Absolutism in France and Spain Louis XIII r

Absolutism in France and Spain

Louis XIII (r. 1610 -42) Father to the sun king, he had also come to power at a young age- 8 ½ after his father, Henry IV , had been assassinated His mother, Marie de’ Medici was his regent Powerful minister Cardinal Richelieu played a role in France’s ascendancy to a global power – Centralization of power in the King

Cardinal Richelieu (1585 – 1642) First minister to Louis XIII Machiavellian Exalted French monarchy to absolutist level – centralization of France Hated the Habsburg dynasty Laid basis for French hegemony (domination) across Europe culturally “Secrecy is the first essential in affairs of state. ”

Raison d’etat Philosophy guiding the centralization of France Reason of the state at all costs Set up 32 different generalities (districts) and set up an intendant system in which nobles had to show up to the King’s court

The Fronde (1648 -53) French civil wars based on religious and political dissent Opposition in the provinces to the centralized government Nobles could not be reigned in and lower classes were tired of taxation System of “tax farmers” – officials petitioned the King for the right to collect taxes in each province. Would raise taxes to line their own pockets and send the rest to Paris – Mainly affected peasants because middle class received tax exemptions and nobles were already exempt

Louis XIV – Sun King (1638 – 1715) (r. 1643 – 1715)

Louis XIV House Bourbon Age of Magnificence in France Devoutly Catholic Not necessarily as formally educated as other kings – was a polyglot, was a great writer, had a very practical political education from a young age Raised by his mother, Anne of Austria and Cardinal Mazarin

Type of Ruler Deeply affected by the Fronde. Lived in fear of the people and their power After the Fronde, government procedures were institutionalized and major source of revenue was taxation Louis XIV’s main minister was Cardinal Mazarin, who tried to continue the trend of Richelieu

L’etat c’est moi.

Louis XIV’s reign Louis used the secret police and spies to control his subjects and especially the nobles that potentially could be plotting against him He authorized the opening of private mail as well

Mercantilism Power through amassing wealth Minister of Finance Jean-Baptiste Colbert was wealthy and extremely knowledgeable about the economy Impressed certain changes to the French economy to make it more self-sufficient and also encouraged the expansion into a North American New World empire in Louisiana and Canada – Shipped 400 peasants to “settle” Quebec

Mercantilism was the economic theory that stressed the governments' promotion of limitation of imports from other nations and internal economies in order to improve tax revenues; popular during the 17 th and 18 th centuries in Europe.

Louis XIV’s War of Spanish Succession (1701 – 1713) Charles II of Spain was impotent and mentally inept (and he had no heir to the throne of Spain) In 1698 – European countries came to an agreement that there would be a balance of power once he died. France was NOT supposed to gain control of Spanish crown BUT Charles left his throne to his nephew, Philip of Anjou (also Louis XIV’s grandson) Louis reneged on the treaty and accepted the will instead, angering the rest of Europe

Wo. SS England, Holland, Austria and Prussia declared war on Louis and forced him into an all-out war –their goal to was to maintain a balance of power in Europe and to keep France from becoming a trading empire in the New World (control of Spain’s territories) John Churchill of England Prince Eugene of Savoy, led alliance to victory over France This was occurring on top of other wars he had already waged. Philip became 1 st Bourbon King of Spain, but had to agree to never unite with France Marked an end to French expansionism and their burgeoning economy was checked

Absolutism In Spain The Habsburgs and the waning of Spain’s Power

Netherlands and the Habsburgs Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (Charles I of Spain) retired in 1556 to a monastery. Left Austria, Bohemia, Hungary to bro Ferdinand (new HRE) Left Spain, Duchy of Burgundy and Netherlands provinces to son, Philip II of Spain 2 branches of Habsburgs – Austrian and Spanish established

Spanish Habsburgs King Philip II (r. 1554 -1598) absolute monarch Defender of Catholicism Protected Spain’s colonies in America and the Netherlands His armada was ultimately defeated by the smaller English navy (1588). British “sea dogs” chalked it up to a divine wind, but more likely it was due to their smaller, more maneuverable ships

Re-Catholicizing Europe, one step at a time 1566 – Calvinists in Netherlands went on a rampage, destroying all vestiges of “popery” and Supported Catholic uprisings “idolatry” in England, France and 1567 – Philip sent Duke of Netherlands (including the Alba to Netherlands w/ 20 K slaughter of more soldiers to continue Huguenots); put down Inquisition - “Council of moriscos in Spain Troubles” (Council of Blood) (eventually exiled to weed out “problems” completely) Ultimately Spanish presence – Crusader legacy alive led to the rise of a Dutch and well nationality and more problems for Philip 1/3 of the Spanish pop worked for Church in some capacity

Phil's Escorial Built during reign of Philip II as a direct response to the Reformation Named after the iron mines of the area (28 miles NW of Madrid) Had its own cathedral, monastery and art gallery Basically the Versailles of Spain Cost $3. 4 million dollars

Slow Decline of Spain After years of being on top, the Spanish Habsburgs slowly declined. . . losing territory and international sway to France, England the Netherlands. Rulers after Philip II were notoriously. . . ineffective

King Charles II – “el hexado” (the HEXED) or “el hechizado” (the Bewitched) (r. 16651700) His father was also his mother’s uncle. – Charles's mother was a niece of Charles's father, being a daughter of Maria Anna of Spain (1606– 46) and Emperor Ferdinand III. Thus, Empress Maria Anna was simultaneously his aunt and grandmother and Margarita of Austria was both his grandmother and great-grandmother. The inbreeding was so widespread in his case that all of his eight great-grandparents were descendants of Joanna of Aragon and Duke Phillip of Austria – His genes were more homozygous than most children born of siblings – Did not talk until he was 4 or walk until age 8 – He couldn’t chew, he drooled, his tongue was so large that he couldn’t be understood when he spoke – He was not educated and the only outdoor activity he enjoyed was shooting things (WHAT THE HECK? ? ? )

Charles II His wife, who died in her mid-20 s after falling into a deep depression when she could not conceive (prob Chucks’ fault…)

Charles the Strange Terrible ruler – he let Spain stagnate Presided over more Inquisitional destruction Tried to exhume his relatives before his death to “visit with them” Married 2 x but was impotent, so did not produce an heir According to the medical coroner, Charles' body "contained not a single drop of blood, his heart looked like the size of a grain of pepper, his lungs were corroded, his intestines were putrid and gangrenous, he had a single testicle which was as black as carbon and his head was full of water.