The Dutch had accepted French aid earlier in Louis rule but, in the War of Devolution, they joined Sweden and England against France, this infuriated Louis. This infuriation was heightened by a rhyme, which mocked Louis that the Dutch sang. This is a failure as Louis had become emotionally involved in this conflict; he wanted to teach the ‘maggots’ a lesson. This approach to warfare was not in line with the military sensibilities of his ancestors. This would also lead to another conflict, the Dutch War.
The Dutch War was not as much a success as the War of Devolution; however, Louis did claim some success as a result of the Treaty of Nymegen (1678). Louis managed to retain land, which he captured which included Saint-Omer, Aine, Ypres, Cambrai, Bauchan and Valenciennes. The war also gained Louis recognition from the Emperor of Brandenburg; ‘No Prince will ever find friendship and security except with France.’ Another out and out success of this war was Louis choice to replace Pompone with Colbert de Croissy who was a much better man for the job of foreign minister. Louis also managed to gain the title ‘Louis the Great’ from the French parlement therefore maintaining the Family tradition of greatness.
However, these gains and therefore success’ were not without failures. Louis entered this war with a goal to ‘crush’ the Dutch, as he was emotionally involved. Therefore this was not a war with clear goals and therefore Louis did not maintain the family tradition of military prowess. Louis also faced widespread critism of his tactics, but ignored them, therefore ignoring public opinion therefore making the wrong mark on European politics. Louis had also laid one of the first ‘Dragon’s teeth.’ This is because, as Wilkinson states, it was the ‘wrong policy, wrong war, wrong enemy.’ The Dutch war threw out the old military alliance of France and the Dutch, as the damage done by this war politically could never be repaired. The ‘Dragon’s teeth’ will now be a main consequence of this war and many other conflicts and events throughout this time period.
Reunions is another foreign policy of Louis which had many failures and is the area which many of these ‘Dragon’s teeth’ were laid. That isn’t to say that reunions were without success. With regards to Louis’ aims, the reclamation of territory that was dependant of France (Reunions), Louis acquired significant territories in Montbeliard, Chirty, Saar and Alsace. These territories allowed Louis to protect his North Eastern frontier more. The problem with this was that in reclaiming this territory, Louis had victimised new powers and therefore made enemies which he didn’t have before this policy had started. Powers such as the Swedish king and the German princes, who were normally friends of the French empire became victimised by Louis. This therefore made the wrong mark on European politics as it showed Louis as something of a traitor. The way in which Louis had acquired these territories was not in line with his family’s military traditions. He had acquired them through a legal system, the Chambres de Reunion, a system far from the military victories and prowess that Louis was so eager to emulate.
The seizure of Strasbourg was an area of the most controversy of Louis’ foreign policy rests. Louis did succeed in capturing Strasbourg and even being allowed to remain there for 20 years which was agreed at the Truce of Ratisbon. This helped the security of France. However, the rest of Europe considered France to have no claim to Strasbourg at all. Even the justification for this policy which Louis’ gave, which was that he was stopping protestant’s practising, just heightened rumours of Louis quest for a universal religion. Once again, this way of claiming territory is not in line with Louis’ ancestors. The force at which Louis claimed Strasbourg made other countries and states fear for their existence as Louis had no claim to Strasbourg, they thought, are we next? Therefore Louis had laid down more ‘Dragon’s teeth.’ These reunions and seizures also gained Louis the nickname, ‘his most Christian Turk,’ a mockery of his,’ most Christian majesty.’ This sums up the feeling for Louis in most of Europe with regards to his reunions and seizures, slimy, underhanded and without reason.
An area which Louis had indeed had out and out success in is the expansion of Culture overseas. The culture which France produced under Louis defiantly made the right mark on the European culture and therefore politics. The literature, art, architecture and even fireworks which France produced and displayed were the best of the best. A German contemporary summed this up perfectly by stating that, ‘Today everything had to be French.’ This expansion of culture culminated by the construction of Versailles, ‘la grande siede,’ which put France firmly on top when it came to Culture.
In conclusion, Wilkinson states that Louis’ ‘success doomed him.’ To an extent this is true. It supports his theory of ‘Dragon’s teeth’ being laid as the success that Louis had in capturing land and attempting to secure his North-Eastern frontier laid the ‘Dragon’s teeth’ and therefore turned many powers on him. Some of these new enemies did turn on him from Louis actions, however some powers turned on him through fear. Although Louis may have caused problems for which he will be accounted for later, he did make a considerable mark on European politics in the years 1661-1684.
