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Birth of a King
Louis XIV was born September 5, 1638, in Saint-Germaine-en-Laye, France -
Louis XIV became king of France
On May 14, 1643, Louis XIV's father Louis XIII passed away. Because he was the oldest son of the former king he was assumed to the throne at only the age of 4. The council still kept the county in check but Louis XIV was printed as the future of France's 19 million inhabitants. -
Conflict At a Young Age
When Louis XIV was just shy of becoming ten years old, the Parlement of Paris began to rebel against the chief minister and temporary ruler Cardinal Mazrim. The Parlement wanted to overthrow Mazarin and eventually Louis, and thus a civil war known as Le Fronde began in 1648. During this war, Louis XIV suffered from poverty and starvation, but in 1653 Mazarin was able to win against the rebels and started to rebuild the loose administration. -
Reforming France
For most of Loui's early reign, it was Cardinal Mazari who was the true leader of France but when he died in 1661, it was Louis XIV's time to step up to the throne. The first goal on his checklist was to reform France. He did this by promoting industrial growth, implementing administrative reforms, and even created programs that advanced the art and culture of France. All of these acts were to make a more stable French government along with a richer culture. -
Louis V.S Spain
Fun fact, Louis XIV was actually married the daughter of the king of Spain! Because of this Louis believed that he should inherit whatever his wife would eventually get. The Spanish although did not believe in this way of thinking. This is why in 1667, Louis XIV launched the invasion of Spanish Netherlands. This conflict was known as the war of Devolution. Unfotunently for France, the war only lasted a year after the French surrendered. -
Louis V.S Europe
Even though France surrendered, they still perservered and attacked the Flanders, a piece of land owned by Spain. Louis XIV, from 1672 to 1678, was apart of the Franco-Dutch War and during that time obtained more land. But in 1688, Spain, England, and The Holy Roman Empire greated the Grand Alliance and attacked France in what would become known as the Nine Years War. After the war France still had most of its land but as depleted of resources. -
Louis XIV's Downfall
After the Nine Years War, many blamed the king for only thinking of himself and not thinking what was best for the country. This was even more observable after the War of the Spanish Success after the death of the king of Spain which was from 1701 to 1714. Many believe that he wanted the grandson Philip V so inherit Spain which made King Louis XIV the primary reason for Spain's financial downfall. -
Death of a King
Louis XIV passed away on September 1, 1715, 4 dayd before his 77th birthday. The cause of death was gangrene and his 5 year old great grandson inherited his thone.
