Louis XIV

Louis XIV, the future Sun King, was born to King Louis XIII and Anne of Austria. His birth was celebrated with grand festivities, as he was the long-awaited heir to the French throne.

Upon the death of his father, Louis XIII, young Louis XIV ascended to the throne. As he was too young to rule, his mother, Anne of Austria, served as regent, with the assistance of Cardinal Mazarin.

The Fronde, a series of civil wars, erupted in France, challenging the authority of the regency government. Louis XIV and his court were forced to flee Paris multiple times, shaping his views on absolute monarchy.

Louis XIV was formally crowned King of France at the Cathedral of Reims, solidifying his status as the monarch. This ceremony marked the beginning of his active rule, though Cardinal Mazarin continued to wield significant influence.

Louis XIV married Maria Theresa of Spain, the daughter of King Philip IV of Spain, in a strategic alliance to strengthen diplomatic ties and secure peace between France and Spain.

Following the death of Cardinal Mazarin, Louis XIV assumed personal rule, declaring that he would rule without a chief minister. This marked the beginning of his absolute monarchy and the centralization of power.

Louis XIV launched the War of Devolution, a conflict with Spain over the inheritance of the Spanish Netherlands. This war demonstrated his military ambitions and the expansionist policies of his reign.

Louis XIV initiated the Franco-Dutch War, aiming to expand French territory and influence in the Netherlands. The war lasted until 1678 and solidified France's position as a dominant European power.

Louis XIV officially moved the royal court to the Palace of Versailles, a grand palace he had constructed to symbolize his absolute power and the centralization of the French monarchy. Versailles became the center of political and cultural life.

The death of Charles II of Spain without an heir led to the War of the Spanish Succession. Louis XIV's support for his grandson, Philip, to inherit the Spanish throne, plunged Europe into a major conflict.

Louis XIV, the Sun King, died at the Palace of Versailles after a reign of 72 years. His death marked the end of an era of absolute monarchy and the beginning of the regency of his great-grandson, Louis XV.