Louis XIII

Louis XIII (27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 to 1643. He was the son of Henry IV and Marie de' Medici. He lived during the time of the Thirty Years War and had to deal with many rebellions. He was proud of his country, and tried to encourage French artists to stay in France instead of going off to Italy. He did this by giving them work in the Louvre.

His chief minister, Armand Jean du Plessis (known as cardinal Richelieu), helped with consolidating royal power to help Louis XIII, stopping new domestic factions from gaining much power, and shaping French foreign policy at the time. Cardinal Richelieu was consort until his death in 1642. The year which he became King Louis XIII's chief minister was 1624. He remained in office for 18 years. King Louis XIII, with the help of his cardinal, affected the 30 years war and its outcome, even though most of Louis XIII's actions were indirect. 

Although he was married, many people thought that he would never produce a heir. Then, after 23 years of marriage, his wife Anne gave birth to a baby boy. He was to become King Louis XIV of France.

He died in 1643 (possibly of tuberculosis) and was later buried at the Royal Basilica of Saint Denis, France. His oldest son would succeed him on the throne.

Children

 King Louis XIV of France (5 September 1638–1 September 1715) married Marie Thérèse of Austria.
 Philippe of France, Duke of Orléans (21 September 1640 – 9 June 1701) married Henrietta of England then Elisabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate.

 References 

 Further reading 

 Jean-Christian Petitfils, Louis XIII, Perrin, 2008, p. 849
 "Louis XIII, the Just (King of France, 1601–1643)". histoire-pour-tous. Archived (April 2025). Retrieved 28 January 2012. (Original).

Category:1610 births
Category:1643 deaths
Category:Princes of Andorra
Category:Kings of France