Absolute Monarchy: France

absolute monarch

kings with total control over nations they ruled

centralized political cont

believed power was unlimited

made laws w/o consent of ppl

divine

absolute monarchs recieved right to rule from god

cardinal richelieu economic reforms

strengthened merchantlisim

encouraged colonization

increased taxes

french debt increase

richelieu’s military reforms

built up french navy

outlawed private warfare

destroyed castles

strengthened france’s army

richeliu religions reforms

limit power of huguenots

richelieu forieng policy

weaken hapsburg power

entered france into 30yrs war and supported protestant states to weaken spain

louis XIV

absolute monarch of france

absolute monarch of france

louis xiv “sun king”

fronde

nobility revolt with the goal of overthrowing Mazarin, louis’s chief minister

religious policy louis xiv

revoked edict of nantes and outlawed protestantism

jean baptiste colbert

controller of finances

helped make france most influencial with mercanitilism

versailles

louis xiv’s fancy ahh palace that required 60-80% of french revenue

made people unhappy bc very fancy

levée at versailles

where nobles would personally wake him up or something like that

demonstrates louis XIV’s power, causes competition among nobles for his approval

louis xiv’s wars of expansion

expensive wars that allowed increased french territory

shifts power balance in europe

french military became strongest in europe

war of spanish succession

chapsburg charles II names bourbon phillip of anjou as heir

→ england, holland and HRE oppose french acquisition of spain and erritories

→ louis XIV negotiates, noone wins

treaty of utrecht

ends war of spanishs uccession

shift in balance of power

→ france loses territory

phillip of anjou became phillip V of spain, but he couldn’t hold french throne 0< french bourbons couldn’t claim spanish throne

great britain becomes most powerful commercial + naval power

what does louis XIV get out of treaty of utrecht

hapsburgs off spanish throne