FRANCEMatt Zeeman, Ronnie Tourtalot, Francis Stine, Connor Owens, Nick Cenci

DYNASTY

• Known as the House of Bourbon Dynasty

• Resided in France

KEY RULERS

• Louis XIV-reigned from May 14th, 1643 to September 1st 1715

• Also known as Louis the Great or the Sun King

• Officially became ruler on June 7th 1654

• Died of Gangrene in Versailles four days before he turned 77

• Had the longest reign of any monarch in European history with 72 years and 110 days

HOW THEY CAME TO BE

• Louis XIV came to power after the death of his father Louis XIII

• Began rule in 1654

• Ruled for over 72 years

• Ruled with a chief minister until the Italian Cardinal Mazarin passed away in 1661, thus beginning Louis’ personal rule

SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Louis XIV established a more centralized government and refined the absolute monarchy that defined the French method of governance

• Louis XIV had the longest reign of any other ruler of any other European sovereign

• Louis took over a very unstable crown and reduced the deficit sharply and fostered growth of industry

• Louis also acquired large amounts of territory in the Franco-Dutch War

• Under Louis XIV’s reign the French colonies in the Americas were multiplying and expanding

• Helped form a coalition called the Grand Alliance with several other smaller countries

ACCOMPLISHMENTS (CONT.)

• Louis bought Dunkirk from Charles II for five million dollars

• Louis ends the regale dispute in 1693 with the papacy, setting aside the Gallican articles

• Louis expanded his army to 350,000 and had the most modern army of its time

SIGNIFICANT FAILURES

• The wars that Louis XIV was involved in were very costly, they left France exhausted and in debt, almost bankrupt

• Louis XIV made France the aggressor, which led other nations to form alliances against him

• Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes which influenced many French Protestants to flee the country which depopulated France and made it more vulnerable in later years

BEING AN ABSOLUTE RULER

• (Louis mainly focused on controlling the power of nobles)

• Reduced nobles power by requiring them to come to Versailles and be observed by him

• Demolition of the nobles’ castles