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Absolutism and Louis XIV

Absolutism and Louis XIV. Absolutism. - Political belief that one ruler should hold all of the power within the boundaries of a country -Practiced by several monarchs in Europe between the 16 th and 18 th centuries - B ased on divine right to rule theory

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Absolutism and Louis XIV

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  1. Absolutism and Louis XIV

  2. Absolutism -Political belief that one ruler should hold all of the power within the boundaries of a country -Practiced by several monarchs in Europe between the 16th and 18th centuries -Based on divine right to rule theory -Divine right – the idea that God created the monarchy and that the monarch acted as God’s representative on Earth -An absolute monarch answered only to God – not his or her subjects

  3. Absolutist State -Glorification of the state above all else -Centralizing government – shift from feudalism -Modern bureaucracies develop -Paid standing armies emerge -Finances become major threat to keeping power -Expansionist foreign policies - imperialism

  4. Henry IV -Took the throne in 1589 -Showed himself to be decisive, fearless in battle and a clever politician -French Monarch -Henry IV of Navarre -Originally a Huguenot (Protestant) -Catholic conversion to please the people - “Paris is well worth a mass” -Edict of Nantes, 1598 – declared Huguenots could live in peace in France and set up their own houses of worship -Wanted to rebuild France and its prosperity -After a generation of war, most French people welcomed peace – some hated Henry for his religious compromises -In 1610, a fanatic leaped into the royal carriage and stabbed Henry to death

  5. Cardinal Richelieu -After Henry IV died, his son Louis XIII took over -Louis XIII was a weak king but he appointed a strong minister who made up for his weaknesses -Cardinal Richelieu - Minister for Louis XIII -He was the one ruling France -Wants to strengthen the monarchy -Wanted to get rid of the strength of the Huguenots -Sought to weaken the nobles’ power (take down their fortified castles) -Encourage trade and industry -Places royal ministers in control of provinces -Wanted France to be the strongest country in Europe and therefore involved France in the Thirty Years War

  6. Thirty Years War -Begins in Holy Roman Empire – 1618-1648 – religious war -Protestants look to weaken Catholic Hapsburgs -More about the Bourbon-Hapsburg rivalry than religion -France wants to strengthen its power and weaken Hapsburgs -Richelieu encouraged the war but kept France out until the near end -Richelieu was more afraid of the Hapsburgs than the Protestants -Did a lot of damage to Germany – population dropped from 20 million to 16 million -Ended with a treaty – The Peace of Westphalia (1648) -weakened the Hapsburg states of Spain and Austria -strengthened France by awarding it German territory -ended religious wars in Europe

  7. Europe Map

  8. The Sun King -Louis XIV -The most powerful ruler in French history -Took over at the age of 4 – when his father, Louis XIII, died in 1643 -Ruled for72 years -Divine right of Kings -L’etatc’estmoi – “I am the state” -Nobles tried to rebel against him but they failed -He spent a fortune to surround himself with luxury -Revoked the Edict of Nantes -Catholic Church dominates and unites France

  9. Royal Palace at Versailles -Built to glorify the king of France and his power -Nobles lived at Versailles -became a way of control for Louis XIV over his nobles while allowing them the luxuries of life at court -Because of its size, it was more like a small city -France became the model European court

  10. Royal Palace at Versailles

  11. Expansion of French Economy -Jean Baptiste Colbert -Finance minister for Louis XIV -Believed in mercantilism -Made France self-sufficient so that they did not have to rely on anyone else and so that they could keep all of their wealth -He didn’t want to rely on imports -Built up the French industry – gave them tax breaks -High tariffs to protect France -Encouraged people to move to help with the fur trade in their Canadian colonies

  12. Louis XIV and Warfare -Largest army in Europe -Louis first attacked the Spanish Netherlands and gained land -Others allied against France out of fear – 1680 -By banding together, weaker countries could match France’s strength -Wars ended in stalemates for Louis XIV andno one nation benefited -Warfare took a heavy economic toll on France -The tax burden on the people was great

  13. War of Spanish Succession -Charles II – King of Spain died in 1700 – had no heir to the throne so he promised it to Louis XIV’s grandson – Philip of Anjou -The two enemies now ruled by the Bourbons -Europe revolts in fear of Bourbon dynasty -Leads to the War of Spanish Succession -Lasted until 1714 -Treaty of Utrecht said-France and Spain can never be united under one monarch -Great Britain was the main winner – obtained the fortress at the Gibraltar Straight which controlled the Mediterranean – also became more active in the slave trade -The monarchy in France was in decline after Louis XIV’s death -However, France was the most powerful in Europe during his life

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