What were the characteristics
of absolute monarchy in the
17th and 18th centuries?
Policies and
of the “
Internal
caused by
in France, Germany, etc.
 states’ needed a
in order to
!!!
support for a
state
in
political/economic
”
hereditary rule
royal standing
army
emphasis on royal
“Grandeur”
Divine Right
weakening of
noble powers
centralized royal
bureaucracy
royal control of
finances & taxes
royal control of
religious authorities
–
for Louis XIII
 Expanded
 Attacked noble
, forced
nobles
 Reduced
of
(example – Siege of La Rochelle)
 Made France Europe’s
 Set the stage for
 Richelieu’s hand-picked
origins
Richelieu’s policies
for Louis XIV w/ his
mother, Anne of Austria
 Policies
French

power with
until…Mazarin
died in
Louis assumes
power over the
Never appoints a new
Absolutism of
Centralized Government
Ruled through
• Comprised of
• Each responsible for a key
: royal
of gov’t,
to Louis
appointed by Louis that
the gov’t (military, colonies, taxes, finance, etc.)
Firmer
of
 reduced
,
town
, posted military
in key cities
Council of War
Council of Colonies
Council of Finance
Council of
Foreign Affairs
Provincial
Intendants
Royal Bureaucracy
royal appointees and venal office holders
Professional
Royal Army
Colonial
Governors
Tax Collectors
Customs Officials
Ambassadors
Local
Officials
Absolutism of
Legislative Powers
Louis had the
right to make laws
(royal edicts)
But…all laws had to be “
” by
regional
in order to take effect
This REALLY
Louis
Absolutism of
What’s a parlement?
Parlement of Paris
Parlements
Throughout France
Absolutism of
I AM THE
In 1 , at the
STATE
, Louis
laws
, then
the
to register
parlements 
power of
– made royal powers
more uniform across France
Absolutism of
Weakening the Nobility
Louis
the
Worked to
the nobility
Absolutism of
Palace of Versailles
Built b/t 1669 & 1686
Louis moved in – 1683
Peak of Baroque style
Constant parties, ceremony, gambling, etc.
50,000 residents (10,000 nobles)
Entertained & sequestered the nobility
Absolutism of
Palace of Versailles
key
were “
Versailles  Louis could
royal
Courtly life
power 
” to
them
at
emphasized
power
nobles
for nobles in place of political
Absolutism of
Justifying Absolutism
–“
Royal Grandeur –
Based on
of his nation”
&
ideas on kingship
Major Policies:
Based on
ideas
: mercantilist & main
economic advisor
Improved
+
gov’t/less
expenses =
for monarchy
industries & state
Founded
to improve
Expanded
to
trade
Built
:
,
Jean-Baptiste Colbert
Favored
Goal:
Built up French
–
to trade & colonies
Built harbors,
,
arsenals
Encouraged
Reduced royal
added new
Louis’
&
–
&
A New Navy
Royal Academy of Science
Canal du Languedoc
Colbert’s Canals
Colonial Expansion
Quebec City 1700
Major Policies:
and
Huguenots
to
were

 Louis looked like a
across Europe
Huguenots’
states: many
 hurt France’s
Edict of Nantes
Persecution of
the Huguenots
Huguenot Migration
…More and more Louis tried to impose uniformity in religious affairs. In
the 1680s he intensified persecution of Protestants; his actions made the
Edict of Nantes nothing but a scrap of paper. Finally in 1685 he declared
that the majority of French Protestants had been converted to Catholicism
and that therefore there was no need for the edict. It was revoked. Now
Louis launched a reign of terror. He refused to allow French Protestants to
leave the country. He promised that those who remained could worship
privately, free of persecution, but never kept the promise. Their churches
were torn down, their gatherings forbidden, their children made to attend
mass. The Waldensians in Savoy were massacred, and six hundred
Protestants “caught making assemblies” were executed. Perhaps 250,000
fled abroad to escape persecution…
…Recent studies have concluded that the economic damage done to
France by the Huguenot emigration has been overrated, it being only one
element in the larger damage caused by the wars. Of the political
damage, however, there is no question. The flood of anti-French
pamphlets and satires issued by Huguenot printers and their friends in all
the cities where they settled aroused antagonism to France to new heat.
The Protestant coalition against France was strengthened when
Brandenburg entered into alliance with Holland, and the smaller German
principalities joined. In France itself the Protestant faith was
reinvigorated by persecution and the feud with Catholics revived. A
prolonged revolt of the Camisard Huguenots in the Cévennes, a
mountainous region of the south, brought on a cruel war of repression,
weakening the state. Here and among other Huguenot communities which
remained in France, a receptive base was created for the Revolution…
Major Policies:
Major Policies:
 Louis’
 Three Basic Goals:
 Used
to achieve goals after
“Natural Frontiers”
SPANISH
NETHERLANDS
RHINE RIVER
THE ALPS
PYRENEES MTNS.
SUCCESSES
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Strong absolute monarchy
Royal control of law and administration
More efficient centralized government
Weakened political power of French nobility
Golden Age of French arts – Palace of
Versailles, plays of Moliere & Racine
Expanded French territory
France become Europe’s strongest power
French language and culture dominated Europe
Growth of French colonial empire/navy
FAILURES
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Massive debt, high taxes
Non-participatory government
Discontented bourgeoisie and peasants
Large numbers of pensions for nobles
Pointless government jobs b/c of venality
Growth of tax exempt, useless nobility
Religious persecutions
France was hated by many European powers 
French isolation
• Growth of English power