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France’s Ultimate Monarch. Louis XIV. Religious Wars Create a Crisis . Henry IV = 1 st king of Bourbon dynasty Catholics hate Henry b/c he’s Protestant, so he switched to Catholicism 1598 – Henry declared religious tolerance for the Huguenots = Edict of Nantes. Henry IV Continued.
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France’s Ultimate Monarch Louis XIV
Religious Wars Create a Crisis • Henry IV = 1st king of Bourbon dynasty • Catholics hate Henry b/c he’s Protestant, so he switched to Catholicism • 1598 – Henry declared religious tolerance for the Huguenots = Edict of Nantes
Henry IV Continued • Wanted to rebuild France and stop all of the religious bloodshed • Eventually stabbed to death by a fanatic who hated Henry’s religious compromises
Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu • Louis = weak • His cardinal, Richelieu, was the true ruler of France • Wanted to be moral but was very ambitious • Increased power of Bourbon monarchy by moving against the Huguenots, limiting power of nobles and trying to make France the most powerful country in Europe
Skepticism • Intellectual movement that arose after the religious wars • Idea that nothing can be known for certain; doubted church doctrine • “All that is certain is that nothing is certain.” - Montaigne • Descartes – helped develop scientific method
Louis XIV Rules Absolutely • Cardinal Mazarin was the true ruler b/c Louis was only 5 • Mazarin made France strong: increased taxes and strengthened central government • Mazarin’s policies lead to riots led by nobles – Louis was freaked out and decided to reduce the noble’s power
Louis takes control… • 23 when took control • Excluded nobles from council and created government agents – intendants • Collected taxes and administered justice
Economic Growth • Jean Baptiste Colbert = minister of finance • Country focused on mercantilism and becoming self-sufficient • High tariffs and government loans to French companies • When Colbert died, Louis screwed up the economic policies (by oppressing the Huguenots – sent them running to the hills with their businesses etc.)
Louis’ Grand Style Louis as a kid – ugh! Louis as a young kid
Louis Fights Disastrous Wars • Kept wanting to fight wars to prove France’s strength • Freaked out Europe, so a bunch of European nations formed an alliance to stop France • Bad harvest + high taxes = suffering people • War weary country gets in ANOTHER war (War of Spanish Succession) - no European nation wanted France to have any say over the king of Spain.
War of Spanish Succession King Louis XIV of France was the most powerful monarch in Europe; it was feared that allowing his son to inherit Spain would seriously compromise the balance of power in Europe