The 16th and 17th centuries saw numerous influential kings across Europe. Notable monarchs included Henry VIII of England, known for his six marriages and the English Reformation; Louis XIV of France, often referred to as the "Sun King," who epitomized absolute monarchy; and Philip II of Spain, who ruled during the height of Spanish power and the Catholic Counter-Reformation. Other significant rulers included James I of England, who oversaw the union of the English and Scottish crowns, and Peter the Great of Russia, who modernized and expanded the Russian Empire.
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