Absolutism in France under the “Sun King”
I. The Wars of Religion
A. From 1560 – 1590, France is torn apart by religious wars between Huguenots
(French Protestants) and Catholics (the majority of Christians in France)
II. Rebuilding France
A. The Reign of Henry IV
1. A Huguenot (Protestant) King who quickly converts to being Catholic.
2. Issues the Edict of Nantes which granted religious tolerance to French
Protestants.
3. “A Chicken in Every Pot”
4. Extended the reach of government into all aspects of life, weakening the
power of the nobles and increasing the power of the throne.
5. Assassinated in 1610
B. Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu
1. Inheriting the throne at the age of 9, Louis XIII quickly loses power and
the nobles begin to dominate French life again.
2. In 1624, he appoints Cardinal Armand Richelieu to run government
affairs.
III. Cardinal Richelieu
A. Richelieu is an extremely effective leader,
1. He destroys Huguenot military strongholds while allowing them to
continue to practice Protestantism.
2. He destroys the personal armies of nobles and tears down their fortified
castles in order to reduce their power.
3. He places nobles into high government positions, making them
dependent on the King and the central government of France for their
fortunes and livelihoods.
B. He selects another churchman, the Cardinal Mazarin, to continue his work after
he dies for the new king of France, Louis XIV.
IV. Mazarin and the early years of Louis XIV
A. The Fronde
1. After Louis took the throne, an uprising called The Fronde occurs.
Several groups (nobles, merchants, peasants and poor city dwellers) all
rebel for different reasons.
2. The uprising even forces the young new king to flee his palace.
3. At the age of 18, when Cardinal Mazarin dies, Louis XIV was recorded to
have said, “ I have been pleased to entrust the government of my affairs to
the late Cardinal. It is now time that I govern them myself.”