HWH UNIT 2

CHAPTER 4.2

FRANCE: THE PINNACLE OF ABSOLUTISM

THE BOURBON DYNASTY (1589-1792)

• Henry IV (r. 1589-1610)

• The first Bourbon

• The French Wars of Religion (1560s-1590s)

• Catholics vs. Huguenots (French Calvinists)

• St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre (1572)

• “Paris is Worth a Mass”

• Edict of Nantes, 1598

• Laid the foundations for French absolutism

LOUIS XIII (r. 1610-1643)• Increased control of the monarchy

• Cardinal Richelieu

RICHELIEU’S POLICIES• Toward Huguenots

• Allowed religious freedom

• Forbade Huguenot armies

• Forbade Huguenot fortifications

• Toward the Nobility

• Outlawed private armies

• Sold titles of nobility (Nobility of the Robe)

• Gave government positions to the middle class (Intendants)

• Gave nobles symbolic positions (at court, in the army)

• Did not call the Estates General

• “L’état, C’est moi”• The pinnacle of absolutism

• Divine Right

• Controlled the nobility

• Controlled the clergy

• Controlled the economy

• ALL EUROPEAN MONARCHS IMITATED LOUIS XIV

LOUIS XIV (r. 1643-1715), THE “SUN KING”

CARDINAL MAZARIN (1602-1661)

THE FRONDE (1648-1652)

• Increased the army to 300,000

• Sold titles of nobility

• Appointed intendants

• Did not call the Estates General

• Revoked the Edict of Nantes (1685)

• 100,000 Huguenots fled

• Built the palace at Versailles

THE SUN KING IN POWER

JEAN-BAPTISTE COLBERT AND MERCANITLISM• What is Mercantilism?

• A national economy

• Favorable balance of trade

• Bullionism

• Self-sufficiency

• Colonies

• Government regulation

• Tariffs

• Monopolies

FOREIGN POLICY UNDER THE SUN KING

• Balance of power

• Europe ganged up on France

• Many wars, not much to show for them

• HUGE DEBT

• The War of Spanish Succession (1700-1713)

• Bourbons replace Hapsburgs in Spain

• But Spain and France can never unite