King Louis XIV
The Sun King
Biography:
Louis the XIV was born on September 5th, 1638. He took the throne when he was five, and reigned from 1643 until his death on September 1st, 1715. He was a descendant of the Bourbon family.
Louis XIV's family tree
France During the King's Reign
Louis XIV wanted to be in complete control of France. He has been quoted to say "L'etat C'est Moi." In English, this translates to "I am the state". To accomplish this, he put into action the Policies of Richelieu, which successfully expanded bureaucracy, while appointing Intendants: royal officials who collected taxes from the people of France, recruited soldiers for its army, and then made sure the policy was carried out in other provinces.
France in 1667
Some of Louis' Achievements
Built the Versailles Palace
Versailles Palace
Built Strong French Army
French soldiers winning a battle
Expanded Bureaucracy
Bureaucracy in France
Made France the supreme country of Europe
Map of land taken by Louis XIV and other kings of France
More on Louis XIV
The king formed France during his rule, and some of his accomplishments still affect France today. He put much time into the arts and gave them new life in France. Fashion was also beginning to become more important during Louis' reign. It was not long until fashion became the staple of France, especially Paris. However, he was a strict Catholic, and rejected all Protestants. In doing so, he also revoked the Edict of Nantes. The edict was supposed to allow the Protestants in the country, but Louis did not care. This edict included several Huguenots living in France at the time. They were forced to either convert, or leave the country.
Louis XIV