# Louis XIV

_King of France and Navarre from 1643 to 1715 (1638-1715)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/louis-xiv
Last updated: 2026-11-04

> Louis XIV, known as the "Sun King", was King of France from 14 May 1643 until his death in 1715. He is the longest-reigning monarch in history, reigning for 72 years and 110 days. His reign brought about a golden age in French history, marked by a great expansion of the French colonial empire and a flourishing of French culture throughout Europe. As an absolute monarch, Louis expanded monarchical rule and diminished the power of the nobility, developing a strong centralised state ruled from the Palace of Versailles that persisted until the French Revolution.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 5 September 1638 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7742#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7742#P19))
- **Died:** 1 September 1715 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7742#P570))
- **Place of death:** Palace of Versailles ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7742#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Kingdom of France ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7742#P27))
- **Occupation:** politician; art collector; actor; monarch; statesperson ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7742#P106))
- **Spouse:** Maria Theresa of Spain; Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7742#P26))
- **Positions held:** King of France and Navarre (14 May 1643 – 1 September 1715); French co-prince of Andorra (14 May 1643 – 1 September 1715) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7742#P39))
- **Awards:** Order of the Holy Spirit; Order of Saint Michael; Order of Saint Louis ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7742#P166))

## Questions

**When was Louis XIV born?**  
Louis XIV was born on 5 September 1638 in Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye.

**What positions has Louis XIV held?**  
Positions held by Louis XIV include: King of France and Navarre (1643–1715); French co-prince of Andorra (1643–1715).

## Related

- [Charles X of France](https://diginpl.com/people/charles-x-of-france)
- [Louis XIII](https://diginpl.com/people/louis-xiii)
- [Louis XVI](https://diginpl.com/people/louis-xvi)
- [Napoleon](https://diginpl.com/people/napoleon)
- [Vincent Auriol](https://diginpl.com/people/vincent-auriol)
- [Philippe Pétain](https://diginpl.com/people/philippe-petain)
- [Louis XVIII](https://diginpl.com/people/louis-xviii)
- [Raymond Poincaré](https://diginpl.com/people/raymond-poincare)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Louis XIV](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_XIV) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q7742](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7742) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Louis XIV of France.jpg by Hyacinthe Rigaud (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Louis_XIV_of_France.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Louis XIV, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Louis XIV of France.jpg — Hyacinthe Rigaud, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Louis XIV". DigiNepal. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/louis-xiv. Retrieved 5 November 2026.