1. Age of Absolutism

2. Louis xiv of france

3. Characteristics of Absolutism
Bishop Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet
Politics Taken From the Very Words of Scripture.

4. Divine right of kings
Monarchs derive their right to rule directly from God and, therefore, are not answerable to anyone.

5. Louis xiv as “the sun king”
France revolves around Louis XIV like the planets orbit the sun.
Monarch holds unlimited power;
not subject to limits by nobility or legislative bodies (parlements)
Louis XIV “L’etat c’est moi”
“I am the state!”
individuals are subjects owe loyalty and obedience

6. Revokes Edict of nantes
Believes in principles of the Peace of Augsburg
Sovereign should determine faith of the realm
Gallicanism: king exercised administrative control over the church in France
Saw Huguenots as a challenge to his absolute power
Edict of Fontainebleau (1685)
200,000 highly-skilled Huguenots flee in exile
Weakens France, strengthens Protestant enemies

7. Monarch dominates upper classes, which in turn dominate lower classes.
Intendant System
Monarch dominates upper classes, which in turn dominate lower classes.
“intendants”
“Nobles of the Robe” loyal only to Louis XIV
administrators sent out to carry out Louis’ decisions
vs. “Nobles of the Sword” from old aristocratic families descended from feudal knights
power and influence is limited under Louis XIV

8. What to do about the Noblesse d’épée?
The levée
What to do about the Noblesse d’épée?
forced to live at Versailles at least part of the year
attend daily ceremonies symbolizing king’s power.
rising (the levée)
rubbing
dressing
eating
During which the king listens to requests and dispenses favors
Louis XIV dominates cultural life either as patron of arts or by censorship.

9. versailles

10. Palais de Versailles

11. Baroque Art “Hall of Mirrors”

12. Jean-Baptiste Colbert Louis XIV’s finance minister
mercantilism
Jean-Baptiste Colbert
Louis XIV’s finance minister
based ideas on a “win-lose” philosophy
a state’s economy can only grow by taking over a trade route or colony of another country.
Goal is to increase gold in treasury through positive balance of trade
Exports greater than imports
Protect domestic industry thru tariffs
Enforce trade monopolies over colonies who exist only to benefit mother country
Build roads and canals

13. Mercantilist world economy

14. Wars & Expansion under Louis XIV
Through a series of expensive wars Louis slowly expanded French territory.
War of Devolution ( )
The Dutch War ( )
War of the League of Augsburg ( )
Although successful, they isolate France who is often at war with a rotating coalition of European states looking to limit French aggressiveness and maintain a “balance of power”

15. War of Spanish Succession
Childless Hapsburg Charles II names Bourbon Philip of Anjou as heir.
England, the Dutch and HRE oppose French acquisition of Spain & territories.
Louis was defeated by the Grand Alliance.

16. War ended with Treaty of Utrecht (1713)
Philip of Anjou become Philip V of Spain, BUT he nor his successors could hold French throne.
Hapsburgs and British gained territory, French lost New World lands.
Gilbraltar → British

17. Timeline of 17th century france
1598: Henry IV issues Edict of Nantes
Bourbon politique, Protestant turned Catholic, “Paris is worth a mass”
Reestablished authority of the crown
1610: assassinated by Catholic fanatic
Louis XIII
1621: names Cardinal Richelieu as chief minister
Goals are to destroy Huguenots, control nobility, extend French power in Europe
Anti-Hapsburg, joins Thirty Years’ War on side of Protestants
establishes Intendant system

18. Timeline of 17th century france
1642: Cardinal Mazarin succeeds Richelieu
1643: Louis XIII dies and is
succeeded by 5 year-old Louis XIV
1648 – 53 Nobles rebel in the Fronde against Mazarin and regent Queen Anne
1661: Louis XIV assumes personal rule after Mazarin dies
1715: Louis XIV dies after a 72 year long reign
longest in European history

19. Baroque: Art of Absolutism
Originated in Rome with the Counter-Reformation in the 16th century.
Comes to define the 17th century and therefore coincides with the Age of Absolutism.
Images are dramatic, draw the viewer in to participate in the scene.
Emotionally intense (Bernini’s Ecstasy of St. Theresa)

20. Bernini’s Ecstasy of St. Theresa

21. Baroque: Art of Absolutism
Originated in Rome with the Counter-Reformation in the 16th century.
Comes to define the 17th century and therefore coincides with the Age of Absolutism.
Images are dramatic, draw the viewer in to participate in the scene.
Emotionally intense (Bernini’s Ecstasy of St. Theresa)
Extravagant settings and ornamentation. (Versailles)
Dramatic contrasts between light and dark, light and shadow (Caravaggio’s Judith Beheading Holofernes, Rembrandt’s The Night Watch)

22. Caravaggio’s Judith Beheading Holofernes

23. Rembrandt’s The Night Watch

24. Baroque: Art of Absolutism
Originated in Rome with the Counter-Reformation in the 16th century.
Comes to define the 17th century and therefore coincides with the Age of Absolutism.
Images are dramatic, draw the viewer in to participate in the scene.
Emotionally intense (Bernini’s Ecstasy of St. Theresa)
Extravagant settings and ornamentation. (Versailles)
Dramatic contrasts between light and dark, light and shadow (Caravaggio’s Judith Beheading Holofernes, Rembrandt’s The Night Watch)
As opposed to Renaissance art with its clearly defined planes, with each figure placed in isolation from each other, Baroque art has continuous overlapping of figures and elements (Peter Paul Ruben’s Massacre of the Innocents)
Common themes: grandiose visions, ecstasies and conversions, martyrdom and death, intense light, intense psychological moments.

25. Peter Paul Ruben’s Massacre of the Innocents