The many King Louis of France

I have noticed, over time, that most people selling French coins and French furniture tend to get their Louis mixed up! History can sometimes be confusing and French history is no exception, especially when you try to remember the correct succession of French kings. So here are a few pointers.

There were a lot of Kings named Louis. Most famous are Saint-Louis (actually Louis IX), Louis XIV the sun king, Louis XVI who was guillotined. Louis XV is better known for having reigned between Louis XIV and Louis XVI.

Saint-Louis was born around 1214 and died 1270 in Tunis. He was canonised by 1297 but that doesn't mean he didn't rule with an iron fist and didn't resort to warfare and alliances to stay in power. He is much more famous because of his sainthood which Louis VI - aka the fat one - , Louis VII - aka the young one - cannot claim to have achieved.

Louis XIV, the sun king, ruled France for a very long time. He was the son of Louis XIII, but at his father's death he was too young to rule since he was only 4 years old. Louis XIV managed to take over the Spanish crown for some time, found a brilliant way to keep all the Nobles of his kingdom very busy through warfare and his court. Louis XIV also added new territories to continental France and promoted classical culture throughout Europe. However 90% of the population remained poor and uneducated, he also failed at defending English Catholicism. Louis XIV is also best known for having built the Versailles Palace. He was married to Marie Thérèse until her death in 1683. He was then secretly married to Mme de Maintenon. In 1685 he revoked the Edict of Nantes, a document protecting the rights of French Protestants. The move that was very popular at the time but proved to be his biggest mistake. He reigned for so long that his son, Louis the grand dauphin, his grandson Louis Duke of Bourgogne both died before he did.

Louis XV, the great-grandson of Louis XIV, born in 1710 and died in 1774. He became King at the age of 13 in 1723. His most famous achievement was his secret "black cabinet", a mysterious secret service and shadow government. His was involved in many wars in Poland, in Austria, but the seven-year war against Britain proved to be the most costly. By 1763, at the signing of the treaty of Paris, Louis XV had lost all of France's colonies in North America. His son, Louis dauphin never reigned.

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