Louis XIV 1638-1715 King of France

When Louis became king at age five, France was a nation deeply divided by region, religion, and social class. The job of being king was a dangerous one. His uncle, Charles I of England was defeated by Cromwell and beheaded in 1649. Between 1648 and 1653, there were several popular rebellions in France. At one point, mobs occupied Paris, forcing Louis and his mother to flee to a nearby town where the nine-year-old king had to spend the night on a bed of straw.

In effect, Louis reign began when he was thirteen. At that age, when according to French law, he could rule in his own right, he told parliament that he intended to govern France by himself. This was the first of many actions that Louis would take during his long reign that would strengthen the power of the king, strengthen France, and expand French national boundaries until they approximated those we recognize today.

Louis reorganized the army so that he could take more direct control of it, replacing private armies under wealthy noblemen. By doing this, he made it a more effective fighting force. He reformed the nations law system, encouraged the arts, and developed colonies all over the world. During his reign, France claimed most of North America from Quebec to Louisiana (which was named after him).

In part, Louis succeeded through a spectacular campaign of self glorification. At Versailles, he built a palace of such magnificence that it became the envy of all other rulers and the cultural center of the western world. It was surrounded by elaborate gardens, with hundreds of fountains and could house up to 10,000 people. His purpose was to dramatize his role as king and personification of the state.

Louis was able to keep a careful watch on the not-particularly-to-be-trusted aristocracy by engaging it in the active social life at Versailles. Anyone who was anyone wanted to live in Louis court. Being given responsibility for such tasks as handing the king his nightshirt or holding his candle at bedtime were considered great honors. This flamboyant self promotion lead people to compare his radiance to that of the sun. Thus, he is called "the Sun King."