King Louis XIII of France was the second king from the House of Bourbon to rule France. He ascended to the throne in 1610, at the age of eight and ruled until his death in 1643. It was an eventful reign. For the first seven years of his rule, his mother, Marie de' Medici, acted as his regent and refused to relinquish power even after the king came of age. Ultimately, Louis XIII was compelled to send her into exile. The Thirty Years' War, which broke out during his reign, demanded much of his attention. He was also forced to deal with palace intrigues that arose periodically, handling them with severity. Although absolute monarchy in France was solidified during his reign, the king worked closely with his ministers. He was often hailed as "Louis the Just" by his subjects. A flute player, writer, and composer himself, Louis XIII was also a great patron of art and culture. He contributed to the trend of wearing wigs, a fashion that later became dominant in Europe during the reign of Louis XIV.
