1. France’s Ultimate Monarch
Louis XIV

2. Religious Wars Create a Crisis
Henry IV = 1st king of Bourbon dynasty
Catholics hate Henry b/c he’s Protestant, so he switched to Catholicism
1598 – Henry declared religious tolerance for the Huguenots = Edict of Nantes

3. Henry IV Continued
Wanted to rebuild France and stop all of the religious bloodshed
Eventually stabbed to death by a fanatic who hated Henry’s religious compromises

4. Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu
Louis = weak
His cardinal, Richelieu, was the true ruler of France
Wanted to be moral but was very ambitious
Increased power of Bourbon monarchy by moving against the Huguenots, limiting power of nobles and trying to make France the most powerful country in Europe

5. Pictures of Louis XIV and his palace

6. Skepticism Intellectual movement that arose after the religious wars
Idea that nothing can be known for certain; doubted church doctrine
“All that is certain is that nothing is certain.” - Montaigne
Descartes – helped develop scientific method

7. Louis XIV Rules Absolutely
Cardinal Mazarin was the true ruler b/c Louis was only 5
Mazarin made France strong: increased taxes and strengthened central government
Mazarin’s policies lead to riots led by nobles – Louis was freaked out and decided to reduce the noble’s power

8. Louis takes control… 23 when took control
Excluded nobles from council and created government agents – intendants
Collected taxes and administered justice

9. Economic Growth Jean Baptiste Colbert = minister of finance
Country focused on mercantilism and becoming self-sufficient
High tariffs and government loans to French companies
When Colbert died, Louis screwed up the economic policies (by oppressing the Huguenots – sent them running to the hills with their businesses etc.)

10. Louis’ Grand Style
Louis as a kid – ugh!
Louis as a young kid

11. Louis Fights Disastrous Wars
Kept wanting to fight wars to prove France’s strength
Freaked out Europe, so a bunch of European nations formed an alliance to stop France
Bad harvest + high taxes = suffering people
War weary country gets in ANOTHER war (War of Spanish Succession) - no European nation wanted France to have any say over the king of Spain.

12. War of Spanish Succession
King Louis XIV of France was the most powerful monarch in Europe; it was feared that allowing his son to inherit Spain would seriously compromise the balance of power in Europe