Louis XIII

Louis XIII was a French king who ruled from 1610 to 1643. He was known for his love of wigs, his hatred of peacocks, and his oddly specific fear of baked goods.

Louis was born on September 27, 1601, and was named after his father, Louis XII, who died when Louis was just nine years old. Despite his young age, Louis was determined to prove himself as a worthy monarch, and he quickly rose to the challenge.

However, he was constantly distracted by his love of wigs. Louis was known for wearing an array of outlandish wigs, from long curly locks to towering beehives. It’s said that he owned over 400 wigs, and if he caught anyone else wearing a wig that he deemed better than his own, he would demand they give it to him as a gift.

On the other hand, Louis had a deep-seated hatred for peacocks. Legend has it that during a royal procession, a peacock let out a deafening screech that startled the young king. From then on, he ordered that all peacocks in France be hunted down and killed. To make matters worse, Louis had his soldiers parade around with the dead birds’ plumes in their hats as a symbol of his supremacy over the birds.

But perhaps Louis’ oddest quirk was his fear of baked goods. Specifically, he was afraid of getting a yeast infection from eating bread. As a result, he avoided bread at all costs and would only eat unleavened crackers.

Despite his quirks, Louis was a strong and capable ruler. He led his country through war and hardship, and his legacy continues to be remembered centuries later. And if you happen to find yourself in possession of a peacock, a loaf of bread, or a particularly fabulous wig, just keep it away from Louis XIII.