France Under Louis XIV
Chapter 4, Section 2 (pp. 148-152)
Absolute Monarch – A ruler with complete authority over the government and
the lives of the people.
HENRY IV (aka “Good King Henry” 1589-1610)
1. Who were the Huguenots?
2. What happened on St. Bartholomew’s Day?
3. What did Henry IV do in order to end the conflict between Huguenots and
Catholics and to gain control of France?
4. What did the Edict of Nantes do?
5. What about Henry IV’s background would have led him to create the Edict of
Nantes?
6. How did Henry IV die?
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LOUIS XIII (aka Louis the Just 1610-1632)
7. Who was Louis XIII?
8. Who was Cardinal Richelieu?
9. Why did Cardinal Richelieu seek to destroy the power of the Huguenots and
the nobles?
LOUIS XIV (aka the “Sun King” 1643-1715)
10. How old was Louis XIV when he inherited the throne?
11. What did Louis XIV take for his symbol? What did this symbolize?
12. What does “L’etat c’est moi” mean literally? What did Louis XIV figuratively
mean when he said it?
13. What was the Estates General? How many times did it meet during Louis
XIV’s reign? Why might this be dangerous?
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14. How did Jean Baptist Colbert improve the economy under Louis XIV?
15. What is Versailles?
16. How did Versailles keep nobles from overthrowing Louis XIV?
17. What form of dance gained popularity during this time in France?
18. What is a balance of power? How did it keep Louis XIV from winning wars?
19. What did France agree to when Louis XIV signed the Treaty of Utrecht to
end the War of Spanish Succession?
20. In an effort to make France a Catholic nation-state, Louis XIV revoked
(withdrew) the Edict of Nantes. Where did the Huguenots flee? What effect
did this have on France?
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21. From what you’ve read, name 3 things that Louis XIV built or did that ruined
the French economy.
22. Re-read the definition of an absolute monarch at the beginning of this
worksheet. Based on what you’ve read, does Louis XIV meet the criteria?
Provide at least 3 examples to support your answer.
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