The Reign of King Louis XIV

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The Reign of King Louis XIV

Louis XIV had a passion for glory and used it to fight four wars because he was motivated by personal and dynastic considerations.

King Louis XIV was born in 1638. He became king at age four, and received only a mediocre education. He was taught nothing beyond pious works and decorous behavior at religious observances. He came into full power of France in 1661. Louis married Maria Theresa of Spain in 1659. When Mazarin died in 1661, Louis decided he didn’t want a powerful advisor and then started to change history. Louis had the longest reign in European history of 73 years.

King Louis XIV distrusted the Protestants and everything they stood for. Because of that, he revoked the Edict of Nantes and torn down the walls that surrounded Protestant towns. The walls were erected to help the Protestants feel safer. He spent a lot of tax money building Versailles. That angered most people, because Versailles was only for Louis and his rich noblemen and their wives. Louis also increased taxes to stave off financial disaster, which failed. The people rev...

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