Topic: Article,

Best Answer Explained in Below-:

In the sentence "Louis--fourteen was-- benevolent king," we need to correctly place articles to clarify the meaning and grammatical structure. The word "king" refers to a specific role, so we need to use the definite article "the" before "benevolent king" since it implies that Louis XIV is a known or identified king. The sentence suggests a particular in context, linking Louis XIV directly to the idea of being a benevolent king.

On the other hand, the phrase "Louis--fourteen" lacks specificity. In this context, the expression is indeed referring to an identified subject, Louis XIV. However, to fully establish the sentence's meaning and flow, it's more natural to say "a benevolent king" because we are describing one aspect of him among potentially many.

Thus, the correct answer is option A: using "the" with "king" ("the benevolent king") makes Louis XIV a specific figure in history, while "a" helps characterize him without suggesting exclusivity. This combination effectively highlights Louis XIV's benevolence while placing him firmly within the known historical context.