1. 8.3 Notes - France

2. Warm-Up 5 Questions and Answers from the Habsburg family.
5 Questions and Answers from the Tudor family.

3. France: Overview
Bourbon Dynasty ruled as France’s most powerful monarchs from late 1500s to early 1800s
1st King was Henry IV, He worked with the Estates General, (France’s version of Congress) to create order and repair France’s roads and industry.

4. Henry IV
Henry IV was a Protestant, but he converted to Catholicism to quiet his Catholic opponents.
However, he still allowed Protestant worship to continue in areas where the protestants were a majority, but barred Protestant worship in Paris and other Catholic strongholds.
This action ended religious strife and enabled France to rebuild itself.
With the help of his minister of finance, Henry restored the Crown’s treasury, repaired roads and bridges, and supported trade and industry.
When Henry was assassinated in the 1600s, his 9 year old son, Louis XIII, became king.

5. Louis xiii
However, Louis’s mother regent (a person appointed to administer a country because the monarch is a minor or is absent or incapacitated) over him for the next 7 years.
But, in 1617 Louis gained the throne by force and exiled his mother from court.
A few years later, he gave power to one of her advisers, Cardinal Richelieu.

6. Louis xiii continued
Gradually he gave complete control of the government to the Cardinal, who set out to build an absolute monarch in France.
In doing so, he reduced the power of the nobles and the Protestants.
Stripped them of their powers.
The nobility retained the social prestige, while authority in local government affairs was given to special agents of the Crown known as intendants.

7. Brainstorm In your groups: What are the advantages to being a king at age 5? Disadvantages? Include two for each.

8. Louis xiv
His mother was the Hapsburg Spanish queen Anne of Austria, and his father was Louis XIII, King of France
Louis XIV is recognized as the most powerful Bourbon monarch.
He became king in the mid 1600s at the age of 5.
At first, France was ruled by his two regents-his mother, and the Cardinal’s successor.
When he was 23 years old, he announced he would run his own government.
Rules for 72 years by way of absolute monarchy.

9. Ruling in style
It set the style for European monarchies during the 1600s and 1700s.
He set up a lavish court and surrounded himself with pomp and pageantry; splendor.
Louis’s monarchy had power as well as style.
Although he relied on a bureaucracy, he was the source of all political authority in France.
His nickname was the “Sun King”.

10. Being right no matter what is just divine!
Louis emphasized a strong monarchy because of his fear of disorder without it.
The church officials defense of the divine origins of monarchy became one of the most famous justifications of absolute rule.
Subjects had no right to revolt even if the king was unjust.
Kings need to account to no one except God, but they should act with humility and restraint because God’s judgment is heaviest for those who command.

11. Life is taxing under louis xiv
The poor (85% of the country) carried most of the tax burden, while nobles, clergy, and government officials were exempt from many payments.
The unreformed tax system heightened the economic differences between the regions of France.

12. Expansion Louis pursued a bold and active foreign policy.
His goal was to extend the glory and power of France.

13. Review: On The verge of a revolution
France did enjoy one of its most brilliant cultural periods under Louis.
However, Louis building projects and his wars left the country near financial ruin.
The ways in which Louis weakened the French nobility also had their costs.
The nobles lost their ability to govern, but not the desire for power.
The peasants and the middle class resented the privileges and wealth of the nobles.
The nobility would eventually sought to expand its power under Louis’s grandson, Louis XV.
However, conflicts between the nobles and the middle and lower class would bring France to the brink of a revolution.

14. Palace of Versailles
Louis lived outside of Paris and moved his court and government to a new palace that he built at Versailles.
The Palace of Versailles was a large, splendid structure.
No expense was spared, for Versailles was to demonstrate the wealth, power, and glory of France.
Here, King Louis, was protected by his special bodyguard troops called the Musketeers; who were known as excellent shots with a musket as well as being great swordsmen.

15. Versailles Hall of Mirrors

17. Vla Review
Louis XIV: Versailles: Three Musketeers: Louis XIV Rap:

18. WRAP UP ACTIVITY
In your group create your own 5 to 8 line paragraph, rap or a funny poem reviewing 5 to 8 key facts from this section.
Choose a presenter to share your creative genius to the class.

19. Wrap-Up vla’s Historic Rap Throw Down
Horrible Histories
MTV Cribs
French Revolution Crash Course