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Louis XIV and His Absolutist Government

Louis XIV and His Absolutist Government. Government. Highly structured and bureaucratic centered at Versailles Fearful of the nobility and their power Kept nobles under strict control and forced them to live at Versailles No First Minister- didn’t want another Richelieu. Economic Management.

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Louis XIV and His Absolutist Government

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  1. Louis XIV and His Absolutist Government

  2. Government • Highly structured and bureaucratic • centered at Versailles • Fearful of the nobility and their power • Kept nobles under strict control and forced them to live at Versailles • No First Minister- didn’t want another Richelieu

  3. Economic Management • Expensive projects and royal spending proved to be the weakness of the Louis’ govt. • Raised taxes frequently to accommodate the deficit • Corruption existed: tax farmers (pocketed part of the tax money collected) • Taxes mainly fell on the 3rd estate (pesants, etc.) • 1st (clergy) and 2nd (nobles) estates paid no tax

  4. Jean Baptiste Colbert • Controller of general finances • Brilliant with finances • Sought to make France self-sufficient • Sell abroad and buy nothing in return • Followed Mercantilism • Built a large navy • Promoted French goods in the textile industry • Helped establish the colonies of French Canada & Louisiana

  5. Revocation of the Edict of Nantes • Remember- the Edict of Nantes (or law of Concord) was signed by Henry IV and gave rights of worship to the Huguenots. • Louis XIV wanted to consolidate power under absolutism so he would have to control religion. Nobles wanted him to make Catholicism the main religion. • Protestantism was outlawed • Many Huguenots left France • Hurt France’s economy: tax payers & craftsmen left

  6. Louis’ Wars of Aggression • He was the “Sun King”- wanted more territory, glory, money • France was at war for 33 years! • War was costly. Burden fell on the peasants who were already suffering from a bad harvest. • Secretary of War- Louvois- helped to build a large and modern military for the time

  7. Some of the Wars Generally, Louis fought war in order to gain territory War of Devolution (1667-1668) -Southern Provinces (owned by Spain, Flanders was part of this region) -England and Sweden joined together against France (balance of power maintained) Against the Dutch (1672-1678) Grand Alliance against Louis XIV and the War of the League of Augsburg (1689-1697) -wanted to maintain the balance of power in Europe -gained France little territory Louis would gain very little territory in the wars of the 1680’s and 1690’s

  8. War of Spanish Succession (1701-1713) War fought over French claims to the Spanish throne and Spanish holdings in the Netherlands and Italy -Charles II died and left the throne to Philip V of Anjou (Louis’ grandson) -Louis interpreted Charles II’s will and took control over Spanish landholdings -upset the balance of power -Grand Alliance (English, Dutch, Austrians, Prussians) fought against Louis -Peace of Utrecht (1713) -Phillip V remained king of Spain, no unification of Spanish/French throne -set limits on international power & maintained the balance of power -England gained some N. Amer. territories -completed the decline of Spain as a great power -ended French expansionist policy

  9. Death of the Sun (1715) • At the time of Louis’ death, France was in huge debt, yet, was still one of Europe’s most powerful nations. • Debt incurred under Louis XIV would be passed down to the remaining monarchs of France. • Will be a key cause of the French Revolution under the reign of Louis XVI (Louis XIV’s great, great, great, grandson)

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