Absolutism and the Court of Louis XIV

Absolutism

A political system where the monarch holds absolute power and authority over the state and its people. The ruler has no limit to their power and is not bound by laws or constitutions.

Louis XIV

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* King of France from 1643 to 1715
* Known as the "Sun King"
* Centralized power in the monarchy
* Built the Palace of Versailles
* Fought in numerous wars to expand France's territory
* Patron of the arts and literature
* Died of gangrene at the age of 76

Cardinal Richelieu

A chief minister to Louis XIII and a cardinal of the Catholic Church. Played key role in establishing absolute monarchy in France and was known for his political and military strategies.

Edict of Nantes

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* Issued by King Henry IV of France in 1598
* Granted religious tolerance to French Protestants (Huguenots)
* Ended the French Wars of Religion
* Allowed Huguenots to practice their religion openly
* Revoked by King Louis XIV in 1685, leading to Huguenot persecution and emigration.

Henry of Navarre

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* King of France from 1589 to 1610
* First monarch of the Bourbon dynasty
* Issued the Edict of Nantes, granting religious toleration to French Protestants
* Remembered for his efforts to promote religious unity and tolerance in France

Michel de Montaigne

French writer and philosopher who developed the essay as a literary genre. He is known for his skepticism and emphasis on self-knowledge.

Rene Descartes

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French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist. The father of modern Western philosophy, and his famous quote "Cogito, ergo sum" (I think, therefore I am) is widely known. He developed the Cartesian coordinate system and made significant contributions to the development of calculus.

Skepticism

A philosophical position that doubts the possibility of certain knowledge, often questioning the reliability of senses, reason, or both.

Cardinal Mazarin

Served as a chief minister to the French King Louis XIV. He played a crucial role in the Thirty Years' War and the Franco-Spanish War.

Versailles

Palace and estate built in the 17th century near Paris, France. It served as the residence of French kings Louis XIV, XV, and XVI. Symbol of absolute monarchy and the gap between the nobility and the common people. Also a center for the arts.

War of the Spanish Succession

A European conflict (1701-1714) fought over the Spanish throne, which led to the rise of the Bourbon dynasty in Spain and the decline of the Habsburg dynasty in Europe.