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5.1 - Spain's Empire and European Absolutism

1) Louis XIV came to power in France after a period of religious wars and assumed total control as an absolute monarch, centralizing government power. 2) He engaged in costly wars that expanded French territory but also led to heavy taxes and debt as the people grew tired of conflict. 3) By the end of his reign, Louis had strengthened France but also sowed the seeds for revolution by resenting his absolute rule and high taxes.

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5.1 - Spain's Empire and European Absolutism

1) Louis XIV came to power in France after a period of religious wars and assumed total control as an absolute monarch, centralizing government power. 2) He engaged in costly wars that expanded French territory but also led to heavy taxes and debt as the people grew tired of conflict. 3) By the end of his reign, Louis had strengthened France but also sowed the seeds for revolution by resenting his absolute rule and high taxes.

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5.

1 - Spain’s Empire and European


Absolutism
Essential Question:
How did the decline of Church authority affect social and political
structures in Europe and beyond?
Re-Cap: Connection to the
Reformation

 Renaissance → Reformation →
↓ Power of Church
 ↓ Church → ↑ governments
(nation-states)
 Strengthening governments led
by abusive leaders
 Monarchs > everyone
Understanding the Title
 Absolute 
 Total, complete
 Monarch
 A ruler of a kingdom (monarchy)
 Absolute Monarchs → total control of
European territories
 Kings/Queens controlled everything
 Divine right = God’s doing is my
doing, my doing is God’s
 Big idea: aggressive rule → demand for
democracy
Spain’s Empire
 Religious divides + quest for 
resources/land → Imperial conflicts
 Spain = territory under influence of Holy
Roman Empire (Germany)
 Ruled by Charles V
 Inherited by Philip II
 Also took over Portugal
 Defender of Catholicism – waged war
against Muslim Ottomans and Protestant
Europeans
 → fight with Dutch, → Dutch independence
 Importance: Precursor to democratic leadership
vs. absolutism
The Reign of Louis XIV
 5.2

Essential Question:
How did the decline of Church authority affect social and political
structures in Europe and beyond?
France:
Religious Wars and Power Struggles
 Background 
 Several different monarchs – all from the same family lineage
 Several religious wars/massacres over 30+ years
 Catholics vs. Huguenots
 Huguenots = French Protestants
 Royals = Protestant, until Henry IV (Bourbon Monarchy)
 Protestant → Catholic, for peace
 Edict of Nantes
 Allowed Huguenots to “freely” worship
 Big idea: freedom of religion
 Focus: peace and prosperity for France
 Critics: Henry IV = religious sellout
 → assassination (1610)
France:
Religious Wars (Cont’d)

 Louis XIII (King) & Cardinal Richelieu (“Minister”)
 Leadership style
 “tried sincerely to lead according to moral principles…
 also ambitious and enjoyed exercising authority.”
 Analyze: How did the Cardinal really rule?
 Significance
 ↑ political power of Bourbon Monarchy
 Fear of conspiracy → strictly limits on Huguenots worship
 ↑ middle class → noble officials ↓
 Expansionist: fought Hapsburg rulers → ↑ French influence/power
Writers Turn Towards Skepticism
 Definition: Skeptical 
 Modern vernacular: not easily convinced; having
doubts or reservations
 Philosophical: certain knowledge is impossible
 French context
 Religious wars led by different religions →
doubtful believers
 Doubting old ideas → truth
 Michel de Montaigne
 Inventor of the essay
 René Descartes
 Belief: observation + reason = truth (→ scientific
method)
Louis XIV Comes to Power
 Young & tumultuous ascendance
 King at age 4
  Post-Colbert (1685)
 Canceled the Edict of Nantes → ↓ skilled
workers
 Cardinal Mazarin – stand-in ruler
 Ended 30-years war, ↑ taxes, ↑ central  Abuse of power: “Grand Style”
gov’t power  Lived a lavish, expensive life at expense of
 Protected Louis from violent Noble riots the people.
 Louis = anti-nobility
 Taking the reigns
 ↓ Nobility power
 Personal government agents = intendants
 Collected taxes, administered justice
 Isolationist economic policies
 Minister of finance, Jean Baptiste Colbert
 Self-sufficient France
 Migration to Canadian colonies → ↑
resources
Louis Fights Disastrous Wars

 French population (~1660) > other Euro populations
 French weaponry>Euro weaponry
 What are his motives for war?
 Expand boundaries
 Larger territory = more power
 Successful efforts
 1667 – 1678: Spanish & Dutch Netherlands
 Gained dozens of towns (region of Franche-Comté)
 Coalition against France
 League of Augsburg
 England + Austrian Hapsburg + Sweden + Spain + several smaller European
states
A Strained People: French Grow Tired of War

 French people struggle 


 Poor harvests → starvation and desperation
for peace
 Predict: What did Louis do?
 ↑ taxes, ↑ wars
 1700-1714: War of the Spanish Succession
 French king’s grandson promised crown of
Spain
 Europe’s fear: French would unite with Spain
 Outcome: French lost territories in Europe +
American colonies
 ↑ influence of England in American colonies
Louis’ Death & Legacy
 “Positive” impacts

 ↑ French power
 Art, literature, statesmanship
 Military, colonies, trade
 “Negative” impacts
 War + lavish spending → debt
 Resentment of taxes → revolution
 Big idea: absolutism → demand for
democracy

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