| DATE | BRIEF DESCRIPTION |
| 1638 | Born September 5 at St Germain-en-Laye. |
| 1643 | Death of his father, King Louis XIII. His mother, Anne of Austria, rules as regent assisted by Cardinal Mazarin. |
| 1648-1653 | Fronde rebellions against the monarchy. |
| 1659 | Treaty of the Pyrenees ends the war with Spain. |
| 1660 | Marries Marie-Thérèse of Spain. |
| 1661 | Death of Mazarin. Assumes personal control, announcing that he will be his own First Minister, appointing Colbert as Financial Adviser. |
| 1667-1668 | Invades the Spanish Netherlands in the War of Devolution, brought to an end by the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. |
| 1672-1678 | Dutch War, brought to an end by the Treaty of Nijmegen. |
| 1685 | Revokes the Edict of Nantes in his attempt to convert the Protestant Huguenots. |
| 1688 | Sends army into the Rhineland to claim the Palatinate. |
| 1689 | Formation of the first Grand Alliance against France led by William III of England. |
| 1697 | Peace of Ryswick. Forced to return certain territories captured during the war. |
| 1701-1713 | War of the Spanish Succession fought against the second Grand Alliance. |
| 1715 | Dies September 1 at Versailles. |
