Final answer:
A defining characteristic of absolute rulers during the 17th and 18th centuries was their claim to divine right to rule.
Step-by-step explanation:
A defining characteristic of absolute rulers during the 17th and 18th centuries was their claim to divine right to rule.
These rulers believed that their authority to govern came directly from God, and they considered themselves subordinate to no one. They had absolute political power and could make decisions without the need to confer with or seek consent from others or share power with the noble class. They could proclaim their own laws, formulate foreign policy, administer justice, and impose taxes as they wished.
For example, Louis XIV of France, also known as the "Sun King", ruled with absolute power and used art and architecture to support the monarchy. He centralized the government around himself and ruled by divine right.