Part 9/15:
Louis XIV, the Sun King (1643–1715), epitomized absolute monarchy. His construction of Versailles exemplified state control over the nobility, while his military campaigns expanded France's borders across Europe. Yet, numerous wars, such as the War of Spanish Succession, drained resources and stretched the nation thin. Louis XIV's revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 marked a crackdown on religious minorities, especially Protestants, further complicating internal stability.