The correct answer is the second option - In both France and Russia, nobles dominated the government, weakening the power of the monarchy.
During both Catherine the Great's rule in Russia and Louis XIV's reign in France, the nobility played a significant role in the government. In France, Louis XIV centralized power and kept the nobility at the Palace of Versailles, where he could control and influence their actions. Similarly, Catherine the Great in Russia relied on the support of the nobility, and the nobles held considerable influence within the Russian government.
The power of the monarchy was weakened as the nobility exerted influence over political affairs in both cases.