Louis XIV, King of France, 1701 (1956).

Louis XIV, King of France, 1701 (1956). Although Louis (1638-1715) inherited the French crown in 1643, he did not actually take the reigns of power until the death of his Chief Minister, Cardinal Mazarin, in 1661. Known as the 'Sun King', Louis was the epitome of the absolute monarch. He was on the throne for 72 years, longer than any other major European ruler. His reign saw a flowering of the arts and architecture in France, including the building of the magnificent Palace of Versailles, as well as a growth of French economic and military power. From the Louvre, Paris. A print from People, a volume about the origin and early history of many things, common and less common, essential and inessential, by Readers Union, the Grosvenor Press, London, 1956. (Photo by The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images)