In 1709, France faced military defeat in the War of the Spanish Succession, the coldest winter of the last five centuries, a devastating famine, and financial collapse. This book is the first narrative account of how Louis XIV, the aging Sun King, his state, and his subjects survived one of the darkest years in French history. Twilight of the Sun King treats the military events of 1709 comprehensively and in depth and with detailed research based on a range of primary sources. This books offers new insights on the development of the French absolute monarchy and the nature of early modern European warfare.