King Louis XIV was born on September 5, 1638 in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France. He became king in 1643. Starting in 1661 he began to reform France. In 1667 he invaded the Spanish Netherlands. From 1672 to 1678 he engaged France in the Franco-Dutch War. In 1688 he led a war between France and the Grand Alliance. In 1680, Louis XIV aroused public hostility. He died in Versailles, France, on September 1, 1715. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay He became the rightful ruler of the throne after his father's death when he was only 4 years old, but obviously he was too young at the time, so Chief Minister Cardinal Jules Mazarin, was responsible for educating him in history, politics and the arts . In 1648, when Louis XIV was only 10 years old, the Parliament of Paris rebelled against its prime minister, Mazarin. In an attempt to overthrow the crown, they waged a civil war, called the Fronde, against its supporters. During the long war, Louis XIV suffered many difficult times, including poverty and hunger. To the relief of Louis XIV, Mazarin finally achieved victory over the rebels in 1653. Mazarin died on 9 March 1661. The dramatic blow came on 10 March. The king informed his astonished ministers that he was very ready to take on all the responsibilities of ruling the kingdom. . This had not occurred since the reign of Henry IV. Louis XIV's action did not conform to tradition; his vision of a dictatorship by divine right was his. With genuine faith, Louis saw himself as God's representative on earth and considered all disobedience and rebellion sinful. In 1667 he invaded the Spanish Netherlands, which he considered his wife's inheritance, starting a series of wars that lasted for much of his reign. Louis himself said on his deathbed, "I have loved war too much," but his subjects, who often complained of his prudence and moderation, would not have understood if he had not used force to strengthen France's frontiers. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay After a brilliant campaign, the king had to retreat (1668) in the face of English and especially Dutch pressure. He never forgave the Dutch and vowed to destroy their Protestant mercantile republic. To this end he allied himself with his cousin Charles II of England and invaded the Netherlands in 1672. The long ensuing war ended in 1678, with the first Treaty of Nijmegen with Louis triumphant.