The sun kings - Hywel Williams

Over the last 3000 years, the great 'sun kings' of history have dazzled the world with their ability to build empires and rule them absolutely, but equally with their shows of excess and opulence. Experts in the public display of power, they have identified their own authority as the basis of their country's grandeur. From Ramses II raising the temples and statues of 13th-century BC Egypt, and Charlemagne reviving Roman imperial glory for 9th-century Europe, to Peter the Great's transformation of Russia into a western power, and Napoleon's parcelling of Europe for his family, The Sun Kings examines the lives and achievements of 50 magnificent rulers, whilst also providing a fascinating study of the changing role of kingship.The sun kings' lifestyles, palaces, art, dress and other totems of their success are brought to life with lavish colour illustrations. The following rulers are included:Ramses IIRoger IILouis XIV SolomonSuryavarman IIKangxi Nebuchadnezzar IIThe Knights TemplarPeter the Great Darius IEleanor of AquitaineFrederick IICroesus, King of LydiaKublai KhanMaria-TheresaAlexander the GreatBaybars ICatherine the GreatShi HuangdiPope Alexander VINapoleonAugustusLorenzo de MediciLeopold IIConstantine IMontezuma IILudwig IIAl-MansurHenry VIIIMohammad Reza ShahKammuCharles VPahlaviCharlemagneSuleyman IBokassa IAbd-ar-rahman IIIAkbarFahd ibn 'Abd al-'AzizBasil II ('the Bulgar-Slayer')Gustavus Adolphusal-Sa'udOtto IIICharles I William the Conqueror