divertissement

divertissement was at first an ordinary word used to indicate “an entertainment,” but royal custom during the reign of Louis XIV endowed this noun with the special meaning of a lavish spectacle highlighted by theatrical activities ranging from extraordinary tableaux to operatic performances. Louis XIV arranged these entertainments to glorify certain memorable accomplishments in which he had a part, to celebrate the pre-Lenten season and win the admiration of his courtiers, or simply to hail the…