The sun as an emblem
Louis XIV chose the sun as his emblem. It is the star that gives life to everything, but it is also the symbol of order and regularity. He reigned in sunshine over the court, the courtiers and France. Indeed, the courtiers attended the king's day as the daily course of the sun. (Cf:A day at Versailles) It even appears disguised as the sun during a party given at the court.
Louis XIV, a force of nature
It is said of the king that he was not tall, 1m75, but that he was of great elegance and imposed by his presence, his beauty and his superb.
Despite everything, he was robust:never tired, he feared neither heat nor cold, neither rain nor hail, and did not understand how anyone could suffer from it. Like all Bourbons, he is a big eater, whose gargantuan appetite astonishes the witnesses.
In addition, he is a fan of dancing, he likes ballet shows and gambling of palm. Like almost every Capetian, he is also a tireless hunting enthusiast.
He is a passionate man who is curious about everything that surrounds him. His ears are everywhere. Thanks to his Swiss who spy on everything and everyone in Versailles, he is quicker than everyone to find out what is being said about him.
A fiery lover
Louis XIV had many mistresses, including Louise de La Vallière, Angélique de Fontanges, Madame de Montespan, and Madame de Maintenon (whom he secretly married after the queen's death, probably in the fall of 1683). As a teenager, he met a niece of Mazarin, Marie Mancini. A great passion will follow between them, thwarted by the cardinal, who, aware of the interests of France and his own, prefers to have him marry the Infanta of Spain. In 1670, Jean Racine was inspired by the story of the king and Marie Mancini to write "Bérénice". It is often said that Mademoiselle Catherine de Beauvais, nicknamed Cateau La Borgnesse, belittled the king, but historians strongly doubt this. However, this woman "coming from little" had the extreme honor of receiving an astonishing gift from Anne of Austria (the Queen Mother):she is paid in precious stones, initially planned for the work of the Louvre, with which she s he private mansion was built in Paris, now located at 68 rue François Miron, the Hôtel de Beauvais. Later, a great lover of women, he had secret staircases built in Versailles to reach his various mistresses. These liaisons irritate the Compagnie du Saint-Sacrement, a party of devotees. Bossuet, Madame de Maintenon are trying to bring the king back to more virtue.