FRANCE UNDER LOUIS XIV

Religious Wars and Power Struggles

•  Huguenots: French Protestants •  1562-1598: Eight religious wars were

fought between French Catholics and Huguenots –  1572: 6 week nationwide slaughter of

Huguenots •  1589: Huguenot Henry IV becomes King

of France, begins Bourbon Dynasty –  Edict of Nantes (1598): declared

Huguenots could live in peace in France and worship freely

–  Some hated his compromises – stabbed to death by a fanatic in 1610

Henry IV

Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu •  Cardinal Richelieu: Became the ruler of France as

Louis XIII’s Chief Minster –  Louis was 13 when he took the throne

•  Increased power of Bourbon Monarchy –  Moved against Huguenots - did not trust

Protestants •  Saw Protestantism as an excuse for conspiracies

against the king •  Forbade any Protestant cities from having walls

–  Weakened the Nobles’ power •  Nobility in control provinces: collected taxes,

administered justice, appointed local officials and made alliances with foreign governments

•  Richelieu took away government rights of and Increased power of government agents

•  Nobles maintain social prestige •  Began the "irty Years’ War to limit Hapsburg’s

power Cardinal Richelieu

Louis XIV Comes to Power •  Considered the strongest Bourbon Monarch •  Reigned for 72 years (longest ever in Europe) •  Set the style for European monarchies

–  Lavish and powerful •  Louis becomes king at age four in 1643 •  France led by Cardinal Mazarin while Louis XIV was

young –  Ended the "irty Years’ War –  Hated by French Nobility for increasing taxes and

strengthening central government •  Riots tore France apart –Louis never forgot his fear or

anger of Nobility •  For many years people of France accepted oppressive

laws as being a better alternative to rebellion

Cardinal Mazarin

Young Louis XIV

Louis XIV in Power •  At 22, Louis takes full control of France

–  Weakened Nobles, strengthened the power of government officials

•  Jean Baptiste Colbert: Minister of Finance –  Fixed a near bankrupt French economy –  In less than six years a debt of 22 million French

pounds had become a surplus of 29 million. –  Wanted France self-sufficient and manufacture

everything it needed –  Recognized importance of colonies – encouraged

people to migrate toward Canadian colony •  After Colbert, Louis XIV slowed economic

progress •  Louis cancelled the Edict of Nantes

–  Many skilled Huguenot artisans and businessmen #ee

Jean Baptiste Colbert

The Sun King’s Grand Style •  Louis spent a fortune to surround himself

with luxury –  Nearly 500 cooks, waiters, and other servants

at his regular feasts •  Controlled every aspect of the nobility

–  100 privileged nobles waited each morning to help him dress - only four granted honor

–  Lesser Nobles waited within palace halls hoping to be noticed

–  Royal attention determined whether a noble succeeded or failed

•  Having nobles at the palace 1.  increased their dependency on Louis XIV 2.  Took them from their homes, giving power to

government officials Louis XIV

Patronage of the Arts •  Built the Palace of Versailles

–  Would cost $2.5 billion today –  Demonstrated wealth, power and glory of

France –  10,000 people lived and worked at Versailles

•  Versailles was a center of the arts during Louis’s reign –  Made ballet and opera increasingly popular

•  Under Louis, the chief purpose of art was not to glorify God (middle ages) or to glorify human potential (Renaissance)

•  Purpose of art was to glorify the king and his absolute rule

Louis Fights Disastrous Wars •  1660: France has four times the

English population and ten times the Dutch

•  French military was far ahead of other states’ in size, training and weaponry

•  Louis attempted to expand French borders

•  Europe unites against France –  With the small and middle sized

countries united - they could equal French strength

•  Constant war, poor harvest and taxes all led to French suffering

Louis XIV surveys the trenches

War of Spanish Succession •  1700: Spanish throne given to

Louis XIV’s grandson Philip V – "e two greatest powers in Europe

ruled by Bourbon monarchs –  Europe threatened by Bourbon power

•  England, Netherlands and Austria vs. France & Spain –  Peace Agreement:

•  Recognize Philip V as ruler of Spain but Spain and France can’t become one empire

•  France loses many colonies to England •  France’s bankrupt, increased poverty and

discontent with Louis XIV

Philip V

Death and Legacy •  France was a military power •  Brilliant cultural period

–  Lavish buildings, decorated palaces and churches; great playwrights and artists

* * *

•  Final years more sad than glorious –  Realized costly wars had ruined France and brought suffering to the people

•  Warfare and building Versailles created staggering debt •  Poor resented having the tax burden

–  Corrupt, complicated, unjust tax system was not changed –  Poor carried the tax burden –  Nobles, clergy and government officials exempt from paying taxes

•  Louis XIV abuse of power •  Nobility AND peasantry (most of France) want change in system

à revolution on the horizon