Section+21-2+The+Reign+of+Louis+XIV

Key Words:

 * __Edict of Nantes__: The religious toleration that Huguenots could live in peace with houses of worship in France.
 * __Skepticism__: The idea that nothing can ever be known for certain.
 * __Intendants__: Government agents who collect taxes and administered justice, and received more power from Louis.
 * __War of the Spanish Succession__: 1701: England, Austria, Dutch, Portugal, and parts of Germany and Italy joined together to keep Spain and France from uniting, war dragged on until 1714.

Key People:

 * __Cardinal Richelieu__: He became ruler of France, before he was a leader of the French Catholic church.
 * __Louis XIV__: Most powerful ruler in French history, he believed that he and the state were one and the same, became king at 14.
 * __Jean Baptiste Colbert__: Believed in mercantilism, attempted to make France self-sufficient, manufacture everything.

Key Terms:

 * Religious Wars and Power Struggles:**
 * 1572: six week slaughter of Huguenots in Paris on St. Batholomew's Day, including nobles, Huguenot prince Henry of Navarre survived.
 * Henry of Navarre:**
 * Descended from Louis IX, 1589: inherited the throne and first king of Bourbon dynasty in France, fearless, decisive, and clever.
 * Most Catholics opposed Henry, he went back to Catholic for his country.
 * 1598: Henry made Edict of Nantes.
 * Henry wanted to rebuild France, with help of adviser, he restored the monarchy, peace welcomed, people hated him for religious compromise and he was assassinated in 1610 by being stabbed to death in his carriage.
 * Louis XII and Cardinal Richelieu:**
 * Son Louis XIII took Henry's place, weak king, 1624: appointed a minister to make up weaknesses.
 * Cardinal Richelieu was the minister and technically the ruler since he was the king's minister.
 * Richelieu increased power in the Bourbon monarchy by moving against the Huguenots (keep conspiracies of Catholic kings away) by forbidding Protestant cities to have walls.
 * He also weakened the nobles' power, take down castles, increased government agents' powers.
 * Richelieu wanted France strongest, got France in 30 year war to keep Hapsburg power limited.
 * Writers Turn to Skepticism:**
 * Those who thought about skepticism didn't trust churches because of religious wars.
 * Montaigne and Descartes:**
 * Michel de Montaigne lived during religious wars, and after dear friend died he though about the meaning of life, developed the essay, which expresses a person's thoughts and opinions.
 * He wrote about how every new belief replaced an old one and humans will never have absolute knowledge of truth.
 * René Descartes was another writer and great thinker, he wrote //Meditations of First Philosophy//, nobody can be certain of anything.
 * Louis XIV Comes to Power:**
 * Henry and Richelieu helped Louis XIV become the post powerful ruler in France.
 * Louis, the Boy King:**
 * Became king in 1643, his father was Louis XIII, true leader was Richelieu's successor: Cardinal Mazarin who ended the 30 years' war in 1648.
 * Many hated Mazarin because of increased taxes and strong central government, 1648-1653 many riots against Mazarin started, young king in danger from nobles and was angry at nobles when he became older.
 * Nobles' rebellion failed because they distrusted each other, government used violent repression, and peasants and townsfolk becoming tired of fighting. Accepted absolute king.
 * Louis Weakens Nobles' Authority:**
 * Mazarin died in 1661, Louis was 22 and took control of government, weakened noble's power by excluding them from the councils and had local officials communicate with him regularly.
 * Economic Growth:**
 * Louis helped France gain economic, political, and cultural stuff, minister of finance, Colbert, helped the most.
 * Expand manufacturing: Colbert gave government and tax funds to French companies, high tariff on imported goods, saw importance of raw materials from colonies, encouraged many to migrate to Canada, lots of fur.
 * Colbert died and Louis slowed down economic progress, 1685: canceled Edict of Nantes, many skilled Huguenots fled.
 * The Sun King's Grand Style:**
 * Spent a good deal on luxury, each meal was a feast.
 * Louis Controls the Nobility:**
 * Chief valet woke Louis at 8:30, outside 100+ important nobles stood outside his bed so they could dress the king, 4 honored with slippers and sleeves.
 * Lesser nobles stood outside waiting, hoping the king would notice them, if king paid attention the he is a good noble.
 * Nobles in the palace increased royal power because they completely depended on Louis and gave more power to intendants. Hundreds of nobles in the palace.
 * Everything about Versailles was immense, huge courtyard, palace stretched 500 yards, small royal city.
 * Patronage of the Arts:**
 * Versailles was a center of arts, opera and ballet popular, Louis danced the title role in the ballet //The Sun King//, favorite writer Moliére, funny French literature (//Tartuffe//).
 * Louis was one of the most supportive kings in the arts, art no longer glorified God as much in the past, or human potential, purpose now to glorify the king and promote Louis's absolute rule and values.
 * Louis Fights Devastating Wars:**
 * France most powerful in Europe when Louis in power, 1660: 20 million people in France, (4x bigger then England, 10x then Dutch republic), biggest and most advanced army.
 * Attempts to Expand France's Boundaries:**
 * 1667: Louis invaded Spanish Netherlands, gained 12 towns, then he led his army into Dutch Netherlands in 1672 who saved their country, war ended in 1678 with the Treaty of Nijmegen.
 * Louis fought other wars, by the end of 1680s European alliance formed against France.
 * 1689: Dutch prince William of Orange became king of England, joined the League of Augsburg (included leaders from Austrian Hapsburg, Sweden, Spain and a few others), all together against France.
 * France currently weak from poor harvests, war, and taxes, French suffering.
 * War of the Spanish Succession:**
 * French wanted peace, but instead in 1700 childless Spain king Charles II left throne to Louis XIV's grandson Philip of Anjou, Spain and France now ruled by the French Bourbons.
 * Other countries threatened, 1701: War of the Spanish Succession began.
 * Ended in 1714 with the Treaty of Utrecht, terms: Louis's grandson could stay king as long as Spain and France's thrones not united.
 * Big winner of war: Britain because they took the fortress Gibraltar from Spain, which controls the entrance to the Mediterranean, Britain enslaved Africans and began a slave trade.
 * France gave Britain North American territories of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Hudson Bay region, Austrian Hapsburgs gained Spanish Netherlands and other lands, Prussia and Savoy now kingdoms.
 * Louis's Death and Legacy:**
 * Realizing wars ruined France, Louis was sad and regretful, died in 1715 which was rejoiced by French.
 * Pluses to Louis's rule: power in Europe, top of art, literature, statesmanship during his reign, French military leader of Europe, strong colonies developed (good resources).
 * Bad stuff: constant warfare, construction of Versailles put France in debt, resentment on tax burden.
 * Louis XIV wasn't the last absolute ruler, Prussia and Austria had own forms of absolute monarchy.