AE Liard

Struck: 1658
Mint: Rouen
Size: 22mm
Weight: 3.47g
Die Axis: 180°
Grade: aVF
Ref: KM 192.2

Obv: L•XIII•ROY•DE•FR•ET•DE NA•1658. Crowned bust right.
Rev: •LIARD••DE••FRANCE•B. 3 lilies below.
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Louis XIV was born on September 5th, 1638 and was a monarch of the house of Bourbon and the King of France and Navarre. His reign was the longest of any monarch of the major European powers. In the Spring of 1643 Louis XIII was dying and instead of leaving Queen Anne as Regent, he decreed that a Regency Council would rule on his son's behalf until he came of age. Louis was only 4 years of age at the time.

In 1654 Louis assumed personal control of the government. France was on the verge of bankruptcy and Louis began his reign with several administrative and fiscal reforms. He also instituted reforms on the military which helped to curb the unruliness of the nobility and imposed order on them at court and in the army. Legal matters also saw an overhaul with the numerous "Great Ordinances" that he enacted. These codes played an important part in French legal history as the basis for the Napoleonic code, itself the origin of many modern legal codes.

By the early 1680's Louis had increased French influence in the world to the extent that it was the most powerful entity in Europe. Not only had France’s influence increased around the world, but internally as well. The crown now had authority over the church and the aristocracy creating a true absolute monarchy. While his massive foreign, military and domestic expenditure put a considerable strain on the state, France itself flourished under his reign.

Louis died of gangrene at Versailles on 1 September 1715, four days before his 77th birthday. Louis outlived most of his immediate legitimate family. His last surviving son, the Dauphin, died in 1711. In his will he created a Regency Council to govern until his great grandson Louis XV was of age.