Louis XIV and the Bourbons

1
Louis XIV and the Bourbons
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Henry of Navarre ( Henry IV) 1589-1610

• Between 1562 and 1598, Huguenots and Catholics
  fought eight religious wars.
• Huguenots were French Protestants
• In an attempt to kill the leaders of the
  Huguenots, the Catholic rulers attacked them at
  the Wedding of Henry of Navarre and Marie de
  Medici
• This was the St. Bartholomews Day Massacre
  (August 24,1572)

3
Henry IVs Edict of Nantes

• To stop the fighting between Huguenots and
  Catholics Henry of Navarre
• Became a Catholic
• Issued the Edict of Nantes (1598)
• Allowed Huguenots to live in peace and free from
  persecution. Gave status to Huguenot nobility.
• Religious tolerance in France
• Henry IV brought peace to France and began to
  rebuild it
• Henry IV was assassinated in 1610 by those who
  did not like his religious compromise.

4
Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu 1624-1642

• Louis XIII was a weak King but appointed a strong
  minister
• Cardinal Richelieu became, in a way, the ruler of
  France
• He took away power and privileges of the
  Huguenots (weakened Protestant cities) as well as
  Catholic Nobles
• Used intendants to collect and enforce taxes and
  laws
• Intendants were royal agents

5
Effects of Richelieu

• Made France the strongest state in Europe
• Brought France into the 30 Years War
• Brought total control to the Bourbon Crown and
  the King

• Set the stage for Louis XIV
• Set the stage for cardinal Mazarin to rule while
  Louis XIV was a child

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The Boy King

• Louis XIV became king at the age of 5.
• Mazarin and his Mother ran the country for him.
• Louis XIV was raised to believe he was one with
  the state. Called the Sun King.
• Mazarin was not liked for raising taxes and made
  the monarchy stronger.
• When Mazarin died in 1661, Louis XIV took total
  control

7
Louis Takes Control

• Louis excluded nobilities from his court
• Increased the power of Intendants
• Increased the economic, political, and cultural
  brilliance of France with the aid of Jean
  Baptiste Colbert
• Colbert promoted mercantilism

• Louis spent fortunes to surround himself with
  luxury
• Built the palace of Versailles.
• Had 500 cooks for his meals
• Best garments available
• Controlled nobility by forcing them to live in
  Versailles.

8
Louis XIV and the arts

• Louis was a great patron of the arts
• Versailles was the most luxurious place.
• Gardens, sculptures, paintings, great
  performances
• Made opera and ballets popular
• Supported writers like Moliére (Tartuffe)

9
Down Fall of France

• Motivated after winning the 30 Years War and
  gaining land from the Dutch, Louis forced France
  into a series of disastrous wars.
• Other states created alliances to fight France
• The League of Augsburg equaled the power of
  France
• Bad harvest and loss of money threw France into
  economic problems

• War of Spanish Succession limited the power of
  France and Spain
• Europe was opposed the union of France and Spain
  proposed by Charles II
• The Treaty of Utrecht, which ended the war, did
  not allow France to merge with Spain

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Death and Legacy

• Louis was upset knowing his wars ruined France
• People cheered when Louis XIV died
• Louis XIV left France as a power to worry others,
  but his abuse of power and money left horrible
  conditions for his heirs
• The ideas of revolution began to appear in
  peoples minds