Louis XIV

Louis XIV, one of the famous kings of France is well known for the way he changed fashion for men, his mistresses and of course his great palace of Versailles that was the official court residence in 1682. Little do people know but a man, this guy, began the high heeled shoes business. They're a feminine object now but it is said he wore them to counter his short stature. However, other courtiers began to wear them as well and well he was short all over again. He was known for having a very stern, and well bombastic kind of personality. Well wouldn't you if courtiers were always praising every thing you did as perfect even though you didn't do everything perfectly. Courtiers weren't insane they just wanted to be seen and recognized by the King so they could gain titles, material things etc from him. In Louis XIV court it was very important to be recognized by Louis XIV himself or else you were shamed at court, it was royal suicide for the King to not know you or ignore you. Louis XIV also built the grand palace of Versailles that was once a hunting lodge that used under his father's reign Louis XIII. Louis expanded it over a period of about 10 years vis a process of four different building campaigns. The end result was terribly expensive but absolutely beautiful and is still a monument to his reign today. Before Louis XIV, nobles were angry and divisive amongst each other causing the Fronde. It obviously began with much more detail than that but Louis XIV lived through this war in his childhood and feared the rising of and power of the nobles. In order to keep them under control, he made it so where nobles would have to be in presence at all times and eventually live there in order to keep up with the ceremonies and basic court ritual in order to not be snubbed by the King. And of course no one wants to be snubbed by the King, so they leave their mansions and live with the King in Versailles in order to be presented with the all time greatest honor of such prizes as holding the King's candle to bed. Or even better, watching the King eat, while you silently starve because you are not allowed to eat at the royal table. Nobles do eventually eat and party but not without the strict etiqutte codes that Louis XIV updholds in order to keep the palace running smoothly as possible. With the help of the prooper etiquette and ceremonies, all of Versailles and its inhabitants revolve around Louis XIV better known as The Sun King.


Louis XIV as a little boy

















Aa a young man somewhere in the late 1660s or early 1670s


















As an older man between 1710-1715 with his son, grandson and great grandson and the baby's governess Madame de Ventadour. Louis XIV would lose both of his heirs except the young child who would be only 5 years old in 1715 on the death of Louis XIV when is made King or at least heir to the throne. He reaches his majority in about 1723.








(more great history on Louis XIV to come soon mistresses, finances, wars, children, more etiquette etc)