Summary:
Martin Luther, Louis XIV and Bartolome de Las Casas were great men of their time. While their notariety differed, they each displayed leadership skills and qualities that had profound effects on history.
In history, there have been many men who have done remarkable things and have been a cause to an important event, and therefore the idea of a great men does exist. The men might have been in the right place at the right time, but others that could have been placed in that position might not have done the same thing. Men such as Martin Luther, Louis XIV, and Bartolome de Las Casas all had their own beliefs and wanted to contribute to their society in their own way. These men were indeed great to their time and if not for their leadership, the accomplishments they achieved in making a society better, might have not happened at all. Luther helped create a schism, or a split, in religions and he led a breakaway from the church and its power over the people in Europe. Furthermore, Louis XIV was said to be one of the best rulers and he organized his government and also took time to help run it. Lastly, Bartolome de Las Casas was an historian who fought for the rights of the Native Americans and tried to make laws banishing encomiendas and slavery. Great individuals such as these men have played a major part in leading their societies in different directions.
To begin with, Martin Luther was a very important leader in Europe during the separation of the church. Luther posted his 95 phecies on the church door and from there, the break from the church was complete. In addition, he created his own beliefs and had some of Europe convert to Lutherism and follow him and his beliefs. With this conversion of the people also came a schism and a separation of the church and the state. Luther was one of the causes for the Reformation because he was the one who started this detachment and left behind the control that the Catholic church had over him. Without the proper motivation and willingness to make a difference, not just any person would be able to do what Martin Luther did at that time for the people of Europe. Although Lutherism was replaced by Calvinism, Luther created this freedom of religions and this break from the church and its control. Calvinism brought into play the idea of pre-destination and the fact that you were decided to be saved or damned when you were born had intrigued many people. Martin Luther helped direct his followers in Europe to feel differently and have a different opinion on religion. This not only helped the people break away from unfair taxes and treatment, but it created a large amount of people who went and believed what they wanted to and studied their own religion.
Another man in history that achieved great things and helped change people and their lives was Louis XIV. Louis showed determination in creating a better society because he strengthened the society up from many years of struggle and hardship. This monarch not only controlled his ministers and his bureaucracy, but he maintained religious harmony among the people. Louis was a key factor in making France become a more prosperous and wealthy nation through a form of trade called mercantilism. He played a major role in changing the lives of the people through a centralized rule and making all nobles move to Versailles where he lived in his castle.
These nobles lost power as the king gained power and the government was run by Louis throughout his reign. Furthermore, it was evident that he directed the people in the right direction because he rose to a state of absolute power in France. The people believed him to be the correct ruler and respected him and the government. Also, he led French culture, manners, and languages to all levels of society and he dominated in world affairs. Apparently he was a successful ruler because most of the reigns after him copied his form of government and the way he ruled in a centralized way. Louis was a great person because even though he was born into this position of a ruler, he helped to raise up the society from several years in a struggle to keep the state in a stable condition. In addition, he created a local place in his palace in Versailles where all his government officials resided. This was an intelligent decision because he made it easy to reach his people and maybe make a decision on short notice. Although France under his rule was constantly in war, he still helped obtain land gain more power throughout the wars. Louis without his position on the way his society should be working, France at that time probably would have fallen apart as it was leading to already. Louis XIV was a great man to his time because he led the people under his rule, to a state of religious balance and also gained this absolutism and confidence of the people in him. Without him at this time, not as many drastic changes for the better would have been made and France would have been less prosperous and also less peaceful.
Lastly, Bartolome de Las Casas was a great man to his time for the reason that he helped and stood up for the Native Americans in their time of need. Las Casas was a man who believed strongly in the rights of the Native Americans and he tried to banish certain laws against slavery and the use of encomiendas. During the time that he was doing this, sugar was becoming very popular and their was more need for physical labor in the New World. That was when the slaves were imported from Africa by the shiploads and they were forced to work on plantations. Las Casas disagreed with the idea of making slaves work against their will and he tried to protect the rights of these Native Americans. Therefore, he was a great man who played an important role in trying to end slavery and without his beliefs, this attempt at trying to make life better for the slaves would never have happened. Las Casas was the only Spanish settler who cared about how the Spaniards at that time were mistreating the Native Americans. Although he helped to conquer Cuba he still believed that the people were doing the wrong thing towards the Natives. Las Casas was a start to a belief of mistreatment to the slaves and even though his beginning of a law that banished encomiendas did not work out as well as he had hoped, he didn't give up until he was forced out of position and became a monk. Without this role of Bartolome de Las Casas in his society in Spain, there wouldn't be a man to direct the people to realizing the severity of what the Spaniards and also the people of the new world were doing to the Native Americans. He was a great man to his time because he could have started what was known as the anti-slavery movement even though he wasn't actually there. It just takes one persons idea to be recognized and played out throughout the years to make a difference in society and among the people.
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