FRANCE Absolutism

Henry IV ( ) In the late 16 th century, France fought internal religious wars between the Huguenots (French Calvinists) and Catholic groups As a converter to Calvinism, Henry IV will fight against the royal army  However, when his cousin dies, he becomes king and repudiates his faith to adopt Catholicism, since it is the majority religion

The Bourbon dynasty Henry IV begins the Bourbon Dynasty He allows protestants to continue their faith in areas where most people were protestants but forbid the faith in Catholic strongholds (Edict of Nantes) He supported trade, fixed the treasury, and supported trade He was assassinated by an angry Catholic

Louis XIII ( ) When Henry IV died, Louis XIII became king at the age of 9, but his mother acted as the regent for him Seven years later, Louis XIII forcefully removed his mother from power and exiled her He eventually gave power to Cardinal Richelieu as “Chief minister”

Cardinal Richelieu He sought to create an absolute monarchy and a strong military He destroyed strongholds of the nobility and gave their local administration powers to intendants

Richelieu religious policy He attempted to allow Huguenots religious freedom, but only if they remained loyal He removed territorial rights of the Huguenots to limit their cooperation Despite this, he would ally with Protestants in foreign wars, such as in the Thirty Years War

Louis XIV ( ) When Louis XIII died, his son Louis XIV became king at age 5 His mother Ann served as regent and Cardinal Mazarin was the chief minister He took over at age 23

Absolutist view He is known as the “Sun King” because everything revolved around him He built the grand Palace of Versailles, at the expense of the treasury Church officials backed his absolutist view

Versailles

Government Chose his top advisors from the middle class, as did Cardinal Richelieu’s and Henry IV Attempted to end feudal influences but he could not change…  Varied legal systems  Private tolls between provinces  Separate authorities and districts for financial, judicial, religious, and administrative affairs

Taxation One major policy he could not change was the tax code that heavily burdened the poor Tax collectors made money, but he could not fix that either Regions had different tax rates

Religion Louis XIV saw Protestantism as a threat He eventually forced children of Protestants to be Catholic and persecuting those who did not

Expansion Franco-Dutch War (with England and Sweden against the Dutch Republic and Spain) Nine Years War (against England,, the Dutch Republic, Holy Roman Empire, and Spain) The War of the Spanish Succession (with Bavaria against the Holy Roman Empire, England, the Dutch, and Portugal)

Legacy Major projects and cultural achievement Large debt increase Decrease in power of the nobility, but they would regain some under the next ruler, Louis XV Failed at solving the major financial difference because he could not control the taxcode