Mid 17th Century in France

Kevin ShueMrs. Cassel

Period 3

France• New Bourbon dynasty became the most powerful state in Europe• Replaced the Habsburgs in both Spain and the Holy Roman

Empire (Germany)• Catholics versus Huguenots• Civil War 1567 - 1589• Valois, Bourbon, Guise, Montmorency Families• St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, August 24, 1572• Henry of Navarre, leader of the Huguenots, becomes King Henry

IV• Edict of Nantes 1598• Politiques

Absolute Monarchs

• Henry IV-1598• Louis XIII- king at 9 years old– Henry IV assassinated– Cardinal Richelieu runs France

• Louis XIV-1643– Cardinal Mazarin in charge when Louis XVI is a

minor– Mazarin is like Richelieu– Louis XIV takes control in 1661

Louis XIV

• Controls nobility• Augments bureaucracy• Modernizes military• Revokes Edict of Nantes in 1685• Goes to war to better France’s position in

Europe• Louis XV succeeds in 1715

Literature• Written throughout the Grand Siècle(Grand Century) of

France, spanning the reigns of Henry IV of France, the Regency of Marie de Medici, Louis XIII of France, the Regency of Anne of Austria (and the civil war called the Fronde) and the reign of Louis XIV of France

• literature of this period is often compared with the Classicism(setting standards for taste which the classicists seek to emulate) of Louis XIV's long reign

• Salons and literary academies in the early 17th century embodied Italian Renaissance ideas of the perfect courtier

Literature cont.

• Writers and other artists required noble patrons

• Production of literary works became increasingly necessary to nobles

• 2,200 authors in middle of century• Cardinal Richelieu put patronage under

control of the monarchy

Authors of Nouvelles(shorter works)

• Jean Renaud de Segrais• Madame de Lafayette • Madame de Villedieu • César Vichard de Saint-Réal • Jean de Préchac

Authors of Adventure Novels

• Madeleine de Scudéry

• Gauthier de Costes, seigneur de la Calprenède

• Roland Le Vayer de Boutigny

Authors of Comics & Fictions

• Agrippa d'Aubigné • Béroalde de Verville • François du Souhaite• Cyrano de Bergerac• Paul Scarron

Philosophy

• Influenced Western philosophy for centuries• Modern philosophy founded by René Descartes– Cartesianism– “I think, therefore I am”

• Nicolas Malebranche– Doctrine of occasionalism

• Height of French philosophy was in the 18th century during the Enlightenment Period

French Baroque Architecture• Louis XIII (1610–43), Louis XIV (1643–1715) and Louis XV

(1715–74)• Palace of Versailles• Château de Maisons-Laffitte• Vaux-le-Vicomte • Les Invalides• Place Stanislas• Château de Dampierre• Château de Beaumesnil• Auch Cathedral

Baroque Architecture cont.

• Corps de logis-the principal block of a large, usually classical, mansion or palace– principal rooms, state apartments and an entry– Grandest rooms were on the first floor above ground

level( the 2nd floor)• Wings were hierarchically less important and not as

grand• Courtyard• Large gardens with fountains, hedges, flowers, and

walkways

René DescartesThe Palace of Versailles

Louis XIV “The Sun King”

Works Cited

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17th_century#1640s

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17th-century_French_literature

• http://faculty.ucc.edu/egh-damerow/17th_century.htm

• mclane.fresno.k12.ca.us/wilson98/mwh/C/MH05C021.PDf

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_philosophy

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Baroque_architecture