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Legacy of Louis XIV: Absolutism & Wars

Explore the reign of Louis XIV, the Sun King, who centralized power, built Versailles, implemented economic policies, and waged wars. Dive into his religious and cultural impacts on Europe. Learn about the Wars of Louis XIV and the balance of power dynamics.

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Legacy of Louis XIV: Absolutism & Wars

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  1. AP Euro Week 5: Louis XIV and Absolutism

  2. Background: Louis XIII • r. 1610-1643 • Heavily influenced by Cardinal Richelieu, his advisor • Increased taxes • Controlled nobility by banning duels and appointing intendantsto watch them • Took away Huguenot’s political rights

  3. Louis XIV

  4. Intro to Louis XIV • Becomes king at age 5, in 1643 • The Fronde (failed noble revolt, 1648-1653) takes place during his youth  distrusts nobility, convinced that he must create strong, absolute government • Cardinal Mazarin ruled France while Louis was young • 1661 – Mazarin dies, Louis assumes control of the government

  5. Political Changes • Absolutism: king is absolute ruler, nobles have little/no power • “L’etat, c’est moi” • “Sun King • “Divine Right” • Diminished power of local parlements • Modernized army • Organized command, Louis on top • Increased discipline, size, supplies

  6. The Sun King

  7. Versailles • To show his grandeur, Louis constructs a huge palace at Versailles • Originally Louis’s hunting lodge, 15 km from Paris (isolated) • Consumed as much as 60-80% of France’s income • **Also a political move: nobles come to live at Versailles and Louis can control them • Court etiquette  spreads throughout Euro

  8. Economic Policies • Jean-Baptiste Colbert: Louis’s finance minister, pursued mercantilist policies • Colbert created Five Great Farms, a free trade zone within France about the size of England • Colbert established manufacturing codes that regulated the quality of goods in certain industries • Established French East India Company • High tariffs on foreign goods, high taxes (harmful to lower classes)

  9. Religious Policies • Gallican church: Catholic but independent from Rome • “un roi, un foi, un loi” • Opposed Huguenots for political not theological reasons • In 1685 he revoked the Edict of Nantes  no more protections for Protestants, they must convert back to Catholicism •  Many Protestants leave France • Bad political move?

  10. Culture Under Louis XIV • Versailles  art and architecture thrived • Neoclassicism: emphasized order, harmony, and antiquity • Louis XIV encouraged writers (Moliere, Racine, Cornielle) • Salons – people discussed philosophy, literature, art • French thought and language spread throughout Europe

  11. Wars of Louis XIV: BOP • Balance of Power (BOP): when one country threatens universal monarchy, all the other countries ally against it • Many small, weak countries ally together – don’t have much power individually but are strong collectively

  12. Wars of Louis XIV • War of Devolution (First Dutch War) (1667-1668) • Louis invades Spanish Netherlands • Blocked by Triple Alliance (England, Holland, Sweden) • Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1668): France loses Franche-Comte

  13. Wars of Louis XIV • Second Dutch War (1672-1678) • Louis invades Holland • Gets support from England through Secret Treaty of Dover, 1670 • Blocked by Dutch, Habsburgs, Brandenburg, and Denmark • Treaty of Nimwegen(1678): France loses Holland but gets Franche-Comte

  14. Wars of Louis XIV • Invasion of the Spanish Netherlands (1683) •  League of Augsburg forms (alliance against Louis) • War of the League of Augsburg (1688-1697) • France vs. Holland, England, & League of Augsburg • Treaty of Ryswick (1697): Matters left where they were before the war

  15. Map of Wars of Louis XIV

  16. War of Spanish Succession • Charles II, king of Spain, was dying and without an heir, last of Spanish Habsburg line • Louis XIV and the HRE (Leopold I) both married sisters of Charles • In his will, Charles leaves Spain to Philip V, nephew of Louis • Louis invades Spain based on France’s claim to Spanish throne • France vs. Grand Alliance (1701): Holland, England, HRE, Prussia

  17. Peace of Utrecht (1714) • Philip V becomes king of Spain • Spain can never be united with France • Spanish Netherlands  Austrian Netherlands • England gains Gibraltar, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and the asiento (trading rights in Spanish Empire) • Ends Louis’s last attempt at French universal monarchy

  18. Conclusion • Louis XIV died in 1715 and his grandson Louis XV became king • Many historians claim that his inclination towards war was his downfall

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