A set of bagpipes believed to have been created for King Louis XIV of France in the late 17th century are on display in Northumberland, England, just in time for International Bagpipe Day.

The machine was designed at the request of the French king Louis XIV—the monarch who commissioned Versailles, also known as the Sun King.His and his successors’ courts are mainly remembered ...

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.

The complex was commissioned by Louis XIV, who moved the nation’s government to Versailles in 1682 and wanted a palace to match the glory of his reign. Nowhere is this more evident than in the ...

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, “It is now ...

King Louis XIV ruled from 1643 to 1715 — a total of 72 years, the longest of any European sovereign to this day. Queen Elizabeth II, for context, reigned for 70 years.

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 ...

In the summer of 1685, France was ready to celebrate. The previous year, Sun King Louis XIV had signed the Truce of Ratisbon, which ended the War of the Reunions against Spain and the Holy Roman ...

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, “It is now ...