Louis XIV, Center of the UniverseHistory 104 / January 25, 2013

Cardinal RichelieuChief Minister of France,

1624-1642

Louis XIV in his younger days

Louis XIVKing of France,

1643-1715

Louis the warrior(in Roman clothes)

Louis XIV and his family

El Escorial, Spain(Philip II’s palace complex)

Versailles: the standard of luxury

Versailles Exterior (pan)

Versailles Gate

The “Sun God” motif

Louis XIV is everywhere

Chapel

Chapel (upper tier)

The Hall of Mirrors

Hall of Mirrors – detail

The opera housewithin Versailles

Behind Versailles: 1/3 of the length

Outside, spectacular fountains

A grotto: fantasy playgrounds

Jean-Baptiste Colbert(1619-1683)

Colbert’s version of mercantilism:here, presenting Louis XIV with a map

of a proposed Languedoc canal