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Dromo's Den
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[Up] [Dromo's Den] Louis XIV Biography LOUIS XIV., king of France, born at Saint Germain-en-Laye, Sept. 16, 1638; died Sept. 1, 1715. In 1643 he succeeded his father, Louis XIII., under the regency of his mother, Anne of Austria, with Mazarin as the minister. He formed a friendship with Spain while in his minority, but that country encouraged the discontented nobles for the purpose of weakening the crown, and a war resulted, which was concluded in 1659. In the same year Louis married Maria Theresa, the daughter of Philip IV., of Spain. The king's early education had been neglected, hence it was not thought that he would become a vigorous ruler, but when Mazarin died, in 1661, he assumed control of the government with much energy and soon won the title of Louis the Great, and the saying "I am the State" became a popular term in France to designate his personality. The famous Colbert became his minister. During his incumbency important reforms were effected in the taxes and in the administration, and these were followed by improvements in the financial system, the construction of canals and highways, and the encouragement of manufacturing and educational arts. Louis purchased Dunkirk from Charles II of England in 1662 and, when his father-in-law law died, he claimed Flanders and Franche-Comte, sending his armies there in 1667 under Condé and Turenne. A war with Holland resulted in 1672, and in six weeks he conquered half the country, but soon after an alliance was formed against him by Spain, Denmark, and William of Orange. The policy of his minister, Louvois, effected the enrichment of France at the expense of the conquered provinces, and the treaty of Nimeguen, in 1678, confirmed his title to Franche-Comte and a portion of Flanders. At that time the court of Louis was the most splendid of Europe, being adorned by eminent men, philosophers, poets, statesmen, and generals. Maria Theresa died in 1683. The following year he married Madame de Maintenon, and soon after secured the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, by which many thousands of progressive Protestants left France and carried their skill and industry to other lands. An alliance formed against him by Holland, Germany, Sweden, Spain, England, and other countries caused him to lose many of the conquered possessions, and, when the death of Charles II of Spain occurred, Louis claimed the Spanish throne for a grandson of his sister, who had been the queen of Louis of Spain. In this movement he was opposed by a united Europe, in which the allies won in the battles of Blenheim, Ramillies, and Malplaquet, after which the peace of Utrecht was concluded in 1713. By it the French prince came in possession of the Spanish throne, but France lost some of its acquired colonies. Though the reign of Louis was eminently successful at first, the latter portion became marked with languor in industrial arts on account of continued war. His great-grandson, Louis XV., succeeded him as king. The Teachers' and Pupils' Cyclopćdia, Vol. II. (Kansas City: Bufton Book Co., 1909) 1045-1046. |