Louis XIV, having survived the wars of the Fronde in his youth, became a staunch supporter of absolute monarchy and sought to make France the most powerful state in Europe. The rulers of neighboring countries hated him, suspected him of striving for world domination, but imitated him. He turned Versailles into a brilliant royal residence, which was copied by European sovereigns. The king loved the theater, patronized Moliere and Racine, and himself appeared on stage in ballets. The first beauties of the state were at his service, but at the age of 45 he himself put an end to his gallant adventures by marrying the former teacher of his illegitimate children. However, more important than women, hunting, and theater was war for him. In his youth, he recklessly pranced on a white horse in front of the trenches, and later he brilliantly knew the topography of the battle sites and gave precise orders to the stunned generals. Having lived 77 years, he was on the throne for 72 years - longer than any other European monarch, outliving his children and grandchildren and passing the throne to his great-grandson, going down in history as Louis the Great and the "Sun King".