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France Under Louis XIV

Louis XIV in Power

Palace of Versailles

  • At 22, Louis takes full control of France
  • Weakened Nobles, strengthened the power of government officials.
  • Jean Baptiste Colbert: Minister of Finance
  • In less than six years a debt of 22 million French pounds had become a surplus of 29 million.
  • Louis canceled Edict of Nantes
  • Many skilled Huguenot artisans and businessmen flee.

Builds Palace of Versailles

Louis Fights Disastrous Wars

  • Would cost $2.5 billion today
  • Demonstrated wealth, power and glory of France.
  • 10,000 people lived and worked at Versailles
  • Having nobles at the palace:
  • Increased their dependency on Louis XIV.
  • Took them from their homes, giving power to government officials.
  • Royal attention determined whether a noble succeeded of failed.
  • Louis attempted to expand French borders
  • Europe unites against France
  • Constant war, poor harvest and taxes all led to French suffering.

Religious Wars

  • Huguenots: French Protestants
  • 1562-1598: Eight religious wars were fought between French Catholics and Huguenots
  • 1589: Huguenot Henry IV becomes King of France.
  • Edict of Nantes (1598): declared Huguenots could live in peace in France and worship freely.
  • Some hates his compromises- stabbed to death by a fanatic in 1610.

Death and Legacy

Louis XIV Comes to Power

  • Brilliant cultural period.
  • Warfare and building Versailles created staggering debt.
  • Corrupt, tax system was not changed.
  • Nobility AND peasantry (most of France) want change in system -> revolution on the horizon.
  • Known as the "Sun King"
  • Reigned for 72 years.
  • Becomes king at age 4 in 1643.
  • France led by Cardinal Mazarin while Louis XIV was young
  • Hated by French Nobility for increasing taxes and strengthening central government.

Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu

  • Cardinal Richelieu: became ruler of France as Louis XIII's Chief Minister
  • Louis was 13 when he took the throne
  • Moved against Huguenots- did not trust Protestants (forbade Protestants from having cities with walls)
  • Began the 30 Years' War to limit Austrian/Spanish power.
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