1. Wife of Henry II, Queen of France
Catherine de Medici
Wife of Henry II, Queen of France
Her husband’s mistress was actually the 2nd in power. When her husband was wounded in a jousting tournament she was able to gain control and banish the mistress from France.
3 of her sons would rule while she was alive, but it was actually she who would do the ruling!

2. St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre 1572 Catholics killed thousands of Huguenots in Paris. Similar massacres occurred throughout France. Over 100,000 killed. Government pardoned everyone involved Between 1562 – 1598 the Catholics and Huguenots fought 8 wars in France

3. Catherine Medici viewing the wreckage Her daughter was promised to be wed to Henry of Navarre who was a Huguenot, but she used the wedding as a decoy to attack Protestants.

4. Henry IV (“the Great”) of France 1553 – 1610 Began Bourbon Dynasty He was a Huguenot Enacted the Edit of Nantes which allowed religious toleration in France His potential mother-in-law, Catherine Medici, is thought to have allowed the marriage of her daughter to Henry so that the Protestants could be massacred. He was finally assassinated by a fanatic in 1610

5. Louis XIII of France He became king at the age of 8 and his mother helped rule. In 1624, Cardinal Richelieu became his chief advisor

6. Louis XIV, King of France (“The Sun King”)

7. He weakens the power of nobles
He increased the power of government agents called intendants (tax collectors/judges)
Along with his minister of finance, Jean Baptiste Colbert, they attempted to make France self-sufficient (mercantilism)—they used tax breaks, tariffs and encouraged colony development (e.g. fur trading)

8. Cardinal Richelieu – 1642 Rose thru the ranks of the clergy and was appointed to the States-General (1st Estate). During the Huguenot rebellion he made himself indispensable in court and in 2 years had intrigued against the chief minister and became the King’s Prime Minister

9. Since Louis XIV was so young, the real ruler of France was Cardinal Mazarin.
Mazarin was hated by many, especially the nobles.
Because of the years of anti-Mazarin riots, Louis decided when he took control he would never be weak.

10. Château of Versailles

11. Château of Versailles

12. Château of Versailles

13. Versailles's chapel

14. Marie-Antoinette's pastoral pond side Hameau in the park,

15. Fountain of Apollo

16. Fountain of Apollo

17. The Grand Perspective

18. Hall of Mirrors

19. Hall of Mirrors

22. Bedchamber

23. Bedchamber

26. Throne Room

29. A little theater for the King & his friends

30. Intendents – they collected taxes and administered justice
Intendents – they collected taxes and administered justice. They were under the central control of the king. Louis XIV increased their power when he reduced the nobles power (he excluded them from councils)
Jean Baptiste Colbert – minister of Finance. Believed in mercantilism (selling more goods than purchased – purchase goods made in home country, not imported)
Skepticism – the idea that nothing can ever be known for certain. Doubting old truths was the 1st step towards finding the truth.
War of Spanish Succession – When other European countries worried about Bourbons gaining strength, they fought this war. The Treaty of Utrecht allowed Louis’ grandson to remain king of Spain as long as Spain & France were not united (in America this war was called Queen Anne’s War)