Absolutism in France and Spain
Monarchs ruled “by the grace of God” as a consequence of their coronation and anointment with sacred oil. Law given by God; kings “found” law
and acknowledged that they must respect and obey it. Kings in absolutist states claimed exclusive power to make and enforce laws. Louis XIV is
seen as perfect “absolute” monarch with wars, increased taxes, and economic regulation, and palace; all relying on colab with nobles.
I. The Foundations of Absolutism
A. Roots of Louis XIV’s absolutism
1. Grandpa Henry IV acquired devastated country - Prot v Cath civil wars
2. Poor harvests → starvation
3. Commercial activity declined
4. Henry the Great (Henri le Grand) inaugurates recovery
B. Henry the Great keeps France at peace during his reign
1. Edict of Nantes - Prot right to worship in 150 traditional Prot towns in France
2. Lowers taxes, charges royal officials annual fee to guarantee right to pass positions down to heirs
3. Improves infrastructure - roads, canals, etc
a) Murdered → sets off national crisis
C. Henry’s wife Marie de Medeci rules for young Louis XIII
1. Cardinal Richelieu - first prime minister of French crown
a) Allows monarchy to maintain power within Europe and its borders despite Thirty Years’ War
D. Richelieu establishes administrative system to strengthen royal control
1. Extends use of intendants - commissioners for each of France’s thirty two districts
a) Appointed directly by king to whom they were solely responsible
b) Recruited men for army, supervised tax-collecting, presided over administration of local law,
checked on local nobility, and regulated economic activities in their districts
(1) ↑ intendant power = ↑ centralized French state power
E. French monarchy acts to repress Prot under Richelieu
1. Louis personally supervised siege of La Rochelle (important port city and commercial center with strong
ties to Prot Holland and England)
a) Fall in October 1628 - municipal government suppressed
(1) Prots retained right of public worship but Catholic liturgy was restored
(2) One step in removal of Prot as a strong force in French life
F. Richelieu didn’t aim to rid Prot in the rest of Euro
1. Main foreign policy goal: destroy Cath Habsburg’s grip on territories that surrounded France
2. Consequently, Richelieu supported Habsburg enemies including Prots
3. 1631 Signs treaty with Luth king Gustavus Adolphus - promised French support against Habsburgs in
Thirty Years War
4. For Richelieu: state interests outweigh religious considerations
G. Cardinal Jules Mazarin is Richelieu’s successor as chief minister for next child king Louis XIV
1. Mazarin and regent mother Queen Anne of Austria continues Richelieu’s centralizing policies
a) Struggle to increase royal revenues to meet war costs lead to Fronde uprisings
(1) Fronde - series of violent uprisings triggered by growing royal control and oppressive
taxation
(2) Frondeur -individuals and groups who opposed government policies
2. Parlement of Paris - nation's most important court
a) Magistrates of PP outraged by Crown’s autocratic measures
(1) Robe nobles (court robes they wore) encouraged violent protest by common people
(a) First riots - Queen Anne flees with Louis XIV
(b) Rebellion spreads outside Paris and to sword nobles ( traditional warrior
nobility) → civil order falls
b) 1651 Queen Anne declares Louis XIV as king
, I. Louis XIV and Absolutism
A. French monarchy reaches peak of absolutist development under Louis XIV
1. Religion, Anne, and Mazarin taught Louis the doctrine of divine right of kings
a) God had established kings as rulers on Earth; answerable ultimately to him alone
b) Kings divinely anointed, shared in the sacred nature of divinity; but couldn’t do as they pleased
c) How to obey God's laws and rule for good of people
2. Louis symbolizes his central role in divine order
a) 15 yo - danced a court ballet dressed as sun - “Sun King”
B. Louis works hard at business of governing
1. Ruled realm through several council of state - insisted on taking personal role in council decisions
a) Selected councilors from recently ennobled or upper middle class
2. Increasing financial problems - never called meeting of Estates General → nobility had no means of
united expression or action
3. No first minister - free from worry about inordinate power of Richelieu
C. Louis hated realm division and insisted religious unity was essential to royal dignity and state security
1. Pursued policy of Prot repression launched by Richelieu
2. 1685 Louis revoked Edict of Nantes
a) New law orders (Edict of Fountainbleu) - destruction of Huguenot churches, closing of schools,
Cath baptism of Hugs, and exile of Hug pastors who didn’t renounce their faith
(1) → some of his most loyal and industrially skilled subjects leave
D. Multiple constraints on Louis’s power despite claims to absolute authority
1. Preventative of divine power - obliged to rule in way consistent with virtue and benevolent authority
2. Had to uphold the laws issued by royal predecessors
3. Relied on collaboration of nobles who maintained prestige and authority in ancestral lands
a) No cooperation → impossible to extend power throughout France or wage many foreign wars
b) Need to elicit noble cooperation → revolutionizing court life at palace at Versailles
II. Life at Versailles
A. 1682 Louis moves court and government to palace at Versailles
1. (Before) French court had no fixed place - followed monarch to their palaces and homes
2. Became center of political, social, cultural life
3. King required all great nobles to spend at least part of year there to be watched
a) Nobles had no choice; competed with each other for king favor - kings controlled distribution of
state power and wealth
(1) Louis liked to be flattered
B. The palaces magnificent physical features would become models, but daily life was less glamorous
1. Served as: government offices for royal bureaucrats, housing for royal family and nobles, and workplace
for many domestic servants; open to public during certain hours
a) 3-10k people everyday → Even nobles suffered from cramped living spaces, noise, smell
C. Louis further revolutionized court life by establishing elaborate sets of etiquette rituals to mark everyday
moments
1. From waking up and dressing to removing clothing and sleeping at night
2. Required willing nobles to serve him in these rituals
a) “Privilege” - highest ranking handed king his shirt
b) Access to king meant favored treatment for govt offices, military/religious posts, state
pensions, titles, etc
(1) Courtiers wanted rewards for themselves and family members and followers
(2) Patronage? - Louis gained cooperation from powerful nobles
D. Women played a central role in the patronage system despite being denied public offices and posts
1. King's wife, mistresses, other female relatives recommended individuals for honors, advocated policy
decision, brokered alliances between noble factions
2. Noblewomen play similar role among courtiers - bring family connections to marriage to form powerful
social networks
3. Onlookers sometimes resented influence of powerful court women
a) Duke of Saint-Simon - said Madame de Maintenon (Louis mistress and second wife): “many
people ruined by her”
E. French classicism during age of Louis XIV
1. Louis was enthusiastic patron of arts; did court ballet dancing
2. Commissioned sculptures, paintings, dance and music performances for Versailles
