Louis xiv: Did you mean...?

Louis XIV (1638-1715) reigned as King of France from 1643 to 1715. Known as Le Roi Soleil ('the Sun King'), he fervently believed in the concept of the 'divine right' of kings and is remembered for ruling as an absolute monarch. His 72-year...

Beginning in the 16th century, Protestants in France struggled in their rapport with royal power. Protestants owed the recognition of their rights more to sovereign decrees than to genuine tolerance or religious pluralism. The realization...

Louis XVII of France was the regnal name of Louis-Charles de France (l. 1785-1795), the younger son of King Louis XVI of France (r. 1774-1792) and Queen Marie Antoinette (l. 1755-1793). Although Louis-Charles never actually reigned as king...

Louis XVI (l. 1754-1793) was the last king of France (r. 1774-1792) before the monarchy was abolished during the French Revolution (1789-99). An indecisive king, his attempts to navigate France through the crises of the 1780s failed, leading...

Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans (l. 1747-1793) was a French noble of royal blood. He was the head of the House of Orléans, a cadet branch of the royal Bourbon dynasty, and was a cousin of King Louis XVI of France (r. 1774-1792). Despite...

The trial and execution of King Louis XVI of France (r. 1774-1792) was one of the most impactful events of the French Revolution (1789-99). In December 1792, the former king, now referred to as Citizen Louis Capet, was tried and found guilty...

Louis XIV sitting with Madame de Ventadour and his heirs, oil on canvas by unknown artist, Versailles, c. 1715-1720. Portrait of King Louis XIV of France with his family. The figures depicted include Louis XIV (seated), his son Louis le...

The War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714) was the first of several major wars fought between the great powers of Europe in the 18th century. Triggered by the death of the sickly and childless King Charles II of Spain, the war was fought...

King Louis XIV dances as Apollo in the Ballet de la Nuit, drawing by Henri de Gissey, France, 1653. Le Ballet de la Nuit was choreographed in 1653 and was used to introduce King Louis XIV to the French court at Versailles. It lasted 12 hours...

Louis XIV and Anne of Austria, oil on canvas by unknown artist, France, c. 1639. Portrait of the Dauphin of France, Louis XIV, and his mother, Anne of Austria. Serving as regent of France during her son's minority, Anne was a key political...