King Louis XIV What is Absolutism Sovereign power

King Louis XIV

What is Absolutism? ¬Sovereign power and ultimate authority of the state rested in the hands of the king ¬How does the king get that power? ¬Divine Right, of course! ¬Who popularized that theory in France? ¬Bishop Jacques Bossuet, Politics Drawn from the Very Words of the Holy Scripture ¬Since kings receive their power form God, they are accountable to no one

France becomes the model for Absolutism ¬Why? ¬French culture (language, clothing, manners, etc. ) impacted all of European society ¬French diplomacy and wars shaped the political affairs of Western and Central Europe

Y Young Louis XIV Marie Theresa & the Dauphin

Foundations for French Absolutism L ouis is 5 yrs old when he inherits the throne; Cardinals that will strengthen royal power rule in his place Cardinal Richelieu Cardinal Mazarin ¬ Accomplishments: ¬ Transformed Huguenots into “more reliable” subjects ¬ Network of spies to uncover anti-royal plots ¬ Intendents- royal officials stationed in the provinces to execute order of central government ¬ Taille- annual direct tax on land increased by 2. 5% ¬ Attempted to continue Richelieu policies- but he’s Italian and was resented ¬ Parlement angry about high taxes and money going to 30 Years’ war ¬ THE FRONDE- Nobles revolt to overthrow Mazarin- want more power and secure gov’t positions ¬ Rebellion crushed, and nobles start to fight each other ¬ Masses want all power to the king!

Louis XIV assumes absolute power ¬“Up to this moment I have been pleased to entrust the government of my affairs to the late Cardinal. It is now time that I govern myself. You will assist me with your counsels when I ask for them. I request and order you to seal no orders except by my command…I order you not to sign anything, not even a passport…without my command; I render account to me personally each day and favor no one. ”

King Louis Bourbon XIV Sept. 5 1638 -Sept. 1 1715 L’ etat c’est moi!

L’ ouis XIV as Apollo, the Sun King

Louis XIV Bernini, 1665

Louis XIII’s Old Chateaua hunting lodges

Palais de Versailles

Chateau de Versailles

Versailles Statistics f 2, 000 acres of grounds f 12 miles of roads f 27 miles of trellises f 200, 000 trees f 210, 000 flowers planted every year f 80 miles of rows of trees f 55 acres surface area of the Grand Canal f 12 miles of enclosing walls f 50 fountains and 620 fountain nozzles f 21 miles of water conduits f 3, 600 cubic meters per hour: water consumed f 26 acres of roof f 51, 210 square meters of floors f 2, 153 windows f 700 rooms f 67 staircases f 6, 000 paintings f 1, 500 drawings and 15, 000 engravings f 2, 100 sculptures f 5, 000 items of furniture and objects d'art f 150 varieties of apple and peach trees in the Vegetable Garden

Hall of Mirrors

The King’s Bed The Queen’s Bed

Louis XIV’s Chapel

Louis XIV’s Chapel Altarpiece

Louis XIV’s Opera Stage

Cabinet with Views of Versailles, 19 c

Louis XIV’s Carriage

Gardens at Versailles

The Orangery

Fountains!

And More Fountains!

Temple of Love

Management Style of The Sun King ¬ 8: 30 Wake-up Call ¬ 100 Nobles – Four Help Him Dress ¬ Keeps Nobles at Versailles – Local Power With Intendants – Lives in Grand Style – Showed Wealth and Power ¬ Changes Art – No Longer to Glorify God – Middle Ages – No Longer to Glorify Human Potential – Renaissance – Glorify King and Absolute Rule

State Policies ¬ Governance ¬ Royal Court was held at Versailles ¬ Seat of Gov’t and culture ¬ All high nobles were appointed to court positions at Versailles ¬ All decisions made by the King ¬ Religious Uniformity ¬ “One King, one law, one faith” ¬ Edict of Fountainbleau (1685) revoked the Edict of Nantes ¬ Destruction of Huguenot churches and schools ¬ 200, 000 Huguenots flee to Holland Prussia ¬ Gallicanism- French civil authority over Pope!

BAROQUE ART and Architecture

Jean-Baptiste Colbert. Financial Policies ¬ Increase wealth and power of France through MERCANTILISM ¬ To accumulate gold, decrease imports and increase exports ¬ Colonies exist for benefit of France ¬ Instituted corvee (labor tax on the peasantry) ¬ Tax incentives to manufacturers, regulations to improve quality of French commodities ¬ Built roads and canals ¬ Created merchant Marines

Wars of Louis XIVLEAGUE OF AUGSBURG AND NINE YEARS WAR ¬Four Wars 1667 -1713 ¬ 1. 1667 - invaded Spanish Netherlands to fight Hapsburgs—DEFEATED ¬ 2. 1672 - invaded Dutch Netherlands. DEFEATED ¬ 3. 1697 -Invaded HRE and seized Alsace and Lorraine- DEFEATED, but kept Alsace, anyway (Treaty of Ryswick)

The War of Spanish Succession, 1702 -1713 ¬ Causes: King of Spain (Hapsburg Charles II dies childless) ¬ Left Spain to grandson of Louis, ¬ Philip V becomes King of Spain ¬ Why does Europe worry? ¬ Spain and France now control…the world? ¬ Alliances: ¬ England, Dutch Netherlands, Austria, and German States versus ¬ France and Spain

OUTCOME: ¬ Treaty of Utrecht (1713) ¬ Confirmed Philip V as King of Spain ¬ Affirmed thrones of France and Spain MUST remain separate ¬ England claims Gibraltar and also takes French lands in Newfoundland, Hudson aby, and Nova Scotia ¬ England proves itself, one again, as a dominant naval force

IMPACTS ¬ Political- Foundations for ABSOLUTISM established, but: Jansenists, Jesuits and the French Church… ¬ Social- Created “Old Regime” and Estates System but: After Louis, underlying conflict between nobility and monarch re-emerges ¬ Intellectual- Royal Universities and Academies of Science ¬ Artistic- Baroque is epitome of high style, France sets cultural standards to rest of 17 th and 18 th c

Assignment ¬ Create an eulogy for Louis XIV ¬ In your eulogy explain how he reflects the ideals of absolutism with the rise of the Bourbon family and support of the Cardinals. ¬ Be sure to highlight the splendor of Versailles and its political meaning ¬ Eulogies will be written from the following perspectives -Nobles -Clergy -Huguenots -Peasants -English monarch post 1688 -Dutch ambassadors -Spanish, Austrian or Russian monarchs ¬ Don’t forget to mention : – economic polices – wars – religious polices – administration of government

Nobles Clergy Huguenots Peasants English monarch post 1688 Dutch ambassadors Spanish, Austrian or Russian monarchs