text: Louis XIV was born on 5 September 1638 in the Château de Saint-Germain-en- 
  Laye, to Louis XIII and Anne of Austria. He was named Louis Dieudonné 
  (Louis the God-given)[7] and bore the traditional title of French heirs apparent: 
  *Dauphin*.[8] At the time of his birth, his parents had been married for 23 years. 
  His mother had experienced four stillbirths between 1619 and 1631. Leading 
  contemporaries thus regarded him as a divine gift and his birth a miracle of 
  God.[9] 
  
  Louis's relationship with his mother was uncommonly affectionate for the time. 
  Contemporaries and eyewitnesses claimed that the Queen would spend all her 
  time with Louis.[10] Both were greatly interested in food and theatre, and it is 
  highly likely that Louis developed these interests through his close relationship 
  with his mother. This long-lasting and loving relationship can be evidenced by 
  excerpts in Louis's journal entries, such as: 
  
  "Nature was responsible for the first knots which tied me to my 
  mother. But attachments formed later by shared qualities of the 
  spirit are far more difficult to break than those formed merely by 
  blood."[11] 