-involved France in the 30 Years War
Writers Turn Toward Skepticism
-idea that nothing can ever be known for certain
-doubt toward churches that claimed they have the only correct set of doctrines
Montaigne & Descartes
-Michel de Montaigne developed new form of literature-essay-breif work that expresses a person’s thought & opinions
-ideas replace themselves
-humans could never have absolute ideas on what is true
-Rene Descartes-Meditations on First Philosophy-skeptical argument that one could never be certain on anything
-observations & reasons 2 answer arguments
-created a philosophy that influenced modern thinkers 2 develop scientific method
Louis XIV Comes 2 pwr
-thought he & the state were 1 & the same
-L’etat c’est moi – I am the state
-4 yr old boy when began his reign
Louis, the Boy King
-became king in 1648
-Cardinal Mazarin(Richelieu’s successor)-true ruler of France
-increased taxes & strengthened the central gov
-1648-1653-violent Mazarin riots tore France apart
-nobles rebellion failed 4 3 reasons:
-1. Leaders distrusted 1 another more than Mazarin
-2. Gov used violent repression
-3. Peasants & townsppl grew weary of disorder & fighting
Louis Weakens the Nobles’ Authority
-Mazarin died in 1662, 22 yr old Louis took control of gov
-excluded nobles from his councils
-incr pwr of gov agents- intendants- collected taxes & administered justice
Economic Growth
-devoted himself 2 helping France attain economic, political, & cultural brilliance
-minister of finance- Jean Baptiste Colbert
-theory of mercantilism
-tried 2 make France self-sufficient 2 prevent $ from leaving country
-manufacture everything instead of relying on imports
-gave gov funds & tax benefits 2 French companies
-placed high tariff on goods from other countries
-colonies provided raw materials & market 4 manufactured goods
-colbert died, Louis made a policy that slowed France’s eco progress
-1685-cancelled the Edict of Nantes-thousands of Huguenot artisans & business ppl fled the country-took France’s many skilled workers
The Sun King’s Grand Slam
-surrounded himself in luxury
Louis Controls the Nobility
-nobles wanted 2 be noticed by Louis
-nobles @ palace incr royal authority in 2 ways
-1. Made nobility dependent on Louis
-2. Took them from homes, giving more pwr 2 intendants
Patronage of the Arts
-Louis palace=center of arts, The Sun King, Moliere wrote Tartuffe-mocks religious hypocrisy, Louis was commited 2 the arts
Louis Fights Disastrous War
-most pwrful country in Europe
Attempts to Expand France’s Boundaries
-1667-Louis invaded Spanish Netherlands in effort 2 expand France’s boundaries
-gained 12 towns
-led an army to Dutch Netherlands in 1672
-Dutch saved their country & war ended in 1678 w/ Treaty of Nijmegen
-France gained many towns & region called Franche-Comte
-End of 1680s- Europeanwide alliance formed 2 stop France
-1689-Dutch Prince William of Orange became king of Eng.-joined League of Augsburg
-France’s series of poor harvests + constant warfare= great suffering 2 French ppl
War of the Spanish Succession
-French longed 4 peace but got another war
-1700-king of Spain Charles II died after promising Louis XIV’s grandson Philip of Anjou the throne
-2 greatest pwrs in Europe now ruled by French Bourbons
-1701- many countries joined 2gether to prevent union of French & Spanish thrones(War of the Spanish Succession)
-dragged on until 1724-Treaty of Utrecht was signed that yr
-Louis’s grandson could remain King of Spain as long as thrones of France & Spain were not united
-Great Britain won
-took Gibraltar & Spain granted a British company an asiento (permission 2 enslaved Africans to Spain’s American colonies-incr Britain’s involvement in trading enslaved Africans
-France gave Britain N Amer territories of Nova Scotia & Newfoundland & claims 2 the Hudson Bay region
Louis’s Death & Legacy
-died in bed in 1715-prompted rejoicing throughout France
-France was a pwr 2 be reckoned w/ in Europe, ranked above all other European nations in art, literature & statesmanship, F= military leader, allowed F 2 develop strong empire of colonies, recources & goods
-constant warfare & construction of Versailles=F in debt
-resentment over the tax burden imposed on the poor & Louis’s abuse of pwr would plague his heirs & eventually lead 2 revolution