AbsolutismAbsolutism

FranceFrance

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If you were a monarch If you were a monarch how how would you acquire wealth would you acquire wealth and what would you do and what would you do with it? with it?

HuguenotsHuguenots Catherine de MediciCatherine de Medici

– Mother of King Charles IX – too young to ruleMother of King Charles IX – too young to rule– Arranges a wedding for her daughter to a Arranges a wedding for her daughter to a

Protestant Prince (Henry) in hopes of peaceProtestant Prince (Henry) in hopes of peace– Has Protestants in Paris murdered insteadHas Protestants in Paris murdered instead

St. BartholomewSt. Bartholomew’’s Day 1572s Day 1572

Charles IX dies as does his motherCharles IX dies as does his motherPrince Henry Prince Henry ““convertsconverts”” to Catholicism to Catholicism

Henry becomes King Henry IV, Margot Henry becomes King Henry IV, Margot is his queenis his queen

Henry heals FranceHenry heals France

1598 – Henry signs the 1598 – Henry signs the Edict of NantesEdict of Nantes– Allows Protestantism, lets them live in Allows Protestantism, lets them live in

peacepeace Henry worked hard to Henry worked hard to rebuild Francerebuild France AssassinatedAssassinated in 1610 in 1610 His son His son Louis XIII Louis XIII becomes Kingbecomes King

– Weak kingWeak king, but had a smart man advising , but had a smart man advising himhim

Cardinal RichelieuCardinal Richelieu

Cardinal RichelieuCardinal Richelieu Extremely ambitious man, despite his Extremely ambitious man, despite his

church positionchurch position Two steps Two steps he took as Louis XIIIhe took as Louis XIII’’s s

advisoradvisor Limited Protestant rightsLimited Protestant rights

– Forbade Protestant cities to have walls Forbade Protestant cities to have walls around themaround them

– Believed they were conspiracies against Believed they were conspiracies against the Catholic King the Catholic King

Limited power of nobility Limited power of nobility – Forced them to tear down their castlesForced them to tear down their castles

Louis XIVLouis XIV

Most powerful ruler in French historyMost powerful ruler in French history ““LL ’’etat, cetat, c’’est moiest moi”” – I am the state – I am the state At first, the real power was RichelieuAt first, the real power was Richelieu’’s s

successor successor Cardinal MazarinCardinal Mazarin– Louis XIV was four years old Louis XIV was four years old when he became when he became

kingking Mazarin Mazarin ends the Thirty Years Warends the Thirty Years War But becomes But becomes very unpopular very unpopular with the with the

French due to high taxesFrench due to high taxes

Louis XIVLouis XIV

Violent riots Violent riots (mostly nobility) against (mostly nobility) against MazarinMazarin

Louis bitter about the nobles who Louis bitter about the nobles who rebelled and rebelled and swore he would weaken swore he would weaken themthem

Nobles rebellion fails for three reasonsNobles rebellion fails for three reasons– Nobles distrusted each otherNobles distrusted each other– Government was violent in its responseGovernment was violent in its response– Peasants and townspeople tired, were Peasants and townspeople tired, were

willing to live under an absolute monarchwilling to live under an absolute monarch

Mazarin diesMazarin dies

Louis XIV takes over completely (age Louis XIV takes over completely (age 22)22)

Expelled nobles Expelled nobles from all royal from all royal government postsgovernment posts

Replaced them with Replaced them with intendants, or intendants, or government agentsgovernment agents– Collected taxes, administered justiceCollected taxes, administered justice

Louis had Louis had tight control tight control over themover them

Economic growthEconomic growth

ColbertColbert – becomes Louis – becomes Louis’’ finance finance ministerminister

Goal: make France Goal: make France super-rich and self-super-rich and self-sufficientsufficient– Q: What does self-sufficient mean?Q: What does self-sufficient mean?

Gave government Gave government money and tax money and tax benefits benefits to to French companiesFrench companies

High taxes High taxes on products on products importedimported from from other countriesother countries

Big focus on French colony in CanadaBig focus on French colony in Canada– Raw materials and tradeRaw materials and trade

Economic growthEconomic growth

Colbert dies, Louis is left without a Colbert dies, Louis is left without a good finance ministergood finance minister

Big mistake – Big mistake – cancels the Edict of cancels the Edict of Nantes in 1685Nantes in 1685– Q: What did the Edict of Nantes do?Q: What did the Edict of Nantes do?

Thousands of Huguenot craftspeople Thousands of Huguenot craftspeople and merchants left Franceand merchants left France

Huge negative impact Huge negative impact on French on French economyeconomy

The Sun KingThe Sun King

Louis XIV was also known as Louis XIV was also known as the Sun the Sun KingKing

Ended up reigning for Ended up reigning for 72 years72 years 100 nobles awaited him when he awoke 100 nobles awaited him when he awoke

every morning – to wait on himevery morning – to wait on him Having his nobles at court had Having his nobles at court had

advantagesadvantages– Made them dependent on LouisMade them dependent on Louis– Kept them away from their homes, making Kept them away from their homes, making

the intendants more powerfulthe intendants more powerful

VersaillesVersailles visible manifestation of Francevisible manifestation of France’’s s

superiority and wealthsuperiority and wealth One of the One of the most magnificent royal most magnificent royal

palacespalaces in the world in the world Many palaces around the world are Many palaces around the world are

copies of Versaillescopies of Versailles $2.5 billion in today$2.5 billion in today’’s dollars to build thiss dollars to build this 36,000 laborers, 6,000 horses used to 36,000 laborers, 6,000 horses used to

build itbuild it 5,000 acres of gardens 5,000 acres of gardens

VersaillesVersailles

Versailles – KingVersailles – King’’s s bedchamberbedchamber

Chapel at VersaillesChapel at Versailles

Gardens at VersaillesGardens at Versailles

Versailles – QueenVersailles – Queen’’s s bedchamberbedchamber

The Hall of Mirros The Hall of Mirros

Louis XIV and the artsLouis XIV and the arts

Opera and ballet Opera and ballet more popular than evermore popular than ever Louis even danced in the ballet Louis even danced in the ballet The Sun The Sun

KingKing Moliere – comedy writerMoliere – comedy writer

– Tartuffe – mocks religious hypocrisyTartuffe – mocks religious hypocrisy Louis Louis supports the arts more than supports the arts more than

anyone since ancient Romeanyone since ancient Rome Purpose was now to Purpose was now to glorify kingsglorify kings, not to , not to

glorify God or to glorify human potentialglorify God or to glorify human potential

Louis and his disastrous Louis and his disastrous warswars

Under Louis, France becomes the Under Louis, France becomes the most most powerful nation in Europepowerful nation in Europe

20 million residents 20 million residents (4 X as many as (4 X as many as England, 10X as many as Holland)England, 10X as many as Holland)

France invades to expand territoryFrance invades to expand territory Also invades the independent NetherlandsAlso invades the independent Netherlands Dutch break open their dams, flood the Dutch break open their dams, flood the

land to prevent France from taking overland to prevent France from taking over France gained very littleFrance gained very little

France has enemiesFrance has enemies

European countries start to European countries start to ally ally against Franceagainst France

England, Austria, Sweden, Spain form England, Austria, Sweden, Spain form alliancealliance

Spain ends up having a new king who Spain ends up having a new king who is related to Louis XIV – is related to Louis XIV – Spain and Spain and France now alliedFrance now allied

Other European countries alarmedOther European countries alarmed

War of Spanish SuccessionWar of Spanish Succession

Allied countries attack France to Allied countries attack France to prevent a merger with Spainprevent a merger with Spain

14 year long war14 year long war England is the big winner England is the big winner – they get – they get

Gibraltar at the tip of Spain which Gibraltar at the tip of Spain which controls access to Mediterraneancontrols access to Mediterranean

War War was expensive was expensive for France – about for France – about $21 billion$21 billion in debt by end of the war in debt by end of the war (1715)(1715)

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Was Louis XIV successful? Was Louis XIV successful? Why or why not?Why or why not?