Absolutismand the

French Revolution

Liberty Leading the People

Birth of Absolutism in Europe

• religious wars: 1560s-90s, 1618-1648

• decline in church power

• desire for stability and prosperity

Divine Right

• (sort of) Euro version of the mandate from Heaven

• bypass the power of the church

• absolutism

Epitome of Absolutism:Louis XIV (1638-1715)

• becomes king at age....4!!!

• Cardinal Mazarin and the Fronde

• Louis assumes the position at age 23

• “the sun king”

• “L’état, c’est moi”

Louis XIV• relished his power

• big time hunter

• enjoyed fine clothes

• patron of the arts

• mercantilism

• tried to expand

• centralized power

Palace of Versailles

Ancién Regime = Old Regime

• “great chain of being”

• feudalism + estate system

• 1) Catholic Clergy (100,000 = <1% of pop)

• 2) Nobles (400,000 = approx. 2% of pop)

• 3) bourgeoisie + peasants (24.5 million = 97% of pop)

Cause #1: MASSIVE Debt

• Louis XIV (1643-1715): Versailles + Euro Wars

• Louis XV (1715-74) lost Seven Years War

• Louis XVI: supported American Rev. + “Madame Deficit”

Thanks Louuuieeee’s!!

Cause #1: MASSIVE Debt cont’d

• lack of tax revenue

• massive inflation consumer good increase 65%

• rent increases

Cause #2: Food Shortages

• population increases

• food shortages (1780s)

Cause #3: Enlightenment Ideas

• American Revolution

• Voltaire--freedom of speech

• Montesquieu--equal branches of gov

• Rousseau--natural rights; social contract

Cause #4: Royalty• No love for the royalty

• King Louis XVI

• Marie Antoinette

Attempts to quell dissent

• King has a meeting of the Estates General

• tax reform

• Tennis Court Oath

The Revolution Begins!

• Third Estate forms the National Assembly

• starts as a political movement

• new constitution: liberty, equality, fraternity

• the King’s reaction...

• rumors...

The peasants take over the revolution

• storming of the Bastille (July 14)

• the Great Fear!

• pitchforks to Versailles!

• noble’s response

The Lower Classes take over the revolution!

National Assembly’s Response

• abolish taxes on peasants

• move to end feudalism

• constitution: citizens instead of subjects

• Declaration of the Rights of Man & Citizen

• real changes

The Revolution Eats Its Young

• bon voyage Louis

• Robespierre and the CPS

• targets of the “republic of virtue”

• war against...everyone!

1793

50,000!

“I die

innocent!”

What did the revolution accomplish?

• Napoleon (1799-1814): legal codes, education, religion, BUT censorship, foreign wars and dictatorship

• Louis XVIII!!! (1814-1824): brother of Louis XVI

• monarchies up to 1870; Republic formed again