| Description |
Louis XIV was born at the royal chateau in Saint-Germain-en-Laye in 1638. He was only five when he became king on the death of his father, Louis XIII. In 1660, Louis XIV married Maria Theresa, Infanta of Spain. The following year, on the death of his godfather and first minister, Cardinal Mazarin, the 23-year-old monarch announced that he himself would govern. The first twenty years of the king's personal reign were the most brilliant. With his minister Colbert, he carried out the administrative and financial reorganization of the kingdom, as well as the development of trade and manufacturing. With the Marquis de Louvois, he reformed the army and racked up military victories. Finally, Louis encouraged an extraordinary blossoming of culture: theatre (Molière and Racine), music (Lully), architecture, painting, sculpture, and all the sciences (founding of the royal academies). These accomplishments would be depicted on the ceiling of the Hall of Mirrors, Versailles. |
