Paths to Constitutionalism and Absolutism: France in the 17th Century
Absolutism in France: 1589-1714
They were all Machiavellians
Henry IV and Duke of Sully: politique
Louis XII and Cardinal Richelieu: raison d’etat
Louis XIV, Cardinal Mazarin and Minister Colbert: Financial genius
Each progressively more
Limit the power of nobles
Limit the power of Huguenots
Increase the bureaucracy
Increase the power of the king and the state
All wanted to make France aware of its greatness
A sense of national importance has been key to the French ever since
Louis XIV: 1637
-1642: became king
-Mother Hapsburg and Father Valois
-Under him, the French army became the
strongest in Europe with over 300,000 men
-Having a large army created a reason to use it
-Fought 4 wars between 1667-1713
-Set standard for armies in Europe
-Almost bankrupt France
-Not successful in the battlefield
-Ended French domination of Europe
-Irritated with peasants
-Diplomatically, gained territory and a Bourbon
was placed on the Spanish throne
-Richest, coolest, most popular guy in Europe
-Loved ballet and made it popular
-Built the Palace of Versailles
-Built the Palace of Versailles
-Fear of nobles (Fronde) drove him to build rooms
for every noble in Versailles
-Raised taxes, which hurt peasants
-”I am the state”
-Did not do much politically
-Ruled for 72 years
-Gallic Church had liberty from the pope in order
that the church would remain Catholic
-Louis took that liberty and made himself the
head of the Catholic Church in France
-“One faith” required elimination of the Protestants
and he repealed the Edict of Nantes in 1685,
causing many Huguenots to flee France
-Brought in the mulberry tree
War for Spanish Succession: 1701-1714, last of Louis XIV's wars...
France vs. Grand Alliance
-Charles II, King of Spain died with no heir
-Charles gave his land to Philip of Anjou, Grandson of Louis XIV
-Hapsburg HRE Charles VI wanted to become Charles III of Spain
-England, Netherlands and HRE want to preserve balance of power, so they join
together as the Grand Alliance and fight France
RESULTS
-Treaty of Utrecht
-French lose Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Hudson Bay to England
-France kept throne of Spain, King Philip V is crowned
-English get asiento to provide slaves to Spanish colonies
-Austrians get Belgium
-Prussia is made a kingdom