “the best”, btw, were the ones who got private audiences with the king, had his ear, etc.