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Louis XIII of France, Louis XIV father, died just when Louis XIV was about 4 years old.
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Louis XIV was a neglected child given over to the care of servants. He escaped drowning in a pond because no one was watching him. Anne of Austria, his mother, was blamed for this irresponsibility, inspired him with a lasting fear of “crimes committed against God.”
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Louis XIV received a practical education rather than a scholarly one and Mazarin was responsible for tutoring Louis in history, politics, and art.
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Paris Parliament rose against the crown and rebelled against Louis's grandfather, Chief Minister Cardinal Jules Mazarin when Louis XIV was 9 years old. They threatened Louis's life and started the civil war, The Fronde. The Fronde drove Louis's family out of Paris and brought Louis poverty, hunger, fear, humiliation, and cold.
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Louis XIV falls in love with Mazarin's niece, Marie Mancini. However, he struggles with this for 2 years because of his duty.
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Louis XIV chose duty over love by marrying Marie Therese of Austria, daughter of Philip IV of Spain, instead of Marie Mancini to ratify peace between their countries.
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Chief Minister Cardinal Jules Mazarin, Louis's XIV grandfather, dies when Louis is about 22 years old.
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Palace of Versailles is declared the official royal residence
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Marie, Louis's XIV wife, passes away.
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After the death of his former wife, Louis XIV secretly married Mme de Maintenon.
