Absolutism –France16.2

Objectives

• Understand how Henry IV rebuilt France after the wars of religion.

• Explain how Louis XIV became an absolute monarch.

• Describe how Versailles was a symbol of royal power.

• Identify Louis XIV’s successes and failures.

Religious Wars

• 1560-1590s • Huguenots v. Catholics• Culmination – St. Bartholomew’s Day

Massacre

Henry of Navarre

• St. Bart’s Day massacre

• 1589 becomes King and converts. “Paris is well worth a mass”

-Becomes Henry IV• Edict of

Nantes(1598)

“A chicken in every pot”p.511

• Growing absolutism• Increase of government in lives of citizens • Reduced influence of nobles

Louis XIII• Henry IV assassinated (1610)• 9 Year old Louis XIII takes throne• Nobles begin to take power back

Richelieu p. 511

• Louis XIII is weak so he installed Cardinal Richelieu as minister 1624.

• Looked to gain absolute rule, how?– Persecute

Huguenots – Nobles

castles/spies– War w/ Hapsburgs– Installed Cardinal

Mazarin as successor

Rise of the Sun King

• Louis XIV and the Fronde

-violent protest of royal power by merchants, nobles and peasants

• Mazarin died 1661• Great Grandson of Philip II – follower of Divine

Right- “L’etat, c’est moi”• Ignored Estates General (had not met since 1614)

Louis XIV (1643)

• Mazarin disliked by nobles=Louis’ distrust as child. Rebellion a failure, led people to believe that a King is better than violence.

• At 23 is King. Immediately goes about gaining absolute power. How? – Intendants (expanded bureaucracy)– Excluding nobles

• Louis XIV led the charge. “I order you not to sign anything, not even a passport without my command; to render account to me personally each day and to favor no one.”

The Sun King

• His control of nobility was complete • Arts/entertainment• Court lifestyle • “I am the state”

France’s Financesp. 512

• Jean-Baptiste Colbert (mercantilism)• Encouraged basic industries• High Tariffs on imports• Growing colonialism – regulated trade

– Effect: France became wealthiest in Europe

Versailles

• 2,000 Rooms• Over 500 yards long• Over $2.5 billion (2003) to build, 36,000 laborers• How did it show absolute power?

– Nobles moved there– Silenced nobility and took control of policy, taxes, and

Church.

Legacy of Louis

• Expanded French borders by war.– Voltaire on Louis XIV

[It is certain that he passionately wanted glory, rather than the conquests themselves. In the acquisition of Alsace and half of Flanders, and of all of Franche-Comté, what he really liked was the name he made for himself].

• Died with France in major debt