17th-century Monarch Quotes

Louis XIV of France

Peter I of Russia

Charles I of England

George II of Great Britain

Aurangzeb

Yongzheng Emperor

Upon hearing the news of the French defeat at Malplaquet:

Has God forgotten all I have done for him?

Louis XIV of France

I die a Christian, according to the profession of the Church of England, as I found it left me by my father.

Charles I of England

To the Duke of Newcastle, who had told him that General Wolfe was a madman:

Mad, is he? Then I hope he will bite some of my other generals.

George II of Great Britain

Once, when Nadir was told that there was no war in paradise, he was reported to have asked: "How can there be any delights there?".

Alas! I have civilized my own subjects; I have conquered other nations; yet I have not been able to civilize or to conquer myself.

Peter I of Russia

The seditious rebels claim that we are the rulers of Manchuria and only later penetrated central China to become its rulers. Their prejudices concerning the division of their and our country have caused many vitriolic falsehoods. What these rebels have not understood is the fact that Manchuria is for the Manchus the same as the birthplace is for the people of the central plain. Shun belonged to the Eastern Yi, and King Wen to the Western Yi. Does this fact diminish their virtues?

Yongzheng Emperor

Wherefore should I not offer my congratulations? But the very fact of them being Sayyids, those fountains of felicity, demands heartily exertions in support of Islam and their ancestor Muhammad the Lord of Apostles. Let two Kaftans of honor for the two brothers be issued from my wardrobe and let them be sent with two swords, jewel-hilted and provided with pearl mounted belts, let Jamdat-ul-Mulk write much praise and congratulations when sending these presents.