Aim: How successful was Louis XIV in expanding his own power

and that of France?

Case Study: French Absolutism

Louis XIV of France

“the Sun King” ruled 1643-1715

“L’etat c’est moi”(I am the State)

At the end of the Thirty Years War, France was the most populous and

most powerful European state

The Fronde 1648-52

• A rebellion by the nobility against the power of the central state and the 10 year old king

• After its defeat, Louis determined to squash this forever by the establishment absolutist power

Louis after the defeat of the Fronde,

as the Roman god Jupiter

The theory of “Divine Right”

• "The sovereign Prince is only accountable to God” -- Jean Bodin• “The state of monarchy is the supremest thing on

earth. For kings are not only God’s lieutenants on earth, and sit upon God’s throne, but even by God Himself are called gods…. “

-- King James I of England

Louis and family, as Roman gods

Versailles Palace

Constructed to show the King’s Power and…

To draw the nobility to Louis and away from their local seats of power

“Hold your friends close and your enemies closer”

As a noble, your status was now shown by your proximity (closeness) to the king and your willingness to spend

money to show off at the court

But real state power was given only to commoners who ruled in Louis’ name

• Established bureaucracy• Staffed by “commoners”

– men of merit who held power only through Louis– Educated merchants

and intellectuals– Close ties between the

state and the new capitalist class

Colbert and Mercantilism: Building and controlling the economy

• Which is a mercantilist act?– Preventing importation of cloth from England– Preventing importation of sugar from French Haiti– Subsidies to a French shoe manufacturer– Encouraging free trade by eliminating tariffs– All shipping from colonies must be on French ships– French colonies banned from purchase of Dutch goods– Encourage Italian manufacturers to build factories in

France– Grant a monopoly to one company to trade with India

Revocation of the Edict of Nantes

• Protestants had been allowed religious freedom under the Edict of Nantes

• Louis saw the continuation of Protestantism as a symbol of royal powerlessness.

Expansion of Overseas Empire: 1550

Expansion of Overseas Empire: 1660

Expansion of Overseas Empire: 1754

Louis’ Wars

• War of Devolution (1667–1668): against England, Sweden, Dutch

• Dutch War (1672–1678): with Sweden and England against Dutch, Spain, Austria

• War of the Grand Alliance (1688–97): against English, Dutch, Spain, Austria, Germanic princes; also fought in Ireland and Americas

• War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714) : with Spain and Germanic princes against Great Britain, Dutch, Austria, Portugal

The many wars of the French kings added significant, but not overwhelming, territory

The many wars of the French kings added significant, but not overwhelming, territory

Wars created a huge state debt – for the next 75 years, France tottered on the edge of bankruptcy

A common fault of absolutist rulers

• “Do not follow the bad example which I have set you; I have often undertaken war too lightly and have sustained it for vanity. Do not imitate me, but be a peaceful prince, and may you apply yourself principally to the alleviation of the burdens of your subjects.”

-- Louis on his deathbed

Assess Louis XIV – Good:

Assess Louis XIV – Bad: