The absolutist theory first emerged as royal ideology in France during the 16th century. The philosopher Louis le Roy described France as a "monarchie a un seul chief", and developed a theory of kingship that emphasized the king's independence and sovereignty, arguing that the king was not subject to the laws of the realm.
The most famous example of an absolute monarchy was Louis XIV of France, who ruled from 1643 to 1715 and was known as the "Sun King". Louis XIV believed in the divine right of kings, which held that kings were chosen by God and were answerable only to him. He centralized power in the hands of the monarchy, and suppressed any opposition or dissent.
Although several European monarchies called their monarchs Absolute rulers, few had unlimited power over their countries or subjects. Many were constrained by law, noble rights, and religious teachings that often limited their power, for example, England, Spain and Sweden.