Louis XV summary

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Below is the article summary. For the full article, see Louis XV.

Louis XV, (born Feb. 15, 1710, Versailles, France—died May 10, 1774, Versailles), King of France (1715–74). An orphan from age three, Louis succeeded to the throne on the death of his great-grandfather Louis XIV (1715), under the regency of Philippe II, duke d’Orléans (1674–1723). His marriage to Princess Marie Leszczynska of Poland (1703–68) in 1725 led to France’s involvement in the War of the Polish Succession (1733–38). He chose André-Hercule de Fleury as his chief minister in 1726, and his own influence became perceptible only after Fleury’s death in 1744. Louis’s mistresses, particularly the marchioness de Pompadour, held considerable political influence. Louis brought France into the War of the Austrian Succession (1740–48) and the Seven Years’ War (1756–63), by which France lost to Britain almost all its colonial possessions. As the crown’s moral and political authority declined, the Parlements gained in power, preventing fiscal reform. The king died hated by his subjects.

house of Bourbon Summary

House of Bourbon, one of the most important ruling houses of Europe. Its members were descended from Louis I, duc de Bourbon from 1327 to 1342, the grandson of the French king Louis IX (ruled 1226–70). It provided reigning kings of France from 1589 to 1792 and from 1814 to 1830, after which another

Madame de Pompadour, detail of a portrait by François Boucher; in the National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh.

Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, marquise de Pompadour Summary

Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, marquise de Pompadour was an influential mistress (from 1745) of the French king Louis XV and a notable patron of literature and the arts. Her parents were on the fringes of a class gaining in importance, speculators in the world of finance. Some of these people made

intelligence Summary

Intelligence, in government and military operations, evaluated information concerning the strength, activities, and probable courses of action of foreign countries or nonstate actors that are usually, though not always, enemies or opponents. The term also is used to refer to the collection,

government Summary

Government, the political system by which a country or community is administered and regulated. Most of the key words commonly used to describe governments—words such as monarchy, oligarchy, and democracy—are of Greek or Roman origin. They have been current for more than 2,000 years and have not