Louis XIII of France
Louis XIII (27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was the King of France from 1610 to his death and King of Navarre as Louis II from 1610 to 1620.
Following the assassination of his father, Henry IV, Louis rose to the throne at the age of 8. He appointed Cardinal Richelieu as his chief minister in 1624, the latter playing an important in transforming France into a centralized state. Under his reign, the Bastille became completely dedicated to the purpose of being a prison.
The year before, Louis had a hunting lodge built at the village of Versailles. At this time, the lodge was surrounded by vast forests where Louis could indulge in hunting, his favorite sport. Louis dismissed the Louvre palace in Paris and instead preferred Versailles. After his death, he was succeeded by his son Louis XIV. Under the latter's reign, the hunting lodge was expanded and became the Palace of Versailles, the seat of the French monarchy.