Louis XIV Biography

Birth of Louis XIV, son of Louis XIII and Anne of Austria.

Birth of Louis XIV the Sun King, son of Louis XIII and Anne of Austria

Becomes king as a child after the death of Louis XIII.

Succeeds as King of France

Victory over Spain gives France hegemony in Europe in place of Spain

Receives his cousin Charles II during his exile from the English Civil War

Faces parliamentary and noble revolt during childhood.

Leaves Paris during the Fronde unrest.

Peace between the frondeurs, rebels, and the French court

Declared of age

Returns to Paris after royal authority recovers.

Is crowned King of France at Reims.

Agrees a commercial treaty with England and removes some royalist exiles from French support

England will provide a fleet and 6,000 men and France 20,000 for war against Spain

Louis XIV's government coordinates French forces with English troops for campaigning against Spain in Flanders.

It is agreed France will capture Gravelines and England will capture Dunkirk and Mardyck

Benefits from the Franco-English victory near Dunkirk.

Marches into Dunkirk after its capture from the Spanish. Hands Dunkirk over to Lockhart, the English Commander

Marries Marie-Therese daughter of Philip IV of Spain

Under the Treaty of the Pyrenees France receives part of the Netherlands

Under the Treaty of the Pyrenees France receives Roussillon

Ends the war with Spain, France receives Roussillon and part of the Spanish Netherlands

Marries Maria Theresa of Spain, helping seal peace between France and Spain

Marries Maria Theresa of Spain.

Louis XIV signals an intention to press claims in Flanders after the expected death of Philip IV.

After the Thirty Year and Civil War debt is pounds143 million, revenue is pounds71 million

After the Thirty Year and Civil War debt is pounds143 million, revenue is pounds71 million

Writes to Clarendon saying when Philip IV dies he will seize Flanders

Expels Jansenist novices. Enforces the Papal Bull condemning many Jansenist beliefs as heresy

Expands royal patronage of arts, architecture and science.

After the Thirty Year and Civil War debt is pounds143 million, revenue is pounds71 million

On the death of Mazarin assumes complete control

Takes personal control after Mazarin's death.

Appointed Prime Minister of France, appoints himself

Establishes royal control over the Gobelins workshops to support luxury manufacture.

Places Gobelins workshops under royal direction.

Purchases Dunkirk from Charles II of England.

Purchases Dunkirk from Charles II as France expands control on the Channel coast.

Purchases Dunkirk from England as Charles II sells the port to France.

Sponsors learned work that supports royal glory and official history.

Takes New France under direct royal control after the end of company rule.

Expels leading nuns and places Jansenist convents under stronger royal pressure.

Opens a major court festival at Versailles.

Opens the Versailles festival known as Les Plaisirs de l'Ile enchantee.

Louis XIV sees Moliere's Tartuffe during court festivities at Versailles.

Sees Moliere's Tartuffe during court festivities.

Authorises a company to expand French trade in Asia.

Authorises the French East India Company to expand French trade in Asia.

Maintains pressure on Jansenist communities over acceptance of anti-Jansenist formularies.

The Assembly of the Clergy presses the crown to act more strongly against heresy.

Strengthens personal rule and administrative control during the early years of his direct reign.

Rules as the Journal des Savants begins publication.

The Journal des Savants begins publication as one of Europe's first learned journals.

Rules as Moliere stages Dom Juan during the height of royal theatrical patronage.

Philip IV's death renews French succession claims.

Philip IV's death renews French interest in Spanish inheritance claims through Maria Theresa.

France and Holland declare War on England, France takes Antigua, Montserrat and St Kitts

Founds the French Academy of Sciences

Begins the persecution of France's 2 million Huguenots

Founds the Lieutenant general de police de Paris

Enacts the reforms of the Civil Code

Doubles most of the import tariffs to make France more self-sufficient

Creates the office of Lieutenant General of Police.

Issues the civil ordinance known as the Code Louis.

Begins the War of Devolution by invading Flanders and Hainault

Says the law in Brabant makes his wife Maria Theresa a better claimant than Charles II

A French army under Turenne crosses the border and invades the Spanish Netherlands

Invades the Spanish Netherlands using Maria Theresa's claim.

Under the Treaty of Breda France retains French Acadia

Under the Treaty of Breda France retains French Guiana

The French retain French Acadia and French Guiana. Ends the England-Netherlands War

Louis XIV concluded a parallel peace at Breda as France participated in the wider settlement.

Leopold signs a Treaty with Louis promising 1/2 the Spanish land in the Netherlands

An alliance of England, the United Provinces and Sweden against Louis XIV

Occupies Franche-Comte during the War of Devolution.

Under the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle France gives up the Belgian provinces

Britain and the United Provinces form an alliance against France which Sweden joins

Spain regains Franche-Comte in return for Lille, Tournay and 10 other fortified towns. Louis makes peace which is signed at Aix-la-Chapelle. Ends the war over Louis XIV's claim to the Spanish Belgian provinces.

Enacts the reforms of the Criminal Code

A secret alliance with Charles II for the restoration of Catholicism in England

Begins the Franco-Dutch War

Enacts the reforms of the Maritime Code

Begins war against the Dutch Republic.

Crosses the Rhine during the Dutch campaign.

Promulgates commercial reforms for French trade.

Enacts the reforms of the Commercial Code

Secures French control of Franche-Comte.

Secret alliance between Charles II of England and Louis XIV is renewed

Secret alliance between Charles II of England and Louis XIV is renewed

French forces capture Ypres during the Franco-Dutch War.

France gains Franche-Comte

Completes peace settlements after the Dutch war.

Uses legal claims to absorb frontier territories.

Takes Strasbourg during the Reunions policy.

Supports Gallican articles limiting papal authority in France.

Moves the royal court and government to Versailles.

Marries Francoise, widow of the poet Paul Scarron

Maria Theresa dies at Versailles.

Secretly marries Francoise d'Aubigne, Madame de Maintenon.

Under the Treaty of Regensburg France gains Strasbourg, Luxemburg and Casale in Italy

Under the Treaty of Regensburg France gains Strasbourg, Luxemburg and Casale in Italy

Under the Treaty of Regensburg France gains Strasbourg

Under the terms of the Treaty France gains Strasbourg, Luxemburg and Casale in Italy

Upon the revocation of the edict of Nantes, Frederick Wilhelm issues the Edict of Potsdam, which encourages Protestants to come to Brandenburg. Revokes the religious toleration of the Edict of Nantes

Louis XIV, the grandson of Henry IV, renounces the Edict of Nantes and declares Protestantism illegal with the Edict of Fontainebleau

Enacts the reforms of the Code Noir for slaves in the colonies

Issues the Code Noir for French colonies.

Louis XIV, the grandson of Henry IV, renounces the Edict of Nantes and declares Protestantism illegal with the Edict of Fontainebleau

Revokes the Edict of Nantes and outlaws Protestant worship.

Revokes the edict in an effort to force all his subjects to practice Catholicism. Louis XIV, the grandson of Henry IV, renounces the Edict of Nantes and declares Protestantism illegal with the Edict of Fontainebleau

Louis XIV claims that out of a Huguenot population of 800,000 to 900,000, only 1,000 to 1,500 had remained in France

Louis XIV orders the destruction of Huguenot churches, as well as the closing of Protestant schools

Makes official persecution enforced since the dragonnades created in 1681 by the King in order to intimidate Huguenots into converting to Catholicism

The Edict of Fontainebleau is issued by Louis XIV, also known as the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes

The Edict of Fontainebleau is issued by Louis XIV, also known as the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes

Upon the revocation of the edict of Nantes, Frederick Wilhelm issues the Edict of Potsdam, which encourages Protestants to come to Brandenburg

European powers organise against French expansion.

The French lay siege to Cologne

Louis XIV invades Germany to weaken the German states before they join the Grand Alliance

French forces open the Rhineland campaign by investing Philippsburg, beginning the war that expands into the Nine Years War.

Declares war on the Netherlands

Declares war on Spain

An alliance of England, the United Provinces, Austria and Savoy against the French

Louis XIV assists James II during his Irish campaign against William III.

Invades to prevent William of Orange deposing James II of Great Britain. Invades the Palatinate to secure his sister-in-laws claims for its succession

Forced to withdraw from the Palatinate after the formation of the Grand Alliance

Louis XIV's government pursues a scorched-earth withdrawal in the Palatinate as French forces destroy towns and fortifications.

Declares war on England

France is at war with England after William III's government joins the coalition opposing Louis XIV.

William III is fighting James II, Louis XIV wants a Jacobite rebellion and invades

William III is fighting James II, Louis XIV wants a Jacobite rebellion and invades

James II, supported by French troops, is defeated in Ireland

The French led by Marshal Luxembourg defeat the Grand Alliance

Louis XIV arrives before Mons and personally oversees the principal French operation of the 1691 campaign.

Louis XIV receives the successful conclusion of the siege as the Mons garrison marches out under agreed terms.

Louis XIV joins the major French operation to capture the strategically important fortress of Namur.

Louis XIV celebrates the French capture of Namur after the fortress and citadel capitulate.

The French forces under Marshal Luxemburg defeat the English at Steenkerke

The Grand Alliance is crushed by the French

The Grand Alliance is crushed by the French

Repudiates the 1682 declaration in an attempt to improve relations with the Pope

Softens conflict with the papacy over Gallican claims.

Louis XIV authorizes the Brussels bombardment as a diversion intended to pressure the Allies during the siege of Namur.

Louis XIV concludes peace with Victor Amadeus II, removing Savoy from the coalition against France.

France cedes Pinerolo, Casale, Nice Lorraine and Luxemburg

Louis XIV accepts the peace settlement at Ryswick, ending the Nine Years War with England, Spain and the Dutch Republic.

Louis XIV resumes partition discussions with William III after Joseph Ferdinand's death.

Louis XIV agrees the Second Partition Treaty with England and the Dutch Republic after Joseph Ferdinand's death.

Louis XIV convenes council over whether to accept the Spanish inheritance for his grandson.

Louis XIV's acceptance of the Spanish will provokes alarm among France's rivals.

Louis XIV publicly recognises Philip of Anjou as King of Spain.

Considers Charles II's will naming Philip of Anjou.

Louis XIV considers the will of Charles II naming Philip of Anjou heir to Spain.

Louis XIV accepts Charles II's will on behalf of his grandson Philip of Anjou.

Louis XIV accepts Charles II of Spain's will naming Philip of Anjou as heir to the Spanish monarchy.

Recognises his grandson Philip as King of Spain.

Louis XIV accepts Charles II's will naming Philip of Anjou as heir to the Spanish monarchy.

Louis XIV's decision threatens to unite Bourbon interests across France and Spain.

Louis XIV supports his grandson Philip as king of Spain while seeking to preserve Bourbon influence.

Louis XIV issues measures preserving Philip V's French dynastic status, increasing European concern.

The Spanish testament naming Philip of Anjou is debated at Versailles amid fears of a European war.

Faces coalition resistance to Bourbon Spain.

Louis XIV recognises James France's Edward as James III of England and VIII of Scotland

Louis orders French troops into Dutch barrier fortresses in the Spanish Netherlands.

French troops enter Spanish Netherlands fortresses after the Bourbon succession settlement.

Louis XIV preserves Philip V's theoretical French succession rights, alarming rival European powers.

Louis issues letters preserving Philip V's theoretical place in the French succession.

Louis strengthens his position through an alliance with the Elector of Bavaria.

Louis concludes an alliance linking Savoy to the Bourbon war effort.

Louis supports the Franco-Spanish alliance concluded with Portugal.

Recognises James Francis Edward Stuart as claimant to Britain.

Louis XIV recognises James Francis Edward Stuart as heir to the English and Scottish crowns.

Louis recognises James Francis Edward Stuart as the rightful British monarch.

The war widens in Europe as the Grand Alliance declares war on France

Faces war with the Grand Alliance.

Louis responds to Savoy's defection by ordering military measures in Piedmont.

Louis XIV continues to support Philip V despite Allied attempts to replace him with Archduke Charles.

Louis XIV faces severe military pressure after Allied victories and the loss of major northern fortresses.

Arrests Jansenist nuns

Louis XIV seeks peace after the severe military and economic strain of the war.

Faces famine and crisis during the severe winter.

The harsh winter deepens France's famine and financial crisis during the war.

Turns down peace proposals from Spain

Louis XIV pursues negotiations with Britain as political support for the war weakens in London.

First day of the Utrecht Peace Conference

Louis XIV's negotiating position improves after Villars wins at Denain.

Gets the Pope to issue a Papal Bull condemning Jansenist views

Louis XIV secures recognition of the Bourbon settlement in Spain while France makes concessions.

France loses important North American claims to Great Britain.

France accepts limits intended to preserve the European balance of power.

France agrees commercial arrangements with Great Britain during the settlement.

Retains limited fishing rights on the Newfoundland coast.

France accepts limits on claims near Portuguese Brazil.

Recognises the Protestant succession in Great Britain.

Agrees not to support James Francis Edward Stewart against Britain.

Cedes French claims on Saint Kitts to Great Britain.

French princes renounce claims that could unite France and Spain.

Cedes mainland Acadia to Great Britain under the treaty.

Recognises British claims to Hudson Bay territory.

Cedes Newfoundland claims while retaining limited French fishing rights.

Cedes mainland Acadia to Great Britain under the treaty.

Agrees not to support James Francis Edward Stewart against Britain.

France accepts limits on claims near Portuguese Brazil.

Recognises British claims to Hudson Bay territory.

Cedes Newfoundland claims while retaining limited French fishing rights.

Retains limited fishing rights on the Newfoundland coast.

Cedes French claims on Saint Kitts to Great Britain.

Accepts peace while Philip V keeps Spain.

Accepts peace with Great Britain while preserving Philip V's Spanish crown.

France accepts limits intended to preserve the European balance of power.

France agrees commercial arrangements with Great Britain during the settlement.

France loses important North American claims to Great Britain.

France reaches peace terms at Utrecht while Philip V keeps the Spanish crown.

French princes renounce claims that could unite France and Spain.

Philip V renounces his claim to the French throne and France renounces union with Spain.

Recognises the Protestant succession in Great Britain.

Under the Treaty of Utrecht Louis recognises the Protestant succession in Great Britain.

Under the Treaty of Utrecht Louis recognises the Protestant succession in Great Britain.

Confirms peace with Austria after the Utrecht negotiations.

Confirms peace with Austria after the Utrecht negotiations.

Louis gives the Duke du Toulouse the right to succeed to the French throne. Louis gives the Duke du Maine the right to succeed to the French throne

Louis XIV draws up his will

Louis XIV concludes the Treaty of Baden, confirming the settlement reached with the Empire after Rastatt.

Concludes peace with the Empire after the War of the Spanish Succession.

Concludes peace with the Empire after the War of the Spanish Succession.

Removed as Louis XIV was dead before the 1770 marriage of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

The contents of Louis XIV's will are revealed to Orleans

Dies age 76 at St Saint-Saint-Germain-en-Laye after reigning for 72 years

Dies at Versailles after a reign of seventy-two years.