France
1600 - 1715
Major Generalizations
 France becomes the cultural and political center of
Europe
 Power becomes centralized in the monarchy
 Many Frenchmen believe religious unity is
necessary to achieve national unity
Major Generalizations
 Though the aristocracy resents the centralization of
power, it is unable to thwart this trend
 France establishes colonies in the Western
Hemisphere; few Frenchmen willing to leave
 France’s main interest lies in extending its own
borders in Europe, but constant wars drain the
treasury and hinder such expansion
Domestic Affairs
 REIGN OF HENRY IV
 Policy of religious toleration
 Edict of Nantes (1598)
 Continuation of Gallican Tradition
 Centralization of power
 Power away from local aristocracy
 Refusal to call Estates General
 Levying and collection of taxes
Royal Absolutism under
Louis XIII and Cardinal
Richelieu
 End of Huguenot fortified towns and armies
in Peace of Alais
 Reduction in the power of the aristocracy
 Dissolution of the Estates General
 Bureaucratic centralization
 Creation of provincial Intendants
 permanent appointments
 supervision of local court system and tax collectors
 central government’s link to regional Parliaments
Regency of Anne of Austria
and Chief Minister Mazarin
 Demands of the Nobles in the Fronde
Revolt
 Control of Parliaments
 Abolition of Intendants
 No new taxes without consent
 Reasons for failure of the Fronde
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Perpetration of too many acts of destruction
Split between bourgeoisie and nobility
Call for alien Spanish troops by Fronde leadership
No clearly enunciated plan
Absolutism of Louis XIV
 Centralization
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King as God’s representative on Earth
Restrictions of feudal nobility
Required presence of nobility at Court
Administrative bureaucracy
 restoration of the Intendant system with direct
reporting to the King
 royal control of army and army commissions
 Curtailment of town liberties
 Codification of civil and criminal law
 One national religion
 Revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685)
 Repression of Jansenism (Catholics but
behavior was Calvinist)
 Proclamation of Gallican Articles
 New national institutions
 Science Academy
 Painting and Sculpture Academy
 Literary Academy
Prospects for Industry and
Commerce
 Colbert’s program
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subsidies to luxury and wool industries
abolition of some internal tariffs
prohibition on the exportation of foodstuffs
introduction of a commercial code
establishment of French East India Company
Improvement in roads and canals
 Establishment of colonies in North America
 Opening of South America to French trade
 Need for military supplies and armaments
Economic problems
 Agriculture
 opposition to enclosure
 little new technology
 lack of capital
 Industry
 Loss of skill workers with flight of Huguenots
 Lack of investment by rural nobility
 Inefficient and unfair tax system
Foreign Affairs
 Aims
 Maintenance of separate German States
 Extension of French borders
 Importance of Spanish Netherlands and
French Compté
 Limitation of Austrian power
 Enhancement of power on the Continent
 Thirty Years War (1618-1648)
 Maintenance of German separatism
 subsidy to Protestant Swedish King
 French troops to assist German Protestants
 War with Spain for control of Rhineland
area
 Results
 Treaty of Westphalia
 French control of Alsace and three bishoprics in
Lorraine
 Guarantor of the peace
 Continuation of war with Spain until 1659
 War of Devolution (1667-1668)
 Desire of France to annex Spanish Netherlands
 Result
 Status quo ante bellum
 Dutch War of Devolution (1672-1678)
 French occupation of Spanish Netherlands and
three provinces of the Dutch Republic
 Coalition of Dutch Republic, Spain, Austria,
Brandenburg and Denmark against France
 Results in the Treaty of Nimwegen
 Status quo ante bellum for Dutch land
 French annexation of France Compté from Spain
 Support for Muslim Ottoman Turks
against Catholic Austria (1683)
 War of the League of Augsburg (16881697)
 Coalition of Catholic and Protestant nations
against Louis XIV
 Treaty of Ryswick
 little change of map of Europe
 War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1713)
 Designation of Louis XIV’s grandson as King of
Spain and all its possessions in Charles II’s will
 Opposition by England. Dutch Republic, HRE,
Austria and many German states, Portugal and
Savoy
 Bavaria an ally of France
 Results
 loss of thousands of lives
 opposition to Louis XIV at home
 Treaty of Utrecht (1713-1714)
 Louis’ grandson, Philip V, King of Spain and its possessions
 permanent separation Spanish and French thrones
 loss of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia to G.B.
Seven Years’ War 17561763
 Roots lay in a realignment of diplomatic
alliances prompted by Austria
 Previously, Bourbon-Habsburg rivalry was
cornerstone of European Diplomacy
 By late 1750s, 2 other antagonisms had taken
over.
 French competition with British in N.World
 Austria’s vendetta against Prussia over Silesia
 For Austria rivalry with Bourbon France was no longer
important
 Its position in the HRE depended on humbling Russia
Seven Years’ War 17561763
 French hostility toward Austria had also lessened.
 Thus, Austria was free to lead a turnabout in alliances: a
diplomatic revolution
 So as to form an anti-Prussian coalition with France and
Russia.
 Russia was crucial
 Russian Empress Elizabeth I of Russia hated Frederick
II
 Saw him as an obstacle to Russian ambitions in Eastern
Europe
 Prussia’s geographical position made it an inviting target
 So, the stage was set for war
Seven Years’ War 17561763
 Frederick sought to stay out of Anglo-French
rivalry
 He’d been France’s ally in the past, but now he
sought a treaty with England
 January 1756: English (wanting to protect the royal
territory of Hanover) signed neutrality accord with
Prussia. (Convention of Westminster)
 French saw convention as an insult
 Russia also considered convention a betrayal
by its supposed ally England
Seven Years’ War 17561763
 Thus, the alliance between France, Russia and
Austria was set for the dismemberment of
Prussia.
 Prussians were close to losing until Russian
Empress Elizabeth’s death.
 This brought Tsar Peter III, a passionate admirer of
Frederick to the thrown.
 He quickly pulled Russia out of the war, even
returned Frederick’s conquered eastern domains in
Prussia and Pomerania.
Seven Years’ War 17561763
 Britain brought about a reconciliation with
France; both countries then ended its
insistence on punishing Prussia.
 Austria’s coalition had collapsed
Seven Years’ War 17561763
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Peace of Hubertusburg (1763)
Prussia returned Saxony to Austria
Austrians recognized Silesia as Prussian
Status quo restored
Seven Years’ War 17561763
 Peace of Paris (1763)
 Treaty between France & England
corresponding to their war for empire in
the Americas.
 Several sugar-producing islands in West
Indies returned
 France surrendered Canada