François - Michel le Tellier , Marquis de Louvois François Michel Le Tellier , Marquis de Louvois ( 18 January 1641 – 16 July 1691 ) was the French Secretary of State for War for a significant part of the reign of Louis XIV . Louvois and his father , Michel le Tellier , would increase the French Army to 400 , 000 soldiers , an army that would fight four wars between 1667 and 1713 . He is commonly referred to as " Louvois " . Early life . Louvois was born in Paris on 18 January 1641 , to Michel Le Tellier , and Elisabeth Turpin . Louvois received instructions from his father in the management of state affairs . The young man won the king ' s confidence , and in 1666 he succeeded his father as war minister . His talents were perceived by Turenne in the War of Devolution ( 1667 – 68 ) , who gave him instruction in the art of providing armies . After the peace of Aix - la - Chapelle , Louvois devoted himself to organising the French army . The years between 1668 and 1672 , says Camille Rousset , " were years of preparation , when Lionne was labouring with all his might to find allies , Colbert to find money , and Louvois soldiers for Louis " . The Man in the Iron Mask , whose name was given as Eustache Dauger , is first mentioned in a letter written by Louvois , dated 19 July 1669 . Work . The work of Louvois in these years is bound up with the historical development of the French army and of armies in general . Here need only be mentioned Louvois ' s reorganization of the military orders of merit , his foundation of the " Hôtel des Invalides " , and the almost forcible enrollment of the nobility and gentry of France , in which Louvois carried out part of Louis ' s measures for curbing the spirit of independence by service in the army or at court . The success of his measures is to be seen in the victories of the Franco - Dutch War of 1672 – 78 . After the Peace of Nijmegen Louvois was high in favour , his father had been made chancellor , and the influence of Colbert was waning . The ten years of peace between 1678 and 1688 were distinguished in French history by the rise of Madame de Maintenon , the capture of Strasbourg and the revocation of the Edict of Nantes , in all of which Louvois bore a prominent part . The surprise of Strasbourg in 1681 in time of peace was not only planned but executed by Louvois and Monclar . A saving clause in the revocation of the Edict of Nantes , which provided for some liberty of conscience , if not of worship , Louvois sharply annulled with the phrase " " Sa majesté veut qu ' on fasse sentir les dernières rigueurs a ceux qui ne voudront pas se faire de sa religion " " ( " His Majesty wishes the worst harshness on those who do not partake of his religion " ) . He claimed also the credit of inventing the " dragonnade s " , and mitigated the rigour of the soldiery only insofar as the licence accorded was prejudicial to discipline . Discipline , indeed , and complete subjection to the royal authority was the political faith of Louvois . Colbert died in 1683 , and had been replaced by Le Pelletier , an adherent of Louvois , in the controller - generalship of finances , and by Louvois himself in his ministry for public buildings , which he took that he might be the minister able to gratify the king ' s two favourite pastimes , war and building . Louvois was able to superintend the successes of the first years of the war of the League of Augsburg and in 1688 initiated the collection of Plans - Reliefs of French strongholds that is now the Musée des Plans - Reliefs . However , he died suddenly of apoplexy after leaving the king ' s cabinet on 16 July 1691 , though this account is challenged by Voltaire , who wrote in " Le Siecle de Louis XIV " that Louvois died while taking waters in Balarue . His sudden death caused a suspicion of poison . Legacy . Louvois was one of the greatest of the rare class of great war ministers . French history can only point to Carnot as his equal . Both had to organize armies out of old material on a new system , both were admirable contrivers of campaigns , and both devoted themselves to the material well - being of the soldiers . In private life and in the means employed for gaining his ends , Louvois was unscrupulous and shameless . Family . Louvois , through an marriage arranged by his father , wed an heiress , Anne de Souvré , Marquise de Courtenvaux . He had six children with Anne :