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.