Louis XIV King of France and of Navarre Louis XIV (1638–1715), by Hyacinthe Rigaud (1701) Reign May 14, 1643 – September 1, 1715 Coronation June 7, 1654, Notre-Dame de Reims, Reims, France Full name Louis-Dieudonné; known as The Great, The Grand Monarch, or The Sun King Titles Dauphin of France (1638 – 1643) King of France and of Navarre (1643 – 1715) Born September 5, 1638(1638-09-05) Birthplace Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France Died September 1, 1715 (aged 76) Place of death Château de Versailles, Versailles, France Buried Saint Denis Basilica, Saint-Denis, France Predecessor Louis XIII, King of France Heir apparent Louis de France, "le Grand Dauphin" Successor Louis XV, King of France Consort Marie-Thérèse of Austria, Infanta of Spain, Queen of France Françoise d'Aubigné, marquise de Maintenon (morganatic second marriage) Issue Louis de France Anne-Élisabeth de France Marie-Anne de France Marie-Thérèse de France Philippe-Charles de France Louis-François de France Royal House House of France (Bourbon Branch) Father Louis XIII, King of France Mother Anne of Austria, Infanta of Spain, Queen of France

House of Bourbon Henri IV Sister Catherine, duchesse de Lorraine Children Louis XIII Elisabeth, Queen of Spain Christine Marie, Duchess of Savoy Nicholas Henri, duc d'Orléans Gaston, duc d'Orléans Henriette-Marie, Queen of England The band Louis XIV Louis XIV is a quartet Indie rock group from San Diego, California, formed in April 2003. ... Sun King is a song by The Beatles that appeared on the Abbey Road album. ... Emmanuel Moire is a French singer born in Mans on June 16th 1979. ... Le Roi Soleil is a successful French musical by Kamel Ouali, produced by Dove Attia and Albert Cohen, about the life of Louis XIV (played by Emmanuel Moire). ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (580x824, 90 KB)King Louis XIV of France painted by Hyacinthe Rigaud 1701 The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of... Louis XIV King of France and Navarre By Hyacinthe Rigaud (1701) Hyacinthe Rigaud (July 20, 1659-December 27, 1743) was a French painter. ... is the 134th day of the year (135th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // Events January 21 - Abel Tasman discovers Tonga February 6 - Abel Tasman discovers the Fiji islands. ... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1715 (MDCCXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 158th day of the year (159th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events April 5 - Signing of the Treaty of Westminster, ending the First Anglo-Dutch War. ... Façade of the Notre-Dame de Reims The Notre-Dame de Reims (Our Lady of Rheims) is the Cathedral of Reims, where the kings of France were once crowned. ... For other uses, see Reims (disambiguation). ... Coat of Arms of the Dauphins of France. ... It has been suggested that Regents: France and French States be merged into this article or section. ... This is a list of the kings of Navarre. ... is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events March 29 - Swedish colonists establish first settlement in Delaware, called New Sweden. ... The Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye. ... Coordinates Administration Country Region ÃŽle-de-France Department Yvelines (sous-préfecture) Arrondissement Saint-Germain-en-Laye Canton Chief town of 2 cantons Intercommunality none as of 2005 Mayor Emmanuel Lamy (2001-2008) Statistics Altitude 22 m–107 m (avg. ... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1715 (MDCCXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... The Palace of Versailles, or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles, France. ... This article is about the city of Versailles. ... West façade of Saint Denis Depiction of the Trinity over the main entrance The Basilica of Saint Denis (French: Basilique de Saint-Denis, or simply Basilique Saint-Denis) is the famous burial site of the French monarchs, comparable to Westminster Abbey in England. ... Saint Denis can refer to: a Christian saint: see Denis Seine-Saint-Denis a département of France Several communes in France: Saint-Denis,in the Aude département Saint-Denis, in the Gard département Saint-Denis, in the Seine-Saint-Denis département, home of Saint Denis Basilica Saint-Denis, in the... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Coat of Arms of the Dauphins of France. ... Louis, Dauphin of France (known as The Great Dauphin, le Grand Dauphin in French) (1 November 1661 - 14 April 1711) was the eldest son and heir of King Louis XIV of France and Queen Maria Theresa of Spain. ... Louis XV (February 15, 1710 – May 10, 1774), ruled as King of France and Navarre from 1715 until his death. ... Marie Thérèse redirects here. ... Françoise dAubigné, marquise de Maintenon Françoise dAubigné, marquise de Maintenon (November 27, 1635 - April 15, 1719), the second wife of Louis XIV, was born in a prison at Niort. ... A morganatic marriage is a type of marriage which can be contracted in certain countries, usually between people of unequal social rank, which prevents the passage of the husbands titles and privileges to the wife and any children born of the marriage. ... Louis, Dauphin of France (known as The Great Dauphin, le Grand Dauphin in French) (1 November 1661 - 14 April 1711) was the eldest son and heir of King Louis XIV of France and Queen Maria Theresa of Spain. ... Also see:  Early Modern France The House of Bourbon is an important European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Louis XIII by Philippe de Champaigne Anne of Austria (September 22, 1601 - January 20, 1666) was Queen Consort of France and Navarre and Regent for her son, Louis XIV of France. ... Also see:  Early Modern France The House of Bourbon is an important European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (580x840, 192 KB) Royal Arms of France Drawn by Theo van der Zalm I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version... Henry IV of France, also Henry III of Navarre (13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), ruled as King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. ... Henry I (November 8, 1563 – July 31, 1624), was Duke of Lorraine from 1608 until his death. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Philip IV of Spain Elisabeth of France, portrait by Diego Velázquez Élisabeth de Bourbon (November 22, 1602 - October 6, 1644), was the eldest daughter of King Henry IV of France and his second Queen Marie de Medici. ... Christine Marie of France, Regent of Savoy Christine Marie of France, fr. ... Gaston Jean-Baptiste, duc dOrléans (April 25, 1608, Fontainebleau – February 2, 1660, Blois), was the third son of the French king Henry IV and of his wife Marie de Medici. ... Queen Henrietta Maria (November 25, 1609 – September 10, 1669) was Queen Consort of England, Scotland and Ireland (June 13, 1625 - January 30, 1649) through her marriage to Charles I. The U.S. state of Maryland (in Latin, Terra Mariae) was so named in her honour by Cæcilius Calvert, son... Louis XIII Children Louis XIV Philippe, duc d'Orléans Louis XIV Children Louis, Dauphin Anne-Élisabeth Marie-Anne Marie-Therèse Philippe-Charles, duc d'Anjou Louis-François, duc d'Anjou Grandchildren Louis, Dauphin King Felipe V of Spain Charles, duc de Berry Great Grandchildren Louis, Dauphin Louis XV Louis XV Children Louise-Elisabeth, duchesse de Parme Madame Henriette Louis, Dauphin Madame Adélaïde Madame Victoire Madame Sophie Madame Louise Grandchildren Marie Clotilde, Queen of Sardinia Louis XVI Louis XVIII Charles X Madame Élisabeth Louis XVI Children Marie-Thérèse, duchesse d'Angouleme Louis-Joseph, Dauphin Louis XVII Sophie-Beatrix Louis XVII Louis XVIII Charles X Children Louis XIX Charles, duc de Berry Grandchildren Henri V Louise, duchesse de Parme French monarchy, 843-1870 This box: view • talk • edit

Louis XIV (baptised as Louis-Dieudonné) (September 5, 1638 – September 1, 1715) ruled as King of France and of Navarre. He acceded to the throne a few months before his fifth birthday, but did not assume actual personal control of the government until the death of his First Minister ("premier ministre"), the Italian Jules Cardinal Mazarin, in 1661.^[1] Louis would remain on the throne till his death just prior to his seventy-seventh birthday in 1715. His reign thus spanned seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days, the longest documented of any European monarch to date.^[2] This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Philippe de France, duc dOrléans (September 21, 1640 – June 8, 1701) was the second son of Louis XIII of France and Anne of Austria, and thus the younger brother of the future Louis XIV of France. ... Louis, Dauphin of France (known as The Great Dauphin, le Grand Dauphin in French) (1 November 1661 - 14 April 1711) was the eldest son and heir of King Louis XIV of France and Queen Maria Theresa of Spain. ... Also see:  Early Modern France The House of Bourbon is an important European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty. ... Also see:  Early Modern France The House of Bourbon is an important European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty. ... Counts of Anjou, c. ... Counts of Anjou, c. ... Louis, Dauphin of France and Duke of Burgundy (August 16, 1682 - February 18, 1712) was the son of Louis, le Grand Dauphin, and Maria Anna of Bavaria. ... King Philip V of Spain (December 19, 1683 – July 9, 1746) or Philippe of Anjou was king of Spain from 1700 to 1746, the first of the Bourbon dynasty in Spain. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Louis as Duke of Brittany Louis, Dauphin of France and Duke of Brittany (8 January 1707–8 March 1712) was the second son of Louis, duc de Bourgogne and Marie-Adélaïde of Savoy. ... Louis XV (February 15, 1710 – May 10, 1774), ruled as King of France and Navarre from 1715 until his death. ... Louis XV (February 15, 1710 – May 10, 1774), ruled as King of France and Navarre from 1715 until his death. ... Marie Louise Élisabeth de France (14 August 1727 – 6 December 1759) was the eldest daughter of King Louis XV of France and his Queen consort, Maria LeszczyÅ„ska, and the elder twin sister of Henriette-Anne. ... Louis, Dauphin of France Louis, Dauphin of France (Louis-Ferdinand de France [1]) (4 September 1729 – 20 December 1765), was the eldest and only surviving son of King Louis XV of France and his wife, Queen Marie LeszczyÅ„ska. ... Victoire Louise Marie Thérèse de France (May 11, 1733 - June 7, 1799) was the seventh child and fifth daughter of King Louis XV of France and his Queen consort Maria LeszczyÅ„ska. ... Portrait of the young Marie-Louise by Jean-Marc Nattier. ... Louis XVI, born Louis-Auguste de France (23 August 1754 – 21 January 1793) ruled as King of France and Navarre from 1774 until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792. ... Louis XVIII (17 November 1755 – 16 September 1824), was a King of France and Navarre. ... Charles X (October 9, 1757 – November 6, 1836) ruled as King of France and Navarre from 1824 until the French Revolution of 1830, when he abdicated. ... Élisabeth Philippine Marie Hélène of France (May 3, 1764 – May 10, 1794), commonly called Madame Élisabeth, was the youngest sister of King Louis XVI of France. ... Louis XVI, born Louis-Auguste de France (23 August 1754 – 21 January 1793) ruled as King of France and Navarre from 1774 until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792. ... The tone or style of this article or section may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. ... Louis de France. ... Louis XVII of France (March 27, 1785 – June 8, 1795), from birth to 1789 known as Louis-Charles, Duke of Normandy; then from 1789 to 1791 as Louis-Charles, Dauphin of Viennois; and from 1791 to 1793 as Louis-Charles, Prince Royal of France, was the son of King Louis... Princess Sophie died as a baby, much to the grief of her parents. ... Louis XVII of France (March 27, 1785 – June 8, 1795), from birth to 1789 known as Louis-Charles, Duke of Normandy; then from 1789 to 1791 as Louis-Charles, Dauphin of Viennois; and from 1791 to 1793 as Louis-Charles, Prince Royal of France, was the son of King Louis... Louis XVIII (17 November 1755 – 16 September 1824), was a King of France and Navarre. ... Charles X (October 9, 1757 – November 6, 1836) ruled as King of France and Navarre from 1824 until the French Revolution of 1830, when he abdicated. ... Louis XIX, King of France and of Navarre (Louis-Antoine, duc dAngoulême) (August 6, 1775 – June 3, 1844) was the eldest son of the comte dArtois (later King Charles X of France) and Marie-Thérèse de Savoie. ... Charles Ferdinand, duc de Berry (1778 - February 13, 1820), younger son of Charles X of France, was born at Versailles. ... Henri Charles Ferdinand Marie Dieudonné dArtois, comte de Chambord (September 29, 1820 – August 24, 1883) technically reigned as Henry V, King of France and Navarre from August 2 to August 9, 1830. ... Louise Marie Thérèse of France (Louise Marie Thérèse dArtois; born September 21, 1819, Élysée-Bourbon, Paris, France; died February 1, 1864, Palazzo Giustiniani, Venice, Austrian Empire) was the eldest daughter of Charles Ferdinand, Duke of Berry, younger son of King Charles X of France... It has been suggested that Regents: France and French States be merged into this article or section. ... is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events March 29 - Swedish colonists establish first settlement in Delaware, called New Sweden. ... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1715 (MDCCXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... It has been suggested that Regents: France and French States be merged into this article or section. ... This is a list of the kings of Navarre. ... Jules Mazarin, French diplomat and statesman, by Pierre-Louis Bouchart. ...

Louis XIV is also known as Louis the Great (in French Louis le Grand or Le Grand Monarque, "the Great Monarch"), because, following his victory in the Franco-Dutch War and the Treaty of Nijmegen, the Parlement de Paris decreed that all public inscriptions and statues of the king should carry that epithet attached to his name. The Dutch War (1672–1678) was a war fought between France and a quadruple alliance consisting of Brandenburg, the Holy Roman Empire, Spain, and the United Provinces. ... The Treaty of Nijmegen (1678) was signed in Nijmegen, and ended the Dutch War. ...

He is also popularly known as The Sun King (in French Le Roi Soleil) because of the idea that, just as the planets revolve around the Sun, so too should France and the court revolve around him. As a result, he was commonly associated with Apollo Helios, the Greco-Roman god of the Sun. As a patron of the arts, this association was fitting because Louis was, like Apollo Musagetes, the "leader of the Muses". For other uses, see Apollo (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Apollo (disambiguation). ...

During his reign, he increased the power and influence of France in Europe, engaging in three major wars—the Franco-Dutch War, the War of the League of Augsburg, and the War of the Spanish Succession—and two minor conflicts—the War of Devolution, and the War of the Reunions.-1... The Dutch War (1672–1678) was a war fought between France and a quadruple alliance consisting of Brandenburg, the Holy Roman Empire, Spain, and the United Provinces. ... The Nine Years War (also known as the War of the League of Augsburg, the War of the Grand Alliance, the Orleans War, the War of the Palatinian Succession, and the War of the English Succession) was a major war fought in Europe and America from 1688 to 1697, between... Combatants Habsburg Empire England (1701-6) Great Britain (1707-14)[1] Dutch Republic Kingdom of Portugal Crown of Aragon Duchy of Savoy [2] Kingdom of France Kingdom of Spain Electorate of Bavaria Hungarian Rebels [3] Commanders Eugene of Savoy Margrave of Baden Count Starhemberg Duke of Marlborough Marquis de Ruvigny... The War of Devolution (May 24, 1667 – May 2, 1668) was a war between Louis XIVs France and Habsburg Spain fought in the Spanish Netherlands. ... The War of the Reunions (1683-1684) was a small conflict between Louis XIVs France and Spain and her allies. ...

The political and military scene in France during his reign was filled with such illustrious names as Mazarin, Fouquet, Colbert, Michel le Tellier, Le Tellier's son Louvois, the Great Condé, Turenne, Vauban, Villars and Tourville. Under his reign, France achieved not only political and military pre-eminence, but also cultural dominance with various cultural figures such as Molière, Racine, Boileau, La Fontaine, Lully, Le Brun, Rigaud, Louis Le Vau, Jules Hardouin Mansart, Claude Perrault and Le Nôtre. The cultural achievements accomplished by these figures contributed to the prestige of France, its people, its language and its king. Jules Mazarin, French diplomat and statesman, by Pierre-Louis Bouchart. ... Portrait by Édouard Lacretelle. ... Jean-Baptiste Colbert Jean-Baptiste Colbert (August 29, 1619 — September 6, 1683) served as the French minister of finance from 1665 to 1683 under the rule of King Louis XIV. He was described by Mme de Sévigné as Le Nord as he was cold and unemotional. ... Michel le Tellier (April 19, 1603 - October 30, 1685) was a French statesman. ... François Michel le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois. ... Louis II de Bourbon, Prince de Condé Louis II de Bourbon, Prince de Condé (September 8, 1621 – November 11, 1686) was the most celebrated representative of Princes de Condé and one of the most brilliant generals of the 17th century. ... Turenne Henri de la Tour dAuvergne, Vicomte de Turenne, often referred to as Turenne (September 11, 1611 – July 27, 1675) achieved military fame and became a Marshal of France. ... Sébastien Le Prestre, Seigneur de Vauban and later Marquis de Vauban (May 15, 1633 - March 30, 1707), commonly referred to as Vauban, was a Marshal of France and the foremost military engineer of his age, famed for his skill in both designing fortifications and in breaking through them. ... Marquis and duc de Villars, Marshal of France by Hyacinthe Rigaud. ... Anne Hilarion de Contentin, comte de Tourville Anne Hilarion de Contentin, comte de Tourville Anne Hilarion de Contentin, comte de Tourville (1642–1701) was a French naval commander who served under King Louis XIV. Aged 17, a Knight of Malta, he fought his first naval fight on a frigate of... For the 2007 film, see Molière (film). ... Jean Racine, in an engraving by Pierre Savart. ... Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux, commonly called Boileau, (November 1, 1636 - March 13, 1711) was a French poet and critic. ... Engraving by Étienne-Jehandier Desrochers Jean de La Fontaine (July 8, 1621 – April 13, 1695) was the most famous French fabulist and probably the most widely read French poet of the 17th century. ... Jean-Baptiste Lully. ... Charles Le Brun, contemporary portrait Charles Le Brun (February 24, 1619 - February 22, 1690) was a French painter and art theorist, one of the dominant artists in 17th century France. ... Louis XIV King of France and Navarre By Hyacinthe Rigaud (1701) Hyacinthe Rigaud (July 20, 1659-December 27, 1743) was a French painter. ... Louis Le Vau (1612 – 1670) was a French architect who worked for Louis XIV of France. ... Jules Hardouin-Mansart, marble bust by Jean-Louis Lemoyne: a full-dress Baroque portrait bust demonstrates that the Kings architect is no mere craftsman Jules Hardouin-Mansart (Paris, April 16, 1646 – Marly, France, May 11, 1708) was a French architect whose work is generally considered to be the apex... Though Claude Perrault (Paris, 1613 - Paris, 1688) is best known as the architect of the eastern range of the Louvre in Paris, he also achieved success as physician and anatomist, and as an author, who wrote treatises on physics and natural history. ... Painting of André Le Nôtre by Carlo Maratti André Le Nôtre (March 12, 1613 - September 15, 1700) was a landscape architect and the gardener of King Louis XIV of France from 1645 to 1700. ...

Louis XIV worked successfully to create a centralized state governed from the capital in order to sweep away the fragmented feudalism which had hitherto persisted in France, thus giving rise to the modern state. As a result of his efforts, which seemed absolutist, Louis XIV became the archetypal absolute monarch. The phrase "L'État, c'est moi" ("I am the State") is frequently attributed to him, though this is considered by historians to be a historical inaccuracy and is more likely to have been conceived by political opponents as a way of confirming the stereotypical view of the absolutism he represented. Quite contrary to that apocryphal quote, Louis XIV is actually reported to have said on his death bed: "Je m'en vais, mais l'État demeurera toujours." ("I am going away, but the State will always remain").^[3] A government in which power is concentrated in a central authority to which local governments are subject. ... Roland pledges his fealty to Charlemagne; from a manuscript of a chanson de geste Feudalism, a term first used in the late modern period (17th century), in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval European political system comprised of a set of reciprocal legal and military obligations among the... Absolutism is a political theory which argues that one person, who is often generally a monarch, should hold all power. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      Absolute monarchy is a monarchical form of government where the monarch has the power to rule his or her land or country and its citizens freely, with no laws or legally-organized direct opposition in force. ... Absolutism is a historiographical term used to describe a form of monarchical power that is unrestrained by any other institutions, such as churches, legislatures, or social elites. ... In Judeo-Christian theologies, apocrypha refers to religious Sacred text that have questionable authenticity or are otherwise disputed. ...

Early years

Birth and ancestry

Louis XIV was born in the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye on September 5, 1638 and promptly received the title "Premier fils de France" ("First Son of France") as well as the traditional "Dauphin".^[4] His birth came after the almost twenty-three years of childlessness of his estranged parents, Louis XIII of France and Anne of Austria. As a result, contemporaries regarded him as a divine gift and his birth as a miracle,^[5][6][7] and, in a show of gratitude to God for the long-awaited arrival of an heir, he was aptly named Louis-Dieudonné ("God-given") by his parents. The Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye. ... is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events March 29 - Swedish colonists establish first settlement in Delaware, called New Sweden. ... Fils de France (Son of France in English) was the title given to the sons of the kings and dauphins of France. ... Coat of Arms of the Dauphins of France. ... Louis XIII (September 27, 1601 - May 14, 1643), called the Just (French: le Juste), was King of France from 1610 to 1643. ... Louis XIII by Philippe de Champaigne Anne of Austria (September 22, 1601 - January 20, 1666) was Queen Consort of France and Navarre and Regent for her son, Louis XIV of France. ...

His ancestors were figures from some of Europe's most noteworthy royal and noble houses.^[8] His paternal grandparents were Henri IV of France and Marie de' Medici, who were French and Italian respectively; while both his maternal grandparents were Habsburgs, Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria. In this manner, he counted as his ancestors various historical figures like Charles V and Frederick Barbarossa, both Holy Roman Emperors. He also found himself descended from the founder of the Rurik dynasty, Rurik the Viking, as well as Charles I "le Téméraire", duc de Bourgogne, the poet Charles, duc d'Orléans, and Giovanni de' Medici, last of the great Condottieri. Most importantly, he traced his paternal lineage, and hence his and his descendants' right to the throne, in unbroken male succession from Saint Louis, King of France. Henry IV of France, also Henry III of Navarre (13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), ruled as King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. ... Portrait of Marie de Medici. ... Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy; also used as the flag of the Austrian Empire until the Ausgleich of 1867. ... Philip III of Spain Philip III (Spanish: Felipe III) (April 14, 1578 – March 31, 1621) was the king of Spain and Portugal (as Philip II Portuguese: Filipe II), from 1598 until his death. ... Margaret of Austria, 1609, by Bartolomé González y Serrano Margaret of Austria (December 25, 1584-October 3, 1611), Queen of Spain and Portugal, was the daughter of Archduke Charles II of Austria and Maria Anna of Bavaria, and the sister of the Emperor Ferdinand II. She married Philip III... For the Carlist claimant King Carlos V, see Infante Carlos, Count of Molina. ... Frederick Barbarossa in a 13th century chronicle. ... Coats of arms of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor from 1564 to 1576. ... The Rurik Dynasty was the ruling dynasty of Kievan Rus, Rus principalities, and early Russia from 862 to 1598. ... Rurik or Riurik (Russian: , Old East Norse Rørik, meaning famous ruler) (ca 830 – ca 879) was a Varangian who gained control of Ladoga in 862 and built the Holmgard settlement (Ryurikovo Gorodishche) in Novgorod. ... Rogier van der Weyden painted Charles the Bold in about 1460, wearing the Order of the Golden Fleece. ... Charles of Valois, Duc dOrléans (November 24, 1394 – January 5, 1465) became Duke of Orléans in 1407, following the murder of his father, Louis of Valois on the orders of Duke John-the-Fearless of Burgundy. ... Portrait of Giovanni by Gian Paolo Pace, now housed in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. ... Condottieri (singular condottiere (in English) or condottiero (in Italian)) were mercenary leaders employed by Italian city-states from the late Middle Ages until the mid-sixteenth century. ... Louis IX (25 April 1215 – 25 August 1270), commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 to his death. ...

Louis XIII and Anne had a second child, Philippe de France, duc d'Anjou (soon to be Philippe I, duc d'Orléans) in 1640. Louis XIII, however, did not trust his wife's ability to govern France after his own demise. Thus he decreed that a regency council, of which Anne would be head, should rule in his son's name in the event of Louis' minority, diminishing her power. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Louis XIII by Philippe de Champaigne Anne of Austria (September 22, 1601 - January 20, 1666) was Queen Consort of France and Navarre and Regent for her son, Louis XIV of France. ... Philippe I, Duke of Orléans (September 21, 1640 – June 8, 1701) was the son of the Louis XIII of France and Anne of Austria, and younger brother of Louis XIV of France. ... // Ingelger (870–898) Fulk I the Red (898–941), son of Fulk II the Good (941–958), son of Geoffrey I Greymantle (958–987), son of Fulk III the Black (987–1040), son of Geoffrey II Martel (1040–1060) Geoffrey III the Bearded (1060–1067) Fulk IV the Ill-Tempered...

Royal minority and fronde

Nevertheless, on May 14, 1643, after Louis XIII died and his young son became Louis XIV, Anne had her husband's will annulled by the Parlement, did away with the Council and became sole Regent. She entrusted power to her First Minister, the Italian-born Cardinal Mazarin, who was despised in most French political circles because of his alien non-French background, despite having already become a naturalized French subject. is the 134th day of the year (135th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // Events January 21 - Abel Tasman discovers Tonga February 6 - Abel Tasman discovers the Fiji islands. ... This article is for the Ancien Régime institution. ... Regent, from the Latin, a person selected to administer a state because the ruler is a minor or is not present or debilitated. ... Jules Mazarin, born Giulio Raimondo Mazzarino (July 14, 1602 – March 9, 1661) was an accomplished Italian politician who served as the chief minister of France from 1642 until his death. ...

Europe after the Peace of Westphalia in 1648

The Thirty Years' War, which had commenced in the previous reign, ended in 1648 with the Peace of Westphalia, made up of the Treaties of Münster and Osnabrück, the work of Cardinal Mazarin. This Peace ensured the Dutch independence from Spain, awarded a great degree of autonomy to the various German princes and granted Sweden territories which gave her control of the mouths of the Oder, Elbe, and Weser as well as seats on the Reichstag. It marked the apogee of Swedish power and influence in German and European affairs. However, it was France who had the most to gain from the terms of the Peace. Austria ceded to France all Habsburg lands and claims in Alsace; and the petty German states eager to dislodge themselves from Habsburg domination placed themselves under French protection, paving the way for the formation of the League of the Rhine in 1658 and leading to the further dissolution of Imperial power. The Peace of Westphalia humiliated Habsburg ambitions in the Holy Roman Empire and Europe and laid rest to the idea of the Empire having secular dominion over all of Christendom. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1900x1378, 181 KB) Summary Map of Europe in 1648 (at the end of the Thirty Years War), based on free map of europe Image:BlankMap-Europe. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1900x1378, 181 KB) Summary Map of Europe in 1648 (at the end of the Thirty Years War), based on free map of europe Image:BlankMap-Europe. ... Ratification of the Treaty of Münster. ... Combatants Sweden  Bohemia Denmark-Norway[1] Dutch Republic France Scotland England Saxony  Holy Roman Empire Catholic League Austria Bavaria Spain Commanders Frederick V Buckingham Leven Gustav II Adolf â€  Johan Baner Cardinal Richelieu Louis II de Bourbon Vicomte de Turenne Christian IV of Denmark Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar Johann Georg I... Ratification of the Treaty of Münster. ... Jules Mazarin, born Giulio Raimondo Mazzarino (July 14, 1602 – March 9, 1661) was an accomplished Italian politician who served as the chief minister of France from 1642 until his death. ... The Oder (known in Czech, Slovak and Polish as Odra) is a river in Central Europe. ... This article is about a river in Central Europe. ... Weser watershed Orthographic projection centred over Bremen The Weser is a river of north-western Germany. ... The Reichstag (German for Imperial Diet) was the parliament of the Holy Roman Empire, the North German Confederation, and of Germany until 1945. ... Habsburg (sometimes spelled Hapsburg, but never so in official use) was one of the major ruling houses of Europe. ... Ratification of the Treaty of Münster. ... This article is about the medieval empire. ...

Louis XIV as a young child

In the closing years of the Thirty Years' War, a civil war, the Fronde, which effectively curbed France's ability to make good the advantages gained in the Peace of Westphalia, broke out. The Frondeurs originally sought to protect the traditional feudal "liberties" from an increasingly centralized and centralizing royal government. On the other hand, Cardinal Mazarin had continued and would continue to follow the policies of centralization pursued by his predecessor, Armand Jean du Plessis, Cardinal Richelieu, seeking to augment the power of the Crown at the expense of the nobility and the Parlements. In 1648, he sought to levy a tax on the members of the Parlement, a court whose judges comprised mostly nobles or high clergymen. The members of the Parlement not only refused to comply, but also ordered all of Cardinal Mazarin's earlier financial edicts burned. When Cardinal Mazarin, strengthened by the news of Louis II de Bourbon, prince de Condé's victory at Lens, arrested certain members of the Parlement in a show of force, Paris erupted in rioting and insurrection. A mob of angry Parisians broke into the royal palace and demanded to see their king. Led into the royal bedchamber, they gazed upon Louis XIV, who was feigning sleep, and quietly departed. Prompted by the possible danger to the royal family and the monarchy, Anne fled Paris with the king and his courtiers. Shortly thereafter, the signing of the Peace of Westphalia allowed the French army under Condé to return to the aid of Louis XIV and his royal court. By January 1649, Condé had started to besiege rebellious Paris; the subsequent Peace of Rueil temporarily ended the conflict. Combatants Sweden  Bohemia Denmark-Norway[1] Dutch Republic France Scotland England Saxony  Holy Roman Empire Catholic League Austria Bavaria Spain Commanders Frederick V Buckingham Leven Gustav II Adolf â€  Johan Baner Cardinal Richelieu Louis II de Bourbon Vicomte de Turenne Christian IV of Denmark Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar Johann Georg I... This article is about the definition of the specific type of war. ... For other uses, see Fronde (disambiguation). ... Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu, Cardinal-Duc de Richelieu (September 9, 1585 – December 4, 1642), was a French clergyman, noble, and statesman. ... This article is for the Ancien Régime institution. ... Louis II de Bourbon, Prince de Condé Louis II de Bourbon, Prince de Condé (September 8, 1621 – November 11, 1686) was the most celebrated representative of Princes de Condé and one of the most brilliant generals of the 17th century. ... Combatants France with Swedish contingent Spain Commanders Prince de Condé Leopold Wilhelm Strength 16,000 18 guns 18,000 38 guns Casualties Unknown 3,000 dead or wounded 5,000 captured The Battle of Lens (August 20, 1648) was a French victory under Louis II de Bourbon, Prince de Cond... This article is about the capital of France. ... Ratification of the Treaty of Münster. ... The Peace of Rueil (French: Paix de Rueil), signed 11 March 1649, signalled an end to the opening episodes of the Fronde, Frances civil war, after little blood had been shed. ...

After the first Fronde (Fronde Parlementaire) ended, the second Fronde, that of the princes, began in 1650. This second phase of the Fronde, unlike that which preceded it, was characterized by tales of sordid intrigue and half-hearted warfare. It was conducted by nobles for whom it represented a last protest against their demotion from vassals to courtiers. It was led by France's highest ranking nobles, from Princes of the Blood like Gaston, duc d'Orléans, his daughter, Anne de Montpensier (known as la grande Mademoiselle), Louis II de Bourbon, prince de Condé, Armand de Bourbon, prince de Conti, and Anne-Geneviève de Bourbon-Condé, duchesse de Longueville; to dukes of legitimated royal descent, like Henri II d'Orléans, duc de Longueville, and François de Bourbon-Vendôme, duc de Beaufort; and princelings descended from foreign dynasties such as Frédéric Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne, duc de Bouillon, his brother, Henri, vicomte de Turenne, and Marie de Rohan, duchesse de Chevreuse; as well as scions of France's oldest families, like François VI, duc de La Rochefoucauld. Even the clergy was represented by Jean François Paul de Gondi, Cardinal de Retz. Look up vassal in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A courtier is a person who attends upon, and thus receives a privileged position from, a powerful person, usually a head of state. ... Look up rank in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Gaston Jean-Baptiste, duc dOrléans (April 25, 1608, Fontainebleau – February 2, 1660, Blois), was the third son of the French king Henry IV and of his wife Marie de Medici. ... Anne Marie Louise dOrleans, duchesse de Montpensier (May 29, 1627 - April 5, 1693), French memoir-writer, was born at the Louvre. ... Louis II de Bourbon, Prince de Condé Louis II de Bourbon, Prince de Condé (September 8, 1621 – November 11, 1686) was the most celebrated representative of Princes de Condé and one of the most brilliant generals of the 17th century. ... Armand de Bourbon, Prince de Conti (1629 – 1666) was the second son of Henry II, prince de Condé and brother of Louis II de Bourbon, prince de Condé and Anne Genevieve, Duchess of Longueville. ... Anne Genevieve de Bourbon-Condé, Duchess of Longueville (August 28, 1619 - 1679), was the only daughter of Henri II de Bourbon, Prince of Condé, and his wife Charlotte Marguerite de Montmorency, and the sister of Louis, the great Condé. She was born in the prison of Vincennes, into which her... Henri II dOrléans, duc de Longueville or Henri de Valois-Longueville (1595 — 1663) a legitimated prince of the blood (of royal descent) and peer of France, was a major figure in the civil war of France, the Fronde. ... François de Vendôme, duc de Beaufort (January 16, 1616 – 25 June 1669) was the illegitimate grandson of Henri IV of France. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... // For other uses, see Dynasty (disambiguation). ... Frédéric Maurice de La Tour dAuvergne, duc de Bouillon (1605-1652) was prince of the independent principality of Sedan, and general in the French royal army. ... Turenne Henri de la Tour dAuvergne, Vicomte de Turenne, often referred to as Turenne (September 11, 1611 – July 27, 1675) achieved military fame and became a Marshal of France. ... Marie de Rohan-Montbazon, duchesse de Chevreuse (1600-1679) was a French aristocrat at the center of all the intrigues of the first half of the 17th century in France. ... This article is about the French noble and writer de La Rochefoucauld. ... Jean François Paul de Gondi, cardinal de Retz (1614 - August 24, 1679), French churchman and agitator, was born at Montmirail. ...

With the coming of age of Louis XIV and his subsequent coronation, the Frondeurs, who could hitherto have claimed to have been acting on his behalf and in his real interests against his Regent-Queen-Mother and First Minister, had lost their pretext for revolt. The Fronde thus gradually lost steam until it ended in 1653 when Mazarin returned triumphant from abroad after having fled into exile on several occasions. The result of these tumultuous times, when the Queen Mother reputedly sold her jewels to feed her children, was a king filled with a permanent distrust for the nobility and the mob.

End of war and marriage

Despite the end of the Thirty Years' War and the Fronde, war with Spain continued. The French received aid in this military effort from England, then governed by Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell. The Anglo-French alliance achieved victory in 1658 with the Battle of the Dunes. For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Lord Protector is a particular English title for Heads of State, with two meanings (and full styles) at different periods of history. ... Oliver Cromwell (25 April 1599 – 3 September 1658) was an English military and political leader best known for his involvement in making England into a republican Commonwealth and for his later role as Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland. ... Combatants France England United Provinces Spain Commanders Vicomte de Turenne Juan José de Austria Louis II de Condé Strength 26,000 and ships 15,000 Casualties 500 dead or wounded 2,000 dead or wounded 4,000 captured The Battle of the Dunes, fought on June 14 (Gregorian calendar), 1658...

The subsequent Treaty of the Pyrenees, signed in 1659, fixed the border between France and Spain at the Pyrenees; according to its terms, Louis XIV pardoned Condé who had gone into the service of Spain against his king, while Spain ceded to France the whole of Roussillon, the northern half of Cerdanya and various provinces and towns in the Spanish Netherlands. The treaty signalled a change in the balance of power in Europe with the decline of Spain and the rise of France. The Treaty of the Pyrenees was a treaty signed in 1659 to end the war between France and Spain that had begun in 1635 during the Thirty Years War. ... Pic de Bugatetin the Néouvielle Natural Reserve Central Pyrenees For the mountains in Victoria, Australia, see Pyrenees (Victoria). ... Coat of arms of Roussillon - see also senyera Flag of Roussillon Mount Canigó (Canigou) (2785m), a Catalan landmark Roussillon (French: Roussillon, pronounced ; Catalan: Rosselló, pronounced ) is one of the historical counties of the former Principality of Catalonia, corresponding roughly to the present-day southern French département of Pyrén... French Cerdagne is the northern half of Cerdagne that became French at the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659, while the southern half remained Spanish (part of Catalonia). ... This article or section should be merged with Seventeen Provinces The Spanish Netherlands was a portion of the Low Countries controlled by Spain from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. ... In international relations, a balance of power exists when there is parity or stability between competing forces. ...

By the terms of the treaty, Louis XIV became engaged to marry the daughter of Philip IV of Spain, his double first cousin, Maria Theresa (Marie-Thérèse d'Autriche). The Spanish had understandably been ill-disposed to the idea of such a marriage since Marie-Thérèse had been heir presumptive for many years and appeared soon to return to that position with the latest heir apparent, her brother Philip Prospero (ultimately to die in 1661), nothing but a toddler. The possibility of Marie-Thérèse's acceding to the throne therefore loomed large. This made the unpleasant prospect of an eventual personal union between the two countries, the result of a royal marriage, all too probable and, in the eyes of Spanish diplomats, to be avoided. Philip IV (), (April 8, 1605 – September 17, 1665) was King of Spain from 1621 to 1665 and also King of Portugal until 1640. ... Marie Thérèse redirects here. ... It has been suggested that Dynastic union be merged into this article or section. ...

To get around Spanish hesitation and intransigeance, Mazarin, in the words of Bussy-Rabutin, "invited the Duchess of Savoy to meet Louis and his Court at Lyon and to bring the princesses her daughters with her ostensibly for the purpose of marrying her eldest (Marguerite of Savoy, Louis' other first cousin) to the King".^[9] According to Bluche, on hearing the news of the meeting at Lyon and the possibility of an impending Franco-Savoyard union, Philip IV reputedly exclaimed, "Esto no puede ser, y no sera" ("This cannot be, and will not be").^[10] The marquis de Pimentel was thus promptly dispatched to Lyon to commence negotiations for a Franco-Spanish marriage. Christine Marie of France, Regent of Savoy Christine Marie of France, fr. ...

The wedding ceremony of Louis XIV and Marie-Thérèse at Saint-Jean-de-Luz

This resulted in a marriage contract and treaty, stipulating an immense dowry of 500,000 gold écus, to be paid in three installments; the marriage would later serve as a pretext for the War of Devolution.^[11] Louis and Marie-Thérèse were married on June 9, 1660 inside a church in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, near the Franco-Spanish border. According to the terms of the marriage contract, as translated by Ian Dunlop, "that on condition (que moyennant) that the sums are made over to His Most Christian Majesty (Louis XIV)...the said most serene Infanta (Marie-Thérèse) will rest content with the said dowry and not thereafter sue for any other of her rights", and thus she would renounce for herself and her descendants all claims the territories of the Spanish Monarchy.^[12] Since the dowry was not fully paid, Spain being at the time bankrupt, the renunciation was theoretically null and void and was never officially recognized by the French Crown. Image File history File links Louis_XIV_wedding. ... Image File history File links Louis_XIV_wedding. ... Saint-Jean-de-Luz (Basque Donibane Lohitzun) is a commune of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département in France. ... A dowry (also known as trousseau) is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings to her husband in marriage. ... The term écu may refer to one of several French coins. ... The War of Devolution (May 24, 1667 – May 2, 1668) was a war between Louis XIVs France and Habsburg Spain fought in the Spanish Netherlands. ... is the 160th day of the year (161st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // Events January 1 - Colonel George Monck with his regiment crosses from Scotland to England at the village of Coldstream and begins advance towards London in support of English Restoration. ... Saint-Jean-de-Luz (Basque Donibane Lohitzun) is a commune of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département in France. ... In law, void means of no legal effect. ...

Personal reign and reforms

Within France, upon the death of Cardinal Mazarin, his First Minister, in 1661, Louis XIV assumed personal control of the reins of government. He was able to exploit the widespread public yearning for peace and order, which had resulted from the long foreign wars and domestic civil strife, caused by events such as the Fronde and the abuses of the people perpetrated by certain nobles, to consoliate central authority at the feudal aristocracy's expense. Trials such as the "Grands Jours d'Auvergne" were used to impose order by punishing some of the most outrageous abuses by nobles, to "lift the people up from the oppression of the powerful" in the words of the Procureur-Général Denis Talon, and to increase public support for Louis' policies.

At the same time, the French treasury stood close to bankruptcy. Louis XIV eliminated Nicolas Fouquet, commuting his sentence of banishment to imprisonment for life, abolished the latter's position of Surintendant des Finances, and appointed Jean-Baptiste Colbert as Contrôleur-Général des Finances in 1665. While it is true that Fouquet had committed no other financial indiscretions which Mazarin had committed before him or Colbert would after and that he had, during the war with Spain and the Fronde, effectively performed his duties as Surintendant des Finances and had been a loyal supporter of the king, Fouquet's growing ambition to succeed to Richelieu and Mazarin as First Minister was such that Louis had to rid himself of him if he was to rule alone. Portrait by Édouard Lacretelle. ... The Superintendent of Finances (Surintendant des finances) was the name of the minister in charge of finances in France from 1561 to 1661. ... Jean-Baptiste Colbert Jean-Baptiste Colbert (August 29, 1619 — September 6, 1683) served as the French minister of finance from 1665 to 1683 under the rule of King Louis XIV. He was described by Mme de Sévigné as Le Nord as he was cold and unemotional. ... The Controller-General of Finances (Contrôleur général des finances) was the name of the minister in charge of finances in France from 1661 to 1791. ...

The commencement of Louis' personal reign was marked by a series of administrative and fiscal reforms. Colbert reduced the national debt through more efficient taxation. His principal means of taxation included the aides, the douanes, the gabelle, and the taille. The aides and douanes were customs duties, the gabelle a tax on salt, and the taille a tax on land. While Colbert did not abolish the historic tax exemption enjoyed by the nobility and clergy, he did improve the methods of tax collection then in use. Jean-Baptiste Colbert Jean-Baptiste Colbert (August 29, 1619 — September 6, 1683) served as the French minister of finance from 1665 to 1683 under the rule of King Louis XIV. He was described by Mme de Sévigné as Le Nord as he was cold and unemotional. ... Aides has various meanings: Aides is the god Hades. ... Douanes were a system of taxation through custom duties in France in King Louis XIVs reign. ... The gabelle was a very unpopular tax on salt in France before 1790. ... The taille was a direct land tax on the French peasantry in ancien régime France (since the nobles refused to pay taxes). ...

He also had wide-ranging plans to strengthen France through commerce and trade. His administration ordained new industries and encouraged manufacturers and inventors, such as the Lyon silk manufacturers and the Manufacture des Gobelins, which produced and still produces tapestries. He also brought professional manufacturers and artisans from all over Europe, such as glassmakers from Murano, or ironworkers from Sweden or shipbuilders from the United Provinces. In this manner, he sought to decrease French dependence on foreign imported goods while increasing French exports and hence to decrease the flow of gold and silver out of France. Outside of France, Colbert supported and encouraged the development of colonies in the Americas, Africa and Asia not only to provide markets for French exports, but also to provide resources for French industries. The Manufacture des Gobelins is a tapestry factory located in Paris, France. ... A shop with boats, Murano Murano is usually described as an island in the Venetian Lagoon, although like Venice itself it is actually an archipelago of islands linked by bridges. ... Map of Dutch Republic by Joannes Janssonius United Netherlands redirects here. ...

Colbert also made improvements to the navy to increase French naval prestige and to gain control of the high seas in times of war and of peace, improvements to the merchant marine to remove, at least partially, control of French commerce from Dutch hands, and improvements to the highways and the waterways of France which decreased the costs and time of transporting goods around the kingdom.

He ranks as one of the fathers of the school of thought regarding trade and economics known as mercantilism — in fact, France calls "mercantilism" Colbertisme, and his policies effectively increased French State revenue for the king. A painting of a French seaport from 1638, at the height of mercantilism. ...

Silver coin of Louis XIV, dated 1674
Obverse. The Latin inscription is LVDOVICVS XIIII D[EI] GRA[TIA] ("Louis XIV, by the grace of God").	Reverse. The Latin inscription is FRAN[CIÆ] ET NAVARRÆ REX 1674 ("King of France and of N