France in the 1500s-1600s was ruled by absolute monarchs and experienced religious conflicts and peasant uprisings. Louis XIV came to power in 1643 and solidified the divine right of kings, establishing himself as the absolute ruler of France through centralizing power and building a highly efficient bureaucracy. He revoked the Edict of Nantes, causing Protestants to flee, and pursued policies to strengthen French industry, trade, and colonies under his chief minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert.

1. France
The Model of Absolutism

2. Henry of Navarre

3. Queen Marie

4. France 1500’s

5. The Louvre

6. Europe after 30 yrsWar
Majority lived in countryside, village
centered by church or manor
Some peasants owned land,livestock
Bread staple, pay for mill ( miller)/bake
bread (local lords oven)
Subsistence existence
Crude tech/war/famine/little ice age/

7. Cont.
Industry declines first half of century
Food prices high
wages stagnated
Peasants/urban poor first to suffer
Peasants attack convoys carrying grain/
baker /woman often take lead in these

8. Obstacles to increased authority
Technology roads/communication
Nobles/church/power
Cultural linguistic differences lands within
kingdoms spoke own language
Local power structures

9. 4 Factors that helped monarchs centralize
power
Greater taxation
Growth of armed forces
More efficient bureaucracies
Ability to compel obedience from subjects

12. Text
Rose Window

13. France after 30 yr war
Ruled by monarchs, regents and cardinals
Fights with Spanish Habsburgs until 1659
Peace of Pyrenees extends French
territory to at expense of Spain
( Netherlands)
Marie Therese of Spain marries Louis

14. France
Louis XIII & Richelieu
The Fronde( 1648-53)slingshot
Louis XIV 5, Mazarin& Queen Anne rule
as regents
Mazarin, foreign not liked
To pay for 30yr war raises taxes, sells

15. The Fronde
Fronde: slingshot; frondeur
street urchin who threw mud at rich

16. The Fronde
Rising Food prices /taxes increase/War
Members of Parlements want to establish
constitutional monarchy/say in taxes
Revolts throughout France -Bordeaux
Queen Anne & Mazarin want to rescind
Magistrates salaries
Mazarin arrests magistrates
Queen Anne young Louis XIV flee Paris

17. Fronde: second stage
Nobility of sword resentful of growing
centralization
Prince de Conde noble enters into warfare
against crown
rebellions break out/civil order breaks
down
1651 Anne’s regency ends Louis XIV
King

18. Louis XIV

19. Louis XIV

29. Louis XIV
Humiliated by Fronde
Divine Right of Kings/Sun King/Apollo
Court Etiquette
Arts/Science/Academie Francais-still
dictates correct usage of French language
Absolute monarch/still had need to
cooperate with nobles

30. Religious issues still...
Louis devoutly catholic
Jean Bodin”” supreme power unrestrained
by law over citizens and subjects”
Bishop Boussette Divine Right of Kings
Edict of Nantes- Thought temporary
revoked Huguenots flee to England
Dutch Republic, Brandenburg
Prussia,NA

31. Jansenists
Followers of Cornelius Jansen
resembled English Puritans embraced by
nobles of Fronde
Need for God’s grace in salvation/original
sin
Blaise Pascal Provincial Letters defends
Jansenists
Louis begins enforcing Papal Bulls,

32. Centralizing power
Louis worked long days
Louis picked intendents to help in
provinces creating an efficient and loyal
bureaucracy( bureau-desk or office)
Brings parlements under control
Rigid etiquette at Versailles-moves seat of

33. Jean-Baptiste Colbert

34. Jean Baptiste Colbert
Humble beginnings works way up
Encourages industry( wool, silk), trade,
exploration
Trading companies and colonies
Aided development of agriculture
Regulated quality and quantity of goods.
ogranized merchant marine navy