France Under Louis XIV

Impact of La Fronde on Louis XIV

He concluded that the only alternative to anarchy was absolutism.

Accomplishments of Henry IV of France

He issued the Edict of Nantes. By building the royal bureaucracy and reducing the influence of nobles, he laid the foundations for royal absolutism.

Cardinal Mazarin

(1602-1661), Successor of Cardinal Richelieu and his bad attempts to increase royal revenue and the state lead to La Fronde; ran the government while Louis VIII was still a child.

La Fronde

(1648-1653) Uprising of French nobles that wanted independence from the Monarchy, they wanted their power back and suffering under all the taxes. They gave up after a while, and decided that it was better to live under an absolute ruler and oppressed laws then rebelling.

functions of Versailles (Chateaux de)

1) King's residence and center of government; symbol of Louis' power. 2) Designed to control nobility and prevent future rebellions and civil war. Keep nobles in one place where the king could watch them; occupy them with etiquette, ceremonies and rituals; bankrupt nobles and make them financially dependent on Louis (gambling, expensive fashion, traditions). All aimed at state building.

enlightenment

18th century movement led by French intellectuals who advocated reason as the universal source of knowledge and truth. To give intellectual or spiritual light to; to give knowledge.

Edict of Nantes

A decree issued by Henry IV in 1598, this granted the Huguenots (French Protestants) religious tolerance and other freedoms. King Louis XIV revoked (removed) the decree.

Louis XIV (the fourteenth)

A king who inherited the French throne in 1643 when he was 4 years old. He went on to rule with absolute power, saying "I am the state"

Cardinal Richelieu

Chief minister of France; appointed by Louis XIII (thirteen) in 1624. He devoted 18 years to strengthening the central government. He worked to destroy the power of the Huguenots and nobles

Balance of power

Distribution of millitary and economic power that prevents any one nation from becoming too strong.

What was the main achievement of France's finance minister, Jean Baptiste Colbert?

Enriched the economy by putting high tariffs on imported goods and regulating trade. He also helped clear new lands for farming, luxury trade, like lacemaking, and encouraged minning and other basic industries.

Why did other European nations join together against France?

France was rapidly becoming a large power, thus other nations didn't want France to become bigger than they were (a balance of power).

Huguenots

French Protestants of the 1500s and 1600s

Versailles

It was the perfect symbol of King Louis XIV (the Sun King) wealth and power. An immense home and seat of government, Versailles housed at least 10,000 people, from nobles and officials to servants.

royal absolutism (absolute monarchy)

King has all power. A form of autocracy. Ruler claims complete sovereignty and total control. Power granted through divine right (God said so). No laws or governing body above them.

Under Louis XIV:

Louis XIV ran government affairs himself. Ties between the middle class and the monarchy were strengthened and the French army became the strongest in Europe. He built an immense and luxurious palace at Versailles. Louis XIV spent vast resources on wars to extend French borders. He also revoked the Edict of Nantes

Jean-Baptiste Colbert

Louis XIV's finance minister, who imposed mercantilist policies to bolster France's economy. He put high tariffs on imported goods to protect French manufacturers and enrich the royal treasury, which made the country rich

Reasons for failure of La Fronde uprising

Nobles distrusted each other; army violently suppressed riots; people grew weary (tired) of fighting.

Intendants

Official appointed by French king Louis XIV to govern the provinces, collect taxes, and recruit soldiers.

St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre

On August 24th, 1572, as Huguenot and Catholic nobles gathered to celebrate a royal wedding, violence erupted that led to the massacre of 3,000 Huguenots. This showed a complete breakdown of France.

policies to decrease power of the nobles

Refuse to call meetings of the Estates General; removed nobles from advisory and royal council positions

Before Louis XIV:

Religous wars raged between Huguenots and the Catholic majority from the 1560s to the 1590s. Under Henry, royal officials administered justic, improved roads, built bridges, and revived agriculture

mercantilist

The principle that the wealth and the economy of France should serve the state.

How did Louis XIV's rule impact the French army?

The state paid, fed, trained, and supplied up to 300,000 soldiers. It made the army very strong and loyal.

How did France's persecution of the Huguenots impact the country's economy?

When more than 100,000 Huguenots fled France, there was a serious blow to the French economy due to the Huguenots being the most hard-working and prosperous people.

Henry IV (the fourth)

a Huguenot prince who inherited the French throne in 1589