CH. 15: State Building and the Search for order in the
Seventeenth Century Louis XIVs France Model of an Absolute
Monarchy
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French Monarchs of 17 th Century Louis the XIII and Louis XIV
were only boys when they came to the throne- royal ministers played
an important role in governing France and maintaining authority
Louis XIII became king at age 8 in 1610 (d. 1643) Louis XIV became
king at age 6 in 1643 (d. 1715)
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Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu Cardinal Richelieu (Prime
Minister to Louis XIII) strengthened the monarchys authority
reduced the power of Huguenots- became subjects- eliminated private
armies and fortified cities reduced the power of rebellious nobles-
any threat was stamped out intendants- royal officiers- sent to do
represent the monarch in provinces- govt workers became final
authority over provincial governors
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Louis XIV and Cardinal Mazarin Cardinal Mazarin (Prime Minister
to Louis XIV) Anne of Austria (Louiss mother) turned authority over
to Mazarin (foreigner, originally from Italy) Nobles reacted to his
control and further centralization of France Fronde Civil Wars led
by nobility against the king Stability lays in the crown Mazarin
dies in 1661 and Louis XIV declares himself sole ruler of
France
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Louis XIV 1643-1715 1661 at age 23 Louis declares himself sole
ruler of the State Ltat, cest moi The state is myself = sovereign
ruler Grand Monarque / Sun King / builder of Versailles Read Voice
pg. 448 and discuss
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Court Life of Louis XIV Nobility cherish closeness to the king
Honor Military appointments Monetary Pensions Read excerpt from
Saint- Simon describing Louis XIV Louis XIV dancing the role of
Apollo
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The Salon of Germain Boffand
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The Royal Court at Versailles
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Hall of Mirrors Royal Gardens
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The Hunt Hunting with Louis XIV
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Forty Years of Warfare Dutch War, 1672-1679 Louis XIV (+
Charles II, England) vs. William III of Orange Like England Louis
wants to break Dutch monopoly on trade Peace of Nimwegen, 1679
Louis gains some land for France BUT William III now set on
destroying him Rise of Mercantilism - Jean Baptiste Colbert Five
Great Farms (tariff union) = reduce internal tariffs Commercial
Code: improved communications; specified type and quality of goods
backed by govt. assurances; gave subsidies, tax exemptions; founded
monopolies & colonies; built up navy; established the French
East India Company
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Forty Years of Warfare War of the League of Augsburg, 1689-1697
Louis XIV vs. Austria (Dutch) Louis has the largest army and wins
Alsace BUT France is in financial ruin Little Ice Age = famine and
disease = 1 million people perish
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Forty Years of Warfare War of Spanish Succession, 1701-1714
Spain in state of decline Weak and feeble-minded king Charles II
Treasury was empty Military weak Government inefficient- Years of
civil wars Charles II has no heir he could choose Louis XIVs
grandson Philip or stay within the Habsburg family and choose
HREmperor Leopold I He chooses Philip and the rest of Europe rises
up against the idea of Bourbons ruling in both France AND
Spain!!
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Forty Years of Warfare Results of War of Spanish Succession
Ended with Treaty of Utrecht, 1714 Austria gains Northern AND
Southern Italy; Spanish Netherlands NOW AUSTRIAN Netherlands
Kingdom of Prussia formed Philip is king of Spain BUT the same
Bourbon MAY NOT RULE in BOTH France and Spain France is bankrupt
Famine strikes again! FRANCE enters state of DECLINE while ENGLAND
begins to RISE
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A Unified French State = Collective Identity as French Measures
to secure unity under the king Capitation tax levied on ALL
citizens Indirect taxation increases Intendants Efficient tax
collection; dissemination of royal decrees; gatherers of local
information Lessened power of parlements may NOT criticize the king
BUT are SECURE in their positions as ENFORCERS of the LAW Army seen
as protector of the State and people Religious Unity under
Catholicism Edict of Fontainebleau REVOKES the Edict of Nantes =
Huguenots again driven from France BUT rocky relationship with the
Pope due to Four Gallican Articles
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Louis XV Introduces professional police force to protect the
people instead of army Poor relief hospitals for poor, orphaned and
elderly Isolation of undesirables or beginning of modern welfare
system? Religion Parlement of Paris accuses pope of violating Four
Gallican Articles and interfering in matters of the French state
Parlement regains some of its lost power Duke of Orleans (Louis XVs
regent) allows parlements right to criticize royal policies
