The age of Louis XIV. during the reign of Louis XIV, the son and successor of Louis XIII (1643-1715), which lasted over seventy years, France was the leading nation of Europe. In some respects it was a brilliant period. The magnificence of the French court, the splendor of Paris, and the proud position of France in Europe were characteristics of the time. Literature flourished under the patronage of the court, and some of the greatest of the French writers lived in this reign. A striking characteristic of the time was the absolute belief of the subjects in the divine power of the king. Louis XIV was the most conspicuous type of an absolute monarch. He was the source of all power and glory.-Colby, 1899