Show more In 1661 the 23 year-old French king Louis the XIV had been on the throne for 18 years when his chief minister, Cardinal Mazarin, died. Louis is reported to have said to his ministers ...

Giant wigs were a must-have for any man in the court of Louis XIV. The king’s absolute love for big hair sparked a trend that spread all over 17th-century Europe. King Louis XIV (in the silver ...

It is the late 17th century, and King Louis XIV is at the pinnacle of his power. Versailles is the hub of the French aristocracy, a great beehive dripping with honey — and bristling with stingers.

Details were hazy, but the tale was arresting: An anonymous man had been locked up on the express orders of the French king Louis XIV. His identity was unknown, and his face could not be seen ...

In 1661, Fouquet invited the young French king, Louis XIV, to a party at his magnificent chateau on the outskirts of Paris, Vaux le Vicomte. Fouquet proudly displayed his grounds (dotted with more ...