Final answer:
King Minos angered the gods by refusing to sacrifice a white bull sent by Poseidon. As a punishment, Poseidon made Minos's wife fall in love with the bull, giving birth to the Minotaur. To contain the creature, Minos had Daedalus create a labyrinth.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Greek mythology, King Minos angered the gods when he refused to sacrifice a magnificent white bull sent by Poseidon. Instead of honoring this gift to the god of the sea, Minos kept the bull and sacrificed another one. This act of disobedience led Poseidon to punish Minos by instilling a lustful passion in his wife, Queen Pasiphaë, for the white bull. This union between the queen and the bull resulted in the birth of the Minotaur, a creature with the body of a man and the head of a bull. To contain this monster, King Minos commissioned Daedalus, a talented artist and inventor, to build a complex labyrinth from which the Minotaur could not escape, effectively imprisoning the creature within.
The myth of King Minos and the Minotaur is intertwined with the history of the Minoan civilization, which named themselves after the legendary king. The civilization was known for its expansive palace complexes, such as the one at Knossos, which inspired the story of the labyrinth due to its vast size and complex layout. The Minoans were also notable for their peaceful society, extensive sea trade, and contributions to art and culture; their settlements and trade posts spanned across the Aegean islands and the Anatolian coast.