Louis XV (1710–1774), King of France (1715–74), was the great-grandson and successor of King Louis XIV, and the son of Louis, titular duke of Burgundy, and Marie Adelaide of Savoy. Louis succeeded to the throne in 1715 at the age of five, with Philippe II, duc d’Orléans as regent. After the regent died (1723), the king was guided by André Hercule de Fleury until Fleury died in 1743.

Construction of the Fortress of Louisburg (Louisbourg) on the Atlantic coast of Cape Breton Island was begun by the French in 1719 as a bastion guarding the entrance to the Saint Lawrence River and access to French Canada. It was not completed until 1745. The fort played an important part in the French and Indian War (1757-1762) (also called the Seven Years War), for before the British could conquer the French colony, Louisburg had to be captured. In 1758 the decisive battle began, pitting the British General Amherst’s army, with 157 ships carrying 11,000 soldiers, against the French commander Chevalier de Drucour with a greatly outnumbered Canadian garrison of about 6000. Substantial casualties were incurred by both sides, the French forces finally surrendering to the British. As a result of this battle Cape Breton and Prince Edward’s Island became British colonies and the way opened up for General Wolfe’s attack up the Saint Lawrence and Quebec the following year.