Louis XI Wearing the Collar of the Order of Saint Michael

This painting depicts **Louis XI** wearing ceremonial dress and the collar of the **Order of Saint Michael**, founded by the king on **1 August 1469**. The image highlights one of the reign’s main honorary creations, intended to reward loyal nobles and to provide the French crown with an order rivaling the prestigious Burgundian **Order of the Golden Fleece**. The portrait does not document a specific moment, but it illustrates Louis XI’s determination to strengthen political control over the high nobility through symbols, oaths, and rewards. It therefore contributes to the representation of a ruler concerned with giving visible form to royal authority and monarchical prestige.