Notes 12/3- France

• France
• Late 16th through early 18th cent.
• 1598 King Henry IV of France
• Issued Edict of Nantes
• Granted religious toleration to the French Huguenots
• Established Henry IV as a politique
• Nobility was exempt from paying taxes
• Caused tax problems
• Henry IV appoints Duke of Sully
•  Makes the tax system more efficient
• Nobility decided to give money in exchange for prestigious positions in the government; rather than pay taxes
• Called the Nobility of the Robe
• 1610: Henry IV is assassinated
• From the family of the House of Bourbon
• One of the greatest families of France
• His son, Louis XIII becomes king
• He is only nine years old
• Cardinal Richelieu becomes Chief Minister, most important regent
• 1624-1642: Richelieu is in charge of France
• Goal: strengthen the royal power in France
• A politique
• Put politics ahead of religion
• His heart is with the king of france and not with the pope
• Wanted to knock down the up-and-coming nobles
• Divides france into 32 segments
• Noble in charge was replaced by superintendent
• Usually  middle class people
• They would be more loyal because they have a position of power
• Thought it was important to limit habsburg power
• Supports the Protestants in the 30 years war
• They are against the Habsburgs
• He doesn't want them to become more powerful
• Example of politique
• 1642: Richelieu dies and Louis XIII also 
• Louis XIII had a son, Louis XIV
• Louis XIV comes to the throne at the age of 5
• Known as the sun king
• He will be one of the most famous and dominant people in French history
• His chief minister is named Cardinal Mazarin
• Rebellion starts breaking out
• Frondes
• Caused Louis XIV to leave Paris
• Grows up with a resentment towards these people
• Bishop Bossuet
• Theorized the Divine Right of Kings
• The principal architect of the idea of absolutism in the 17th century
• Louis XIV says "I am the state."
• He is an absolute monarch
• Did not share power with a parliament like in England
• Divine right
• Increased power and authority of Richelieu's intendants 
• Power of the nobility goes down
• Nobility must owe their allegiance to the king
• Nobility is stuck below Louis XIV
• Versailles describes the personality of Louis XIV
• Jean Baptiste Colbert
• Appointed by Louis XIV to be the minister of France
• Instituted the practice of mercantilism
• More exports than imports
• government control over the economy
• France had a major colony in the New World, Quebec
• Encourages the Fur Trade in Canada
• 1685: France has a population of 19 million
• 1 million are Huguenots
• Louis XIV revokes the Edict of Nantes
• Closes all protestant Churches and forces them all to convert
• French working class was very heavy Huguenot
• 200,000 French working class leave the country

Mercantilism

More government control 

more exports than imports