Lesson 04 French Absolutism

Following the disasters of the Thirty Years’ War, the monarchies of Europe experienced a crisis of authority.

Henry IV of France

Château de Versailles/LauriePlatt Winfrey, Inc.Western Civilization 102 David Clayton Lesson: French Absolutism

French response-

French absolutism.

Henry IV of France

Château de Versailles/LauriePlatt Winfrey, Inc.Western Civilization 102 David Clayton Lesson : French Absolutism

The expense of the 30 Years’ War had exhausted the treasuries of the larger European monarchies. This caused deep resentment among the masses.


The nobility saw it as an opportunity to use the king’s need for more money and masses resentment to get some of their power back.


They did so through government office and through rebellion.1.They used the merchants who resented the higher taxes and disruption of trade.


2. They used the peasants who were primarily victims of war because of the destruction of farmland and heavily taxed.


France responded all of

this with conservative

attempt of royal absolutism (Hobbes’ solution).


It emerged under the leadership of the first Bourbon king – Henry IV (r. 1589-1610).

Henry IV of France


Henry IV passed the Edict of Nantes which gave religious freedom to the French Protestants (Huguenots) in 1598.

He passed laws that brought stability to France.

Many of his laws upset the nobility and Catholics.

Henry IV of France



Killed by a Catholic sympathizer


His son, Louis XIII became the next

king.However, he was just a boy so he needed a regent plus an advisor.


Regent: Queen mother

Marie de Medici


Advisor: Cardinal Richelieu

1585 -1642


XIIIContinued many of his dad’s policies

plus Cardinal Richelieu

Three Musketeers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq6_FcTLrtY


XIIIContinued many of his dad’s

policies plus Cardinal Richelieu

Limited powers of the nobility and

local parlements.

Imprisoned political opponents

Centralized the economy


XIII

He encouraged exploration and

colonization of the Americas.

Catholic, he entered the 30

Years’ War on the side of the

Protestants.


XIII

By the time of his death (1643),

France was the most powerful

nation in Europe.Noble power

seemed broken.But the royal

treasury was also broke which meant- higher taxes were

on the way.


The FRONDE (1643-1651) came next.


Louis XIV (1643-1715)

ascended to the French throne at the

age of 4 (The second king in a row that became

king as a boy).


Louis XIV (1643-1715)

His mother, Anne of Austria and her advisor Cardinal Mazarin were the

real power early on.


Louis XIV (1643-1715)

With a boy king on the throne, the

nobility saw their chance to regain

powers lost under Henry and XIII. This

was called The Fronde, which

means “slingshot.”.

Château de Versailles/LauriePlatt Winfrey, Inc.

The Fronde1649

began at court in 1649 with the wives

of imprisoned nobles demanding the release of their

husbands..

Western Civilization 102 David Clayton Lesson : French Absolutism


The Parlement of Paris took up their cause, stirring up

the masses in Paris.The nobility and

some town surrounding towns

joined in.In 1651, Paris fell to rebels, forcing XIV

to abandon his palace in Louvre.



The Frondeur state rule France in

XIV’s name in 1651-1652.

It was inefficient and

corrupt.



In 1652, the people

demanded that XIV and

Cardinal Mazarin be returned to

power.



XIV determined he would be

embarrassed like this again by anyone French or any other

nationality. He began steps towards

building an absolute rulership.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI0myrpevU8&feature=related


The king must be godlike: Sun


The king must be godlike: SunSupported: Apollo sun god image

(Divine right)Established the royal academy of art, music, science.


The king must be godlike: SunSupported: Apollo sun god image

(Divine right)Established the royal academy of art, music, science.

Château de Versailles/LauriePlatt Winfrey, Inc.Western Civilization 102 David Clayton Lesson 2: French Absolutism

Versailles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G93EhIGlVS0&feature=related


The king must be in controlSupported: Personally directed the affairs of state in great detail. Hired professional secretaries and administrators not from the nobility but from the ranks of professional men.Never call the Estates General (like

our Congress) into session. Established trained bureaucrats (intendants) in local regions loyal to him.



The king must be wealthySupported: When XIV became king, the nation was bankrupt.He hired a financial genius (Colbert) who continued the Bourbon policy of centralized economy.Colbert perfected the policy of mercantilism Tax at will without legislature interference to pay for Versailles and the military.



The king must impose religious conformity

Supported: Revoked the Edict of Nantes (Granted religious toleration to the Huguenots in 1598 by Henry IV).

Thousands fled, harming the French economy.



The king must have a strong military

Supported: Military reforms to create professional army.

Used it against Spain to try to become King of Spain.

Used it against the Dutch Empire.

At the end of his life, he regretted spending so much time in war.



By 1688, XIV was on the verge of becoming the virtual emperor of the Western

world. But the Dutch were about to

get a great ally, one that would bring the Sun King to the

bargaining table and eventually bring him down- that ally would

be England.


Lesson 04 French Absolutism

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