1902 Encyclopedia > Louis XIV of France

Louis XIV
(also known as: Louis le Grand; le Roi Soleil; the Sun King)
(1638-1715)

King of France




LOUIS XIV., surnamed Le Grand, the elder son of the preceding, was born at Saint-Germain-en-Laye on September 16, 1638, succeeded to the throne of France in his fifth year, was declared of age in September 1651, and was crowned on June 7, 1654. His marriage with the infanta Maria Theresa of Austria, daughter of the Spanish Philip IV, was solemnized at St Jean-de-Luz on June 9, 1660. On the death of Mazarin in 1661 Louis XIV. began his true reign, the leading events of which will be found recorded in the article FRANCE (vol. ix. p. 574-584). He died at Versailles on September 1, 1715. Of his legitimate children by Maria Theresa, only one, Louis the Dauphin (1661-1711), reached manhood; he was married to a Bavarian princess by whom he had three sons—Louis the Dauphin, duke of Burgundy, who was the father of Louis XV.; Philip, duke of Anjou, afterwards Philip V. of Spain; and Charles, duke of Berri.








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