1. Louis XIV, Center of the Universe History 104 / January 25, 2013

2. Cardinal Richelieu Chief Minister of France, 1624-1642

3. Louis XIV in his younger days

4. Louis XIV King of France, 1643-1715

5. Louis the warrior (in Roman clothes)

7. Louis XIV and his family

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

9. Versailles: the standard of luxury

10. Versailles Exterior (pan)

11. Versailles Gate

12. The “Sun God” motif

13. Louis XIV is everywhere

14. Chapel

15. Chapel (upper tier)

16. The Hall of Mirrors

17. Hall of Mirrors – detail

18. The opera house within Versailles

19. Behind Versailles: 1/3 of the length

20. Outside, spectacular fountains

22. A grotto: fantasy playgrounds

23. Jean-Baptiste Colbert (1619-1683)

24. Colbert’s version of mercantilism: here, presenting Louis XIV with a map of a proposed Languedoc canal