Louis XIV (King of France) letter

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0096 AL123
Held at	: Senate House Library, University of London   Click here to find out how to view this collection at http://www.senatehouselibrary.ac.uk/our-collections ›
Full title	: Louis XIV (King of France) letter
Date(s)	: 1704
Level of description	: fonds
Extent	: 1 sheet
Name of creator(s)	: Louis XIV | 1638-1715 | King of France | known as the Sun King
Detailed catalogue	: Click here to view repository detailed catalogue

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

Louis XIV, the elder son of Louis XIII and Anne of Austria, succeded to the French throne in 1643 aged 4. His mother served as regent until he came of age in 1651, but he did not take personal control of the government until the death of his First Minister, Cardinal Mazarin, in 1661. In 1660 he married Maria Theresa, daughter of King Philip IV of Spain; she died in 1683 and he later contracted a morganatic marriage to the Marquise de Maintenon. Throughout his reign, Louis was often involved in wars with neighbouring countries, including the War of the Grand Alliance and the War of the Spanish Succession. His lavish spending at court and patronage of the arts and academia earned him the nickname of 'the Sun King'. A large French territory in North America was named Louisiane (Louisiana) in his honour. Louis XIV died in 1715 aged almost 77. His eldest son and grandson having predeceased him, he was succeeded by his 5-year-old great grandson, who became Louis XV.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Letter from Louis XIV to M Le Bret, President of the Court of Parliament at Aix[-en-Provence], 3 Sep 1704. Address: Versailles, [France]. Informs him that letters patent are being sent to the Court of which he is president, directing that effect be given to certain Articles of Agreement concerning the furtherance of trade and the reform of certain abuses in the Levant. Written in another hand and signed by the King. Countersigned by Louis Phélypeaux, Marquis de la Vrillière, Secretary of State.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
French

System of arrangement:

See hard copy catalogue.

Conditions governing access:

Access to this collection is unrestricted for the purpose of private study and personal research within the supervised environment and restrictions of the Library's Palaeography Room. Please contact the University Archivist for details. 24 hours notice is required for research visits.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.

Finding aids:

Typescript catalogue available in the Library's Palaeography Room.

Archival Information

Archival history:

See archivist

Immediate source of acquisition:

Found in a book from D S MacColl's collection.

Allied Materials

Related material:

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:
Imported from the Senate House catalogue and edited by Sarah Drewery.

Rules or conventions:
General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions:
Feb 2009.