Louis XIV known as Louis the Great or the Sun King. Starting on1643 when Louis was 4 years old, his reign of 72 years and 110 days is the longest recorded of any monarch of a sovereign country in European history. In the age of absolutism in Europe, Louis XIV's France was a leader in the growing centralisation of power. Numerous quotes have been attributed to Louis XIV by legend. The well-known "I am the state" was reported from at least the late 18th century