Absolutism and the Wars of Louis XIV

1. Absolutismand the Wars of Louis XIV

2. Definitions • Absolutism: sovereignty is the ruler! • Jean Bodin – sovereign power = authority to make laws, tax, administer justice, control the state’s administrative system and determine foreign policy • Politics Drawn from the Very Words of Holy Scripture (Jacques Bossuet) (see Kagan 394) • Kings are appointed by God and He reigns through them, therefore coming from God a king’s rule is absolute and he is responsible to no one (not even parliament) except God

4. Absolutism? • ruler is not legally bound to any other persons or institutions but he • was dependent on advisors & bureaucrats • had to compromise with vested interests • could be undone by local custom • could be resisted by lawyers, nobles, ecclesiastics, hereditary officeholders, etc. • had to deal w/ slow transportation & communication = not very efficient

5. Characteristics of Modern State • maintains order & security within the state • raises, controls and supports armies for use against other states • no regard for other countries’ policies • peace at home, war abroad

6. Background to France’s Absolute Monarchy • King Louis XIII, Cardinal Richelieu (and later Cardinal Mazarin) lay groundwork for centralization of French gov’t. • Louis XIII & Richelieu (Chief Minister, 1624-1642) • Limit political and military rights of Huguenots • Establish network of spies to control uprisings within the nobility

7. Armand Jean du PlessisCardinal Richelieu (1585-1642) • Reform & strengthen central government • Intendants – royal officials, generally not of the noble classes that executed the orders of the central government – became increasingly dominant, thereby strengthening the rule of the king • Financial issues • State finances corrupt, inefficient, and unjust • Taille was increased but cost of 30 Years’ War too high, debt continues to rise

8. “If you give me six lines writtenby the most honest man, I will findsomething in them to hang him.”

9. Cardinal Mazarin (1642-1661) • Louis XIII dies 1642 – Louis XIV only four years old • Regent Anne of Austria hands over government to Mazarin • The First Fronde, 1648-49 - after Peace of Westphalia: revolution led by “nobles of the robe” & Parlement of Paris against Mazarin – they wanted power to pronounce his edicts vs. nobility unconstitutional • The Second Fronde, 1650-1652 – led by “nobles of the sword” - wanted to overthrow Mazarin for personal gain; eventually began fighting one another • 1661 Mazarin dies

10. "Oh my poor soul, what is to become of you? — Where do you go?"

11. French Absolutism, 1661-1715 • Louis XIV, Grand Monarque / Sun King, builder of Versailles

12. Louis XIV • 1661 at age 23 Louis declares himself sole ruler of the “State” • He is the fusion of power and the law (justice) in ONE man – no advisor • L’état, c’est moi “The state is myself” = sovereign ruler

13. Louis XIV (b. 1638/r. 1643-1715) , House of Bourbon

14. Louis XIV & Family

15. Versailles: The Royal Court

16. Versailles

17. The Royal Court at Versailles

18. The Hunt

19. Centralization of Administration • Louis XIV builds on the system of intendants originally put in place by Cardinal Richelieu under Louis XIII • Doesn’t ensure complete control of king • Bribery often used • Local officials can however undermine king • How does Louis XIV (not) “use” the parlements? U2.8 #6

20. Centralization of Religion (U2.9 #1-4) • religious unity necessary for success • “One king, one law, one faith” – Louis XIV • Edict of Fontainebleau, 1685 = revocation of the Edict of Nantes (see pg. 397) • strengthens Gallican church • Destruction of Huguenot churches & Protestant schools • suppresses Jansenism (Christian philosophy based on writings of Augustine of Hippo; appealed to upper classes, reading public) • intolerant of Huguenots and other Protestants • ~200,000 migrate to Netherlands, Germany, England & America

21. Centralization of Economics (U2.8 #10) Jean Baptiste Colbert, 1619-1683 - minister of finance • expand mercantilism & increase exports • reduce internal tariffs: Five Great Farms (tariff union) • Commercial Code: improved communications; specified type and quality of goods backed by gov’t. assurances; gave subsidies, tax exemptions; founded monopolies & colonies; built up navy; established the French East India Company • Cost of war is still too much for national treasury! Burden of taxes falls to the poor

22. Centralization of Military = arm of the state • Louis controls/reforms military • army = infantry (foot soldiers), cavalry (horseback) & artillery (weapons technicians) • systematized rank and chain of command with king at pinnacle • gov’t. recruits, equips, feeds, clothes, and houses troops • 100,000 troops in peacetime, 400,000 in wartime • armed forces = effective gov’t. weapon supervised by civilian administrators (birth of war ministry) • economy booster but still not enough – cost of war and king’s court too high

24. Invasion of Netherlands 1 & 2 (U2.8 #11-13) • War of Devolution, 1667-68: Louis invades Spanish Netherlands (north) & Franche-Comte (east) – blocked by Triple Alliance (Dutch, English, Swedes) • Ends in 1668, Treaty of Aix-la Chapelle Spain gives up some towns in Spanish Netherlands. • 1672-78 “Third Anglo-Dutch War”:Louis XIV in alliance w/ Charles II of England VS. William III of Orange in alliance w/ HRE, Spain, Brandenburg, & Denmark • ends in 1678, Peace of Nimwegen: Spain gives up Franche-Comté to Louis but keeps the Spanish Netherlands

26. Annexation of Alsace & Lorraine, occupation of Strasbourg • 1681 French turn against HRE & occupy Strasbourg, Alsace-Lorraine • HRE split anti-French/pro-French • Leopold I Emperor = anti-French • Louis’ allies • Elector of Bavaria • Hungarians (w/ French money) are rebelling against Habsburgs, call on Turks in 1683 (take Vienna) • HREmp Leopold I allies with Poles to drive out Turks, then turns westward

27. War of the League of Augsburg, 1689-1697 (U2.9 #5-6) • League of Augsburg formed in order to repel Louis XIV’s advances • Catholic powers lead by HREmp Leopold I • Protestant powers lead by William III • LofA = Holy Roman Emperor, kings of Spain & Sweden, electors of Brandenburg, Saxony & Palatinate, and the Dutch Republic (and England in 1689) • England and France battle in North America • 1697 Peace of Ryswick (Netherlands) – Louis XIV looses majority of territorial gains, but keeps Strasbourg and part of Alsace • Economic depression and famine in France JOIN FORCES

29. War of Spanish Succession (1701-1713) U2.9 #7&8 • succession of the Spanish throne - decline of Spain • King Charles II of Spain – mentally and physically ill, childless, distant relative of Louis XIV (see chart) • In 1700 Louis’ grandson Philip is crowned Philip V of Spain • Bourbon dynasty now includes France, Spain, Spanish & French New World colonies = big threat to status quo in Europe • Grand Alliance, 1701, organized by William III of Orange = England, Dutch Republic, German states & Habsburg Austria

30. If Louis XIV does not accept on behalf of his grandson, Philip, the Spanish crown will pass to the HRE BUT by accepting the rest of Europe fears the unification of Spain and France under the Bourbons

31. What do they want? • Austrian Habsburgs land in Barcelona and invade Catalonia – civil war in Spain • want to keep Spain in Habsburg family • want to crush Bavaria • want to gain influence Italy • Dutch want to keep French out of Belgium & close the Scheldt • English take Gibraltar and make treaty with Portugal • want to keep Catholic Stuarts (who have sought refuge in France!) from returning to England • English & Dutch want to expand commerce in New World and push out French

33. Peace of Utrecht, 1713Peace of Rastadt, 1714 • British keep Gibraltar & Minorca (=Mediterranean power) and Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Hudson Bay Territory in Canada • Duke of Savoy gets Sardinia (Spanish) • Austrian Habsburgs get Milan, Naples & Sicily, and the Spanish Netherlands • Spain keeps Americas & Philip V • Spanish & French thrones may never be inherited by same person

34. Consequences of war • famine, tax increases, poverty, depopulation • criticism of Louis XIV • loss of Newfoundland & Nova Scotia to British, conceded British sovereignty of Hudson Bay territory (Canada) • Creation of “Dutch Barrier” • 2 new kingdoms granted: Sardinia (Savoy) & Prussia (Brandenburg)

36. Consequences of war • And the WINNER is…England = next great world power! • 1707 Union of England & Scotland • ASIENTO – British now allowed to provide Spanish Americas with slaves (Bristol & Liverpool flourish) • constitutional/parliamentary gov’t. prevails • economic growth in aristocracy & merchant class

37. Decline of Spain • 1596 – Philip II bankrupts national treasury • 1607 – Philip III does the same • Military is out-dated, navy doesn’t recover from 1588 • Government has become inefficient; King doesn’t rule instead Duke of Lerma = power hungry, focused on throne • Not enough economic emphasis put on building a commercial/merchant middle class • Philip IV (1621-1665) & chief minister Gaspar de Guzman • Try to rebuild power of monarchy • Lessen the influence of the Catholic church & aristocracy • Attempt to revive gov’t. centralization program • FAILURE b/c 1/5 of population = aristocracy • Spain’s involvement in 30 Years’ War = civil war and destruction of Spanish military in 1643 • Treaty of Westphalia, 1648 = formal loss of Dutch Republic • Peace of Pyrennes, 1659 (w/ France) = loss of Artois, some borderlands of Spanish Netherlands & France