Final answer:
The King of France, especially Louis XIV, required nobles to reside at the Palace of Versailles to reduce the risk of rebellion and maintain centralized power. The monarchy’s centralized power was reinforced by supplanting local vassals with royal officials and pursuing mercantilism to regulate the economy and increase wealth.
Step-by-step explanation:
The conditions that the King of France, particularly Louis XIV, imposed on the lords were part of the absolute monarchy's strategy to centralize power and prevent uprisings. Lords were required to live with the king at the magnificent Palace of Versailles, where they would engage in ostentatious living and vie for the king’s favor. This favor could manifest in prestigious duties such as holding the king's shirt as he dressed. In doing so, they spent their money and were kept distracted, mitigating the risk that their wealth and influence could be used to plot revolts against the king. Louis XIV, renowned for his statement 'L'état, c'est moi' (I am the state), scrutinized state matters closely, ranging from military strategies to infrastructure and legal codes, reinforcing his absolute rule.
France's evolution into an absolute monarchy under the Bourbon dynasty saw the Kings, starting from Louis XIII with chief minister Cardinal Richelieu, ceasing to convene the Estates General and ruling without advisory bodies. This centralized power was further bolstered by replacing local vassals and church officials with salaried royal bureaucrats, and by acquiring land from nobles, thus enhancing the king's resources.
Under the guidance of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, France implemented mercantilist economic policies to strengthen the monarchy's wealth and regulate the economy. Colbert promoted French manufacturing, increased tariffs, established quality control standards, and attempted to tax the nobility. The centralization of power in France historically allowed the monarchy to resist democratic influences seen in other European nations and maintain strict control over the nobility and state affairs.