Chapter 17- State Building and Absolutism: France

Roy BenDavidPer.5

12/19/12

Louis XIV (Louis XIV of France)

King Louis XIV (1643-1715) Overview

• King Louis XIV built off from his fathers monarchy to form a new and more extreme absolute monarchy (Steingrad).

• Absolutism- belief that the monarch has absolute power over the state.• Divine rights of kings- belief that the monarch is a direct representative of God on Earth.• Louis XIV’s new absolute monarchy soon became sought after

by monarchs throughout Europe (Shennan).

• 1680’s King Louis XIV moved the capital from Paris to Versailles. This was due to the horrors of his childhood in Paris during the civil war (Chambers 492)

• Gave him distance between himself and the Parisian mobs that allowed him to focus on government reform (Chambers 494).

• Became the symbol of the absolute monarchy throughout Europe (Chamber 494).• Versailles became a very cultural place that participated in

various cultural activities ranging from art and architecture to literature and playwriting (Saint-Simon).

Versailles

Garden in Versailles (Introducing Versailles)

New Patronage of the Arts

• Louis XIV was a patronage of the arts and opened new academies throughout France (Steingrad).

• From the year 1663 to the year 1672 a multitude of new artistic academies had begun. Ranging from music to architecture to art to sculpting (Steingrad).

• This new culture also became evident in his own capitol of Versailles. The same patronage of art and architecture was seen throughout his capitol (Chambers 492-3).

Ceiling Painting in Versailles ( Greensleeves Hubs)

Art of the Time

Painting (Louis XIV of France)

One of many paintings praising Louis XIV (The Battle of Blenheim 1704)

Another depiction of Louis XIV (Apotheosis of King Louis XIV)

The Councils

• Louis XIV’s government was made up by four councils. The main council being the Council d’Etat otherwise known as the high council

(Geant).• The high council was made up of the King

and a few other members. Louis XIV went against tradition and did not appoint family to the High Council (Steingrad).

• The councils would help Louis run the government but ultimately Louis had ultimate rule and final say over everyone (Geant).

Louis XIV (Louis XIV of France)

Louis XIV Government Reform

• Gave himself the power to form and enforce laws. Allowed himself to implement his own policies unopposed (Chambers 494).

• Took power away from Parliament and added to his own power. By stripping away Parliament’s power to form laws the state is entirely under Louis XIV control. (Stiengrad).

• Drafted new codes of civil procedure (1667) and criminal procedure (1669). The new codes completely reformed the judicial process.

• By the end of his reign Louis XIV had gained more power for the monarch through his government reforms.

Economic Reform and Jean-Baptiste Colbert

• Colbert, a member of the high council, tightened up tariff and tax control to help make taxation more efficient.

Although there were tax exemptions within the wealthy overall the revenue from taxation increase (Steingrad).

• New commerce and industry, new oversea economics and colonies overall helped increase revenue (Steingrad)

• Yearly Colbert cut in to the debt of the treasury and gave Louis XIV more financial flexibility (Steingrad).

Jean-Baptiste Colbert (Hodges)

Military Control

• Louis XIV’s was able to win control of the military for the French State (Chambers 494).

• Marquis of Louvois, a member of the high council, was an important military advisor for Louis XIV. Louvois emphasized the importance of the army and war for France

(Chambers 494).• Under Louis XIV the military grew substantially and upgraded

the navy heavily.

Marquis of Louvois (Francois-Michel le Tellier, Marquis De Louvois)

Louis XIV’s Foreign Policy

• Began his reign with the Peace of Westphalia that helped France receive settlements (Shennan).

• Louis XIV’s relationship with other countries was often determined by the influences of the marquis of Louvois and Colbert (Chambers 494).

• Overall wanted to expand the boundaries of France from where they started ( Chambers 495).

• Louis XIV’s aspirations and power caused other European nations to form an alliance. This also resulted in the formation of the balance of powers between the nations of Europe (Chambers 496).

Louis XIV’s Domestic Reform

• To begin his reign Louis XIV tried to end the religious tension between the Catholics Jansenists and the Protestant Huguenots. By removing the Edict of Nantes Louis removed the little toleration the Huguenots received (Chambers 498).

• Louis also tried to bring his tighten his control on the outer most remote reaches of France. He sent representatives called Intendants to the provinces to help keep control of his nation (Louis XIV and Domestic Policy).

• Another main goal Louis had was to boost the overall foreign trade by the creation of new port cities. Although he only became successful in the West Indies (Chambers 498).

Growing Military Tension

• When Louis started to loose land that he had gained in the 1680’s he blamed Louvois and immediately took away his power in 1690 (Chambers 497). Louis now lost the military genius that had helped him win land in the past.

• William III of the United Provinces and Emperor Leopold became great foes of France and Louis XIV. Together William III and Leopold seemed to overpower the French. When William took the throne in England he became much stronger (Chambers 496).

• Even with the economic downfalls and famines of the 1690’s Louis XIV was able to form the greatest army in Europe.

William III of the United Province and England(Lendering)

Louis XIV’s Main Enemies

Emperor Leopold of the Holy Roman Empire(Kilkenny)

The War of Spanish Succession • Charles II left the throne without an heir

and his first choice was Philip, Louis XIV’s grandson. Although Louis refused to unite the thrones of Spain and France as well as not allowing the Spanish empire to begin

foreign trade (Chambers 497).• Louis XIV was now open to attacks in 1701

by William and Leopold, who created a Grand Alliance (Shennan) .

• Later the English with the duke of Marlborough and the Austrians with Prince Eugene joined in against France(Chambers 497).

• France was able to survive through the military defeats with Louis XIV’s reforms still intact (Chambers 497).

Charles II (Charles II)

After Louis XIV

• Louis XIV’s successor Louis XV was a weak leader that put his trust in his chief minister. Under the reign of Louis XV the structural weaknesses of the government were exposed (Chambers 500).

• Fleury was the chief minister of Louis XV and had almost all authority over the government for some period of time.

• The financial and political problems that steamed from after Louis XIV reign would make way to years of hardship, leading up to the French Revolution.

Work Cited

“Artwork” Apotheosis of King Louis XIV of France”? Artwork No. 129712.” Apotheosis of King Louis XIV of

F France Art Poster by Charles Le Brun

“Francois-Michel le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois.” Wikipedia. Web. 17 Dec. 2012

Geant, A.J “The Government of Louis XIV.” Louis XIV. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Hodges, Miles H. “Movers: Enlightenment.” Movers Enlightenment By Miles Hodges. 200. Web. 19. Dec.2012.

Hub, Greensleves.” Paris; A Photographic Guide to Versailles and Sacra-Coeur.” Hub Pages. Web 19 Dec 2012.

Kilkenny, Niall.” Polish King Jan III” Polish King Jan. 2009. Web 17 Dec. 2012.

Lendering, Jona “Some Expressions.” Some Expressions. Web. 19 Dec .2012.

“Louis XIV and Domestic Policy” Louis XIV and Domestic Policy. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

“Louis XIV of France.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Dec. 2012. Web 12 Dec. 2012.

Saint-Simon, Due De. “Internet History Sourcebooks.”., Aug.1997. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Shennan J.H “ The Age of Louis XIV” The Age of Louis XIV (1643-1715). Web 17 Dec. 2012.

“Spanish Succession.” :Battle of Blenheim., 2002. Web. 17 Dec 2012.

Steingrad, Elena. “Minority” Louis XIV., 26 Nov. 2007. Web 17 Dec. 2012.