The Age of Absolute Monarch was a time when kings and queens held much earthly power! They answered to no one but God. It was a time of grandeur and luxury for some, and a time of oppression and tyranny for others. While this might sound like it would be a great time to be a ruler, it actually brought about some of the bloodiest wars in history. (Ugh.) But don’t worry, there’s no need to learn about all that messy stuff here! Instead, these king coloring pages (& handwriting pages) will give you and your kids a fun way to learn a bit about some of history’s most infamous absolute monarchs. Not only will they enjoy working on a king coloring page, they can also practice their handwriting at the same time. (That’s a win-win for me!)
These king coloring pages help teach history, so we don’t repeat it!
My hope is that these king coloring pages will whet your kids’ appetites to learn more about this complex era of European history. Although some of the monarchs ushered in times of prosperity for their countries, their personal lives were mostly messy and scandalous–great character lessons in how not to behave. We can teach our kids that great power does not equal personal virtue and discuss with them what is truly important to pursue in life!
Without further ado, let’s learn about King Henry VIII, Louis XIV, Philip II, Peter the Great, and Frederick the Great.
Henry VIII of England
King Henry VIII was the king of England from 1509 until his death in 1547. He is perhaps most famous for having six wives, two of whom he had executed. He was also responsible for founding the Church of England for his own personal convenience! He was a lavish patron of the arts and oversaw the construction of several palaces, including Hampton Court Palace. His reign was marked by religious conflict, economic hardship, and political intrigue.
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV ruled France for an incredible 72 years, longer than any other monarch in European history! During his reign from 1643 to 1715, Louis expanded the French territories and made France the strongest country in Europe. He also built the magnificent Palace of Versailles near Paris. His reign was marked by dishonorable decadence in his court and economic prosperity in his country.
Philip II of Spain
Philip II led Spain from 1556 until his death in 1598. He inherited a large empire that included not only Spain but also Portugal, Italy, the Netherlands, and parts of other current European countries. He is best known for being a devout Catholic who harshly attempted to stamp out Protestantism in Europe. His reign was marked by religious conflict and by several wars, including the Dutch Revolt and the Anglo-Spanish War.
Peter the Great of Russia
Peter the Great was Tsar (or emperor) of Russia from 1682 until his death in 1725.
He modernized Russia and expanded its territory westward into Europe. Peter founded the city of Saint Petersburg and made it Russia’s new capital. He also introduced many Western customs to Russia, such as shaving beards and drinking coffee. Like some of the other absolute monarchs listed, Peter the Great was known to be cruel and terrible to those he considered enemies: including his own son!
Frederick the Great
Frederick the Great was king of Prussia from 1740 until his death in 1786. Like Peter the Great, Frederick expanded Prussian territory westward into Europe. He also reformed Prussia’s government and military system, making Prussia a powerful nation-state. Frederick was known to be an enlightened ruler who encouraged religious freedom and education among his subjects.
You know I have to include a book list!
I am a book fanatic! Black Friday means nothing to me, but when our local library has a scoop-all-the-books-you-can-in-a-brown-bag sale, I am ALL IN, ha! I love books…picture books, audiobooks, old books….I can’t get enough. The Japanese language has a fun word for my affliction: tsundoku. Tsonduku is the art of collecting more books than one can possibly read. I may not be THAT far gone, but I do love books. :-)>>
Here are some books to supplement your study of Europe’s absolute monarchs!
Peter the Great by Diane Stanley
Don’t expect this optimistic book to go into detail about Peter’s harshness… instead, it focuses on the advances in Russia during his time and the building of the sumptuous capital city of Saint Petersburg.
Good Queen Bess : The Story of Elizabeth I of England
This book features the story of England’s beloved Queen Elizabeth I–a monarch who showed much more virtue than her rogue father, Henry VIII.
Who Was Henry VIII?
Speaking of Henry VIII, this “Who Was?” book is full of details about that powerful monarch. (This isn’t a blanket recommendation of the whole series, btw.) :-)>
Where Is the Tower of London?
I remember seeing the Tower of London for the first time when I was 16 years old and being so fascinated by all of the stories that this castle/fortress holds! Though not directly about an absolute monarch, this book is still on topic, since Henry VIII took full advantage of the Tower of London’s prison.
Download and print these king coloring pages as a free coloring book in PDF format!
With these free printable king coloring pages and handwriting practice sheets, your kids can color and have fun while learning all about some of history’s most famous absolute monarchs! Please take a glance at the note below about proper use of the Plum Jolly website, then download and enjoy. Happy coloring!
Free printable “Absolute Monarch” handwriting practice books:
A quick note before downloading these printable king coloring pages and handwriting sheets!
Please remember to supervise any children in your charge when they are using materials downloaded from Plum Jolly. Take a look at our Disclaimer for more information on wisely using our website!
These coloring pages are for personal, church, or classroom use only. By downloading, you are agreeing to the Terms and Conditions of Plum Jolly.
For more Middle Ages fun, check out our Age of Exploration coloring pages!