Born on Sep 16, 1638 in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France, Louis XIV was the King of France while it was at its pinnacle of global influence. Known as the Sun King, Louis XIV extended French law and custom throughout much of the world, resulting in French being the accepted language of art, diplomacy, science and philosophy until the latter rise of Victorian England, the Germanic states, and the U.S. in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Louis XIV died at Versailles, Sep 1, 1715.
