What is Absolutism? f Sovereign power or ultimate authority in the state rested in the hands of a king who claimed divine right f Characteristics of Absolutism: Centralization of power in the state Sole legislative & executive rights belong to monarch Elimination of challenges to royal power Expand sources of revenue to pay for larger armies Absolutism is NOT the same as dictatorship!!!
Justification for Absolutism f Religious defense of Absolutism (Bishop Jacques Bossuet) God selected king to rule (divine right) King is only answerable to God f Secular defense of Absolutism (Thomas Hobbes) Man is naturally wicked & selfish Strong centralized gov’t needed to prevent violence/disorder Powerful monarch needed to protect man from himself
The Bourbon Dynasty:
Architects of French Absolutism Sully Richelieu Mazarin
King Louis XIV ( ) f Nickname: “The Sun King” f Dynasty: Bourbon f Country: France f Height: 5’5” f Policy: One king, one law, one faith f Quote: “L’état, c’est moi!” f Vice: Sex, sex & more sex Portrait by Hyacinthe Rigaud Portrait by Hyacinthe Rigaud
Versailles Today
Versailles Statistics f 2,000 acres of grounds f 12 miles of roads f 27 miles of trellises f 200,000 trees f 210,000 flowers planted every year f 80 miles of rows of trees f 55 acres surface area of the Grand Canal f 12 miles of enclosing walls f 50 fountains and 620 fountain nozzles f 21 miles of water conduits f 3,600 cubic meters per hour: water consumed f 26 acres of roof f 51,210 square meters of floors f 2,153 windows f 700 rooms f 67 staircases f 6,000 paintings f 1,500 drawings and 15,000 engravings f 2,100 sculptures f 5,000 items of furniture and objects d'art f 150 varieties of apple and peach trees in the Vegetable Garden
Palais de Versailles
Versailles Palace, Park Side
Chateau de Versailles
The Orangery
Fountains, Fountains, and More Fountains!
And More Fountains!
And Even More Fountains!!!
Hall of Mirrors
The Queen’s Bed The King’s Bed
Louis XIV’s Chapel
Louis XIV’s Opera Stage
The Gallery of Battles
Louis XIV Furniture
Louis’s Early Wars ( ) f François-Michel Le Tellier (marquis of Louvois) increased size & effectiveness of French army f Goal expand France’s natural borders (protection from invasion) f Fought wars with Holland, the HRE & Spain brought only modest rewards f Wars led to more problems for France
War of Spanish Succession ( ) f Cause Louis claims Spanish throne for grandson Philip f Alliance formed to prevent France from destroying European balance of power f Fought in Europe & colonial empires in North America f Peace of Utrecht (1713) & Peace of Rastatt (1714): Bourbons get Spanish throne; could never unify though England receive Fr. Territories in No. America, and acquired Gibraltar, Minorca & the asiento Austria gained Spanish Netherlands (Belgium) FRANCE WAR England, Netherlands, Austria & Prussia
Jean Baptiste Colbert ( ) f Louis XIV’s finance minister f Goal strengthen the economy & enrich the middle classes f Adopted mercantilist policies Established & subsidized new industries (shipbuilding & textiles) Created merchant marine to take French goods abroad Expanded France’s international empire (India, Quebec & Louisiana) Improved efficiency of tax collection
Louis’s Taxes: An Overview f Taille (direct tax to the king) Paid for by peasants as well as elements of bourgeoisie Exemptions = nobles, clergy & inhabitants of large towns Paying was a collective responsibility of village or town Collected by officials that had to be paid for their work f Venality of Office Sale of royal offices Purchasing a royal office made it possible to gain noble status f Indirect taxes Gabelle = sales tax Aides = wine tax Collected by “tax farmers”= pay monarch & collect from people
Provincial Jurisdictions f Generalités large jurisdictions All of France was divided f Pays d’élections Did not have their own regional assemblies Intendants collected taxes directly f Pays d’états Formerly independent provinces Had own regional assemblies Assemblies collected taxes; handed them to king