Even among the ranks of French monarchy, well known for their aristocratic tastes and fervent self-righteousness, King Louis XIV, who crowned himself Le Roi Soleil, the Sun King, had no equal. Taking over the throne after the embroiled Cardinal Nazarin, who was the de facto leader until Louis came of age, he quickly enacted steps to check the rising challenge of the aristocracy, curbing their power in the military and sacking anyone thought disloyal from government posts — as was the case with the finance minister. Louis had more on his mind than just perpetuating the rule of kings, however. He wanted to leave a legacy.

On this day, May 14, Louis XIV ascended to the throne of France, taking over for his father. Before he came of age, his mother and Cardinal Nazarin struggle against unruly nobles, at one point even being to flee the capital. Louis remembered those episodes well.

After consolidating power from the landholders and nobility, Louis turned to making a name for himself as a patron of the arts. He moved the capital building to the palace of Versailles, promoted painters who would become famous throughout Europe, and encouraged and protected writers like Molière, one of the greatest names in comedy literature in the Western world, and Jean de La Fontaine whose fables – recounting stories of the goose that laid the golden egg, the fox and the grapes, among many others others –  are still widely read today.