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The bar was high after the glorious reign of the Sun King. Louis XV, his successor, had a difficult time driving the country through religious disputes, intellectual shifts and economical hardness. This eventually led to a steep economic decline, which played an important role in the reaction of the French people against the monarchy, and eventually gave way to the French Revolution.

At the climax of the French Revolution, King Louis XVI was executed by guillotine. When the young Louis XVII, Louis XVI's son, died in prison in June 1795, Louis XVIII succeeded his nephew as titular King. His reign was marked by exile, first because of the Revolution, and then of Napoleon, who set to conquer Europe and become Emperor of the French - before a coalition defeated him and restored Louis XVIII to the throne.

The Sun King's reputation still stands on his reign, rich in art and literature, his brilliant court and invincible armies. He was in power for 72 years, the longest reign of any monarch in European history; he made France the leading European power, set up the lavish palace of Versailles to be sure the rebellious nobility would always be before his eyes, and consolidated a system of absolute monarchical rule in France that endured until the French Revolution.

Henry IV of France, also known as the "Good King Henry", was King of France from 1589 to 1610. Born a Catholic but raised a Protestant, he barely escaped assassination in the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre, and later led Protestant forces against the royal army, before being called to the French succession upon the death of his cousin Henry III.

King Edward I "Longshanks", or the "Hammer of the Scots", was a major figure of Medieval England. Arguably one of the most controversial British monarchs, he was portrayed as an ignominious villain in Mel Gibsons' Braveheart; but the reality was different. Indeed, his reign stands among the most dramatic and important of the entire Middle Ages, as Edward I brought war and conquest on an unprecedented scale; but he is also credited for bringing together the largest parliaments ever, for his competent rulership, and for the magnificent chain of castles he had built.

Hans Christian Andersen was a prolific Danish writer, fondly remembered for his fairy tales and stories. They are so elegant, evocative and efficient that they soon began culturally embedded in the West's collective consciousness; Andersen's stories are readily accessible to children, but present lessons of virtue and resilience in the face of adversity that are enjoyable and profitable for mature readers as well.

Classic tales and stories are an fundamental part of children's development. They connect with the essentials of our culture; they awaken imagination and bring essential teachings. This special compilation includes classic folk tales, handed down over years and centuries for their elegance and power of evocation, and famous inspiring stories.

Fables and stories play an fundamental part in children's development. They use powerful imagery and symbols to entertain while conveying essential moral teachings; the stories ignite imagination, taking a firm root in children's minds, and gently initiate them to the essential moral principles of life. These moral tales and stories have been carefully selected for their wisdom and power of evocation: tales by Charles Perrault, Hans Christian Andersen, and various folktales for their elegance and morality, and fables by Jean de la Fontaine, the famous French poet, for their straight-to-the-point criticism of errors and the clarity of their teachings.

Discover fundamentals of European culture with a selection of the best stories by Hans Christian Andersen, who is credited with some of the best fairy tales ever written. His stories are a delight for children of all ages; their elegance, wit, and themes transcending age and nationality, makes them suitable for little kids and adults alike. They have inspired numerous adaptations and are positively ageless.

Discover the endless fascination of Indian culture with five tales, selected for you for their power of evocation, wisdom and humor. "The Alligator and the Jackal" is a tale of wit and cleverness, about which will defeat the other. "Singh Rajah and the Cunning Little Jackals" is another example of how cleverness can overcome even the most powerful. "The Farmer and the Money-Lender" shows the eternal struggle between class, and a way to trick the tricker; "Who Killed the Otter's Babies?" will bring you deep reflections about causality and responsibility; and Tit for Tat is a powerful lesson about the dangers of habits.

When Sarabande's sister Dryad haunts her for three years beyond the grave, Sarabande begins a dangerous journey into the past to either raise her cruel sister from the dead, ending the torment, or to take her place in the safe darkness of the earth.

"Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift is a wild series of adventures widely acclaimed as "universally read" and highly influential. After a shipwreck, an Englishman discovers new, strange lands, and learns of the customs and governments of their inhabitants. This is an opportunity both for absurd humor and political satire, and the story of Lilliput may be the best example of Swift's imagination and wit. Gulliver finds himself a prisoner of a race of tiny people, the Lilliputians; they are no more than 6 inches tall, and he appears a giant to them. Soon afterwards, the spectacular giant becomes a favorite of the court, and is given a good view of the politics of the kingdom.

Søren Kierkegaard, a name meaning "church's garden", is a Christian philosopher whose work had a considerable influence on western philosophy and theology. His thoughts focused primarly on what it means to become a subject of one's existence, what feelings arise when faced with life choices, and the relation with God through faith. He is credited with numerous reflections on the three stages of life; he also questioned existential despair, absurdity and anxiety.

Shakespeare is regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's best dramatist. His plays have been translated into every major language, and are the most performed ever. His work contains stunningly modern insight, witty jokes and soaring passion; it is an endless source of amazement and inspiration. Romeo and Juliet is perhaps his most famous and beloved; this heartbreaking tale of impossible love has marked every generation since its publication, and it is an essential part of Western culture.

This is a story about Amy who loses her life, and her spirit is taken into the womb of a woman ready to give birth. She is joined to the baby who is born into the world; forgetting about her past life. Tamara, born into the world not realizing her body is being shared by another spirit, finds her soul partner after she herself enters into the spiritual world.

We have selected for you 100 great quotes about love. The range of authors of those 100 quotes about love is very wide : from Marilyn Monroe to William Shakespeare, from Lao Tzu, of course, to Jane Austen, Mahatma Gandhi, Charlotte Brontë, Oscar Wilde, from Mother Teresa to Victor Hugo or Charles Dickens.

A fairy gives an ugly prince named Ricky the gift of conferring wit upon the one he loves the best. Prince Ricky of the Tuft comes to a kingdom with two princesses. The elder one is beautiful but unintelligent and the younger one is intelligent but ugly. The elder princess is saddened that her ugly but smart sister receives more attention than her. One day as the elder princess was going for a walk in the forest to ease her sorrow, she is approached by Ricky who had fallen in love with her after seeing portraits of her that circulated. Ricky asks how a person so beautiful as she can be so sad, to which she responds that she is sad because she is beautiful but lacks intelligence. Ricky then bestows the gift of intelligence on the elder princess for a promise of marriage.

Once upon a time, there was a wealthy widower who married a proud and haughty woman as his second wife. She had two daughters, who were equally vain and selfish. By his first wife, he'd had a beautiful young daughter, a girl of unparalleled goodness and sweet temper. The stepmother and her daughters forced the first daughter into servitude, where she was made to work day and night doing menial chores.

Snow White and Red Rose are two little girls living with their mother, a poor widow, in a small cottage. They are very good little girls, they love each other dearly, and their mother is very fond of them. Dark-haired Red Rose is outspoken and cheerful and loves to play outside. Fair-haired Snow White is quiet and shy and prefers doing housework and reading.

A father had two sons. The younger, when asked by his father what he would like to learn to support himself, said he would like to learn to shudder. A sexton told the father that he could teach the boy. After teaching him to ring the church bell, he sent him one midnight to ring it and came after him, dressed as a ghost. The boy demanded an explanation. When the sexton did not answer, the boy, unafraid, pushed him down the stairs, breaking his leg.