Absolutism in France and Spain

1. AP European History Ms. Tully Absolutism in France and Spain

2. “Little Ice Age” – bad harvests, starvation for lower classes • Economic crises – high food prices, inequitable wealth, recession • Population decline – war, famine, plague • Chaos of religious wars – yearning for order • Social uprisings Crises of the 17th Century

3. Rise of absolutism & constitutionalism (limited monarchy) • Shared goals • Protecting and expanding frontiers • Raising new taxes • Consolidating state control • Shared obstacles • Slow communication/lack of information • Cultural and linguistic differences • Power of nobility & other autonomous groups (church, town councils, guilds) Statebuilding in the 17thCentury

4. Achievements • Greater taxation • Growth in armed forces • More efficient bureaucracies • Increased obedience from subjects • Sovereignty: When a state possesses monopoly over the instruments of justice and the use of force within clearly defined boundaries.

5. New Militaries for New States in 17thC • Monarchs (not nobles) controlled armies • Officers loyal to monarchs • Explosive growth in size (esp. in France) • New professional standards – uniforms, training, discipline

6. Sovereign power or ultimate authority in the state rested in the hands of a king who claimed to rule by divine right • Make laws, tax, administer justice, control bureaucracy, determine foreign policy • Divine-right monarchy – government was divinely ordained so that humans could live in an organized society • Bishop Jacques Bossuet (1627-1704), Politics Drawn from the Very Words of Holy Scripture • Kings authority was absolute – no other institution could put checks on their power • Louis XIV of France best example of Absolute Monarchy Absolutism in Western Europe

7. Success of Henry IV (r. 1589-1610) • Lowered taxes on peasants • Religious toleration • Improved commerce and infrastructure • Laid foundations for growth of state power • Regency of Marie de’Medici • Louis XIII a child • Appointed Armand Jean du Plessis (1585-1642) – Cardinal Richelieu Foundations of Absolutism

9. Cardinal Richilieu • Chief minister from 1624-1642 • Created policies that strengthened power of monarchy • “Where the interests of the state are concerned, God absolves actions which, if privately committed, would be a crime.”

10. Intendants • Royal commissioners • Nobles of the Robe – appointed directly by monarchy • Oversaw financial, political, and judicial business in generalities (32) • Enforce royal orders • Inform central gov’t about generalites • Undermine influence of regional nobility • One People, One Faith • 1627 – Huguenots stripped of military and political independence • Siege of La Rochelle – major commercial port with connections to Holland & England • Foreign Policy – Weaken Habsburgs • French engagement in Thirty Years’ War

11. Cardinal Jules Mazarin (1602-1661) • Richilieu’ssuccessor • Ruled during regency of Anne of Austria • Continued Richilieu’scentralizing policies • The Fronde • Revolt led by nobility – outraged by taxation & threatened by absolutism • Factionalism and popular riots left French wishing for peace and strong monarchy • Necessary compromise between monarch & nobility

12. Louis XIV and Absolutism (r. 1643-1715) • Devout Catholic, divine right of kings – fostered myth of “Sun King” • Bureaucracy • New councils of state from bourgeoisie – “No intention of sharing power with them” • Never called meeting of Estates General • No chief minister • Administration centered at Versailles

13. Religion a tool for national unity • 1685 – Revoked Edict of Nantes • 1685- Edict of Fontainebleau • Destruction of Huguenot churches and schools • Convert to Catholicism or leave • “One king, one law, one faith” • Absolute in theory, collaboration/manipulation of nobles in practice • Desire to enhance glory of dynasty

14. Life at Versailles

15. Set a standard for the rest of Europe – influential in etiquette, style, politics, etc… • Former hunting lodge, built 1660-1688 • Many functions • Residence for king and royal family • Reception hall for state affairs • Office for king’s government • Home for thousands of royal officials and aristocratic courtiers

16. Symbol for French absolutism and state power • Louis engaged nobles in daily court life at Versailles – excluded/distracted them from real power • Court ceremony with Louis at center • Active involvement in activities a prerequisite for obtaining offices, titles, and pensions • Elaborate order, ceremony, etiquette

17. Economic Issues and Colbert • Jean-Baptiste Colbert (1619-1683) – controller of general finances under Louis XIV • Mercantilism – government regulation of economic activities to benefit the state (dominant economic theory of 17th & 18th centuries) • Nation’s international power thought to be based on wealth, specifically gold/silver supply (bullion) • B/c resources limited, state intervention needed to secure largest part of limited resource • To accumulate gold – sell more than buy

18. Colbert wanted France to be self-sufficient • Supported old industries and created new ones – esp. textiles • Reinforced system of state inspection & regulation • Formed guilds • Tax incentives to craftsmen • No domestic tariffs, high foreign tariffs • Improved infrastructure – built roads and canals • Creation of merchant marine • Results • Initial success, but ultimately self-defeating • Louis XIV spent all the $ on wars • Heavy taxation continued to weigh on peasants

19. Louis XIV’sWars • France at war for 33 of 54 years of Louis’ reign • Desire to increase royal power and glory • Francois le Tellier – Secretary of War • New large and professional army • Overall goal – expand France to its “natural” borders & protect from invasion – Four Major Wars

20. 1667 – Invasion of Spanish Netherlands and Franche-Comte • Triple Alliance of Dutch, English, and Swedes forced Louis to sue for peace • Only acquired a few towns in Spanish Netherlands • Resented Dutch for forming alliance • 1672 – 2nd Phase of Dutch War • France invaded United Provinces • Dutch opened dikes to flood cities against French • Alliance of Brandenburg, Spain, and HRE forced Louis to end war • Treaty Nijmegen, 1678 • France received Franche-Comte

21. War of the League of Augsburg (1689-1697) • France annexed Alsace and Lorraine, occupation of city of Strasbourg • New coalition against France – League of Augsburg: Spain, HRE, United Provinces, Sweden, England • Caused economic depression and famine in France • Treaty of Ryswick ended war • France had to give up most of previous conquests

22. War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1713) • Charles II of Spain died childless, named grandson of Louis XIV as successor • Potential to upset balance of power – Spanish and French thrones united? • Grand Alliance – English, Dutch, Austrians, Prussians • Fighting in Europe and North America • Peace of Utrecht, 1713 • French and Spanish crowns could never be united • France surrendered N.A. territories • Represented balance of power principle • Completed decline of Spain as great power

23. Spain developed standard features of absolutist monarchy in 16thC • Permanent bureaucracy, standing army, national taxes • Developed an international absolutism based on silver bullion from Peru • Inquisition continued dogmatic orthodoxy • 1609 Philip II expelled all the Moriscos – destructive to Spanish society The Decline of Spain in the 17thCentury

24. Reasons for decline • Agricultural crisis • Population decline • Loss of artisans and merchants • Failure to invest in productive enterprises • Intellectual isolation • Trade competition with England and the Dutch

25. Economic mismanagement • Expenditures exceeded income – esp. with wars • Habsburg dynasty extravangant • Lengthy conflicts with French during 17thC • Spanish aristocrats didn’t want to give up lifestyle • Ignored new technological/scientific/intellectual trends • Don Quixote, Miguel Cervantes – symbol for Spanish decline