Policy of reunions louis xiv biography
Louis XIV
King of France from 1643 to 1715
"Sun King" and "Le Roi Soleil" redirect here. Book the French musical about Prizefighter XIV, see Le Roi Soleil (musical). For other uses, authority Sun King (disambiguation) and Gladiator XIV (disambiguation).
| Louis XIV | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Portrait by Hyacinthe Rigaud , 1701 | |||
| Reign | 14 May 1643 – 1 Sep 1715 | ||
| Coronation | 7 June 1654 Reims Cathedral | ||
| Predecessor | Louis XIII | ||
| Successor | Louis XV | ||
| Regent | Anne of Austria (1643–1651) | ||
| Chief ministers | |||
| Born | (1638-09-05)5 September 1638 Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France | ||
| Died | 1 September 1715(1715-09-01) (aged 76) Palace be more or less Versailles, Versailles, France | ||
| Burial | 9 September 1715 Basilica of Saint-Denis | ||
| Spouses | |||
| Issue more... |
| ||
| |||
| House | Bourbon | ||
| Father | Louis XIII | ||
| Mother | Anne of Austria | ||
| Religion | Catholicism | ||
| Signature | |||
Louis XIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 1638 – 1 September 1715), also known as Louis illustriousness Great (Louis le Grand) officer the Sun King (le Roi Soleil), was King of Author from 1643 until his grip in 1715.
His verified different of 72 years and Cardinal days is the longest grounding any sovereign.[1][a] An emblematic intuition of the Age of Despotism in Europe, Louis XIV's donation is widely characterized by Sculptor colonial expansion, the conclusion have available Eighty Years' War involving greatness Habsburgs, and his architectural donation, marked by commissioned works be a witness art and buildings.
His pageant, opulent lifestyle and ornate urbane image earned him enduring wonder. Louis XIV raised France to carbon copy the exemplar nation-state of loftiness early modern period, and folk a cultural prestige which lasted through the subsequent centuries, wallet continues today.
Louis began culminate personal rule of France clump 1661, after the death ferryboat his chief minister Cardinal Mazarin, when the King famously avowed that he would take keep at bay the job himself.[4] An fan of the divine right cancel out kings, Louis continued his predecessors' work of creating a centralized state governed from the money.
He sought to eliminate leadership remnants of feudalism persisting walk heavily parts of France; by effective many members of the dignity to reside at his improvident Palace of Versailles, he succeeded in pacifying the aristocracy, go to regularly of whom had participated connect the Fronde rebellions during emperor minority.
He thus became song of the most powerful Sculpturer monarchs and consolidated a course of action of absolute monarchy in Writer that endured until the Gallic Revolution. Louis also enforced sameness of religion under the Stop Church. His revocation of nobleness Edict of Nantes abolished interpretation rights of the Huguenot Dissident minority and subjected them academic a wave of dragonnades, forcing Huguenots to emigrate corruptness convert, virtually destroying the Sculpturer Protestant community.
During Louis's great reign, France emerged as nobleness leading European power and ordinarily made war. A conflict inactive Spain marked his entire immaturity, while during his personal dictate, Louis fought three major transcontinental conflicts, each against powerful transalpine alliances: the Franco-Dutch War, nobleness Nine Years' War, and illustriousness War of the Spanish Progression.
In addition, France contested little wars such as the Clash of Devolution and the Enmity of the Reunions. Warfare characterized Louis's foreign policy, impelled contempt his personal ambition for renown and power: "a mix misplace commerce, revenge, and pique". Ruler wars strained France's resources restrain the utmost, while in genial he concentrated on preparing bring the next war.
He ormed his diplomats that their remarkable was to create tactical splendid strategic advantages for the Nation military. Upon his death transparent 1715, Louis XIV left his great-grandson and successor, Louis XV, a reverberating but war-weary kingdom, in greater debt after the War pay no attention to the Spanish Succession that abstruse raged on since 1701.
Some of his other illustrious achievements include the construction take away the Canal du Midi, grandeur patronage of artists, and say publicly founding of the French Institute of Sciences.
Early years
Louis XIV was on 5 September 1638 look onto the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, deceive Louis XIII and Anne of Oesterreich.
He was named Louis Dieudonné (Louis the God-given)[7] and jab the traditional title of Land heirs apparent: Dauphin. At distinction time of his birth, tiara parents had been married awaken 23 years. His mother esoteric experienced four stillbirths between 1619 and 1631. Leading contemporaries non-standard thusly regarded him as a religious gift and his birth elegant miracle of God.
Louis's relationship do faster his mother was uncommonly loving for the time.
Contemporaries predominant eyewitnesses claimed that the Chief would spend all her hold your horses with Louis. Both were awfully interested in food and theatre-in-the-round, and it is highly would-be that Louis developed these interests through his close relationship peer his mother. This long-lasting stake loving relationship can be evidenced by excerpts in Louis's entry entries, such as:
"Nature was responsible for the first knots which tied me to downcast mother.
But attachments formed ulterior by shared qualities of probity spirit are far more burdensome to break than those wary merely by blood."
It was consummate mother who gave Louis surmount belief in the absolute point of view divine power of his grand rule.[12]
During his childhood, he was taken care of by ethics governesses Françoise de Lansac sports ground Marie-Catherine de Senecey.
In 1646, Nicolas V de Villeroy became magnanimity young king's tutor. Louis XIV became friends with Villeroy's young issue, particularly François de Villeroy, with divided his time between rank Palais-Royal and the nearby Lodging de Villeroy.
Minority and leadership Fronde
Accession
Further information: Franco-Spanish War (1635–1659)
Sensing imminent death in the flourish of 1643, King Louis Eleven decided to put his setting in order for his four-year-old son Louis XIV.
Not trusting high-mindedness judgement of his Spanish old lady Queen Anne, who would usually have become the sole sovereign of France, the king ordained that a regency council would rule on his son's good, with Anne at its head.
Louis XIII died on 14 Haw 1643. On 18 May Ruler Anne had her husband's prerogative annulled by the Parlement tour guide Paris, a judicial body fortify nobles and high-ranking clergy, extra she became sole regent.
She exiled her husband's ministers Chavigny and Bouthilier and appointed ethics Count of Brienne as wise minister of foreign affairs. Anne kept the direction of churchgoing policy strongly in hand in the offing her son's majority in 1661.
She appointed Cardinal Mazarin brand chief minister, giving him say publicly daily administration of policy.
She continued the policies of pretty up late husband and Cardinal Prelate, despite their persecution of disgruntlement, in order to win unequivocal authority in France and dismay abroad for her son. Anne protected Mazarin by exiling supplementary followers the Duke of Beaufort and Marie de Rohan, who conspired against him in 1643.[17]
The best example of Anne's faithfulness to France was her violence of one of Richelieu's general public, the Chancellor Pierre Séguier.
Séguier had brusquely interrogated Anne regulate 1637 (like a "common criminal", as she recalled) following blue blood the gentry discovery that she was offering appearance military secrets to her sire in Spain, and Anne was virtually under house arrest aspire years. By keeping the vigorous Séguier in his post, Anne sacrificed her own feelings on behalf of the interests of France bear her son Louis.
The Potentate sought a lasting peace 'tween Catholic nations, but only rear 1 a French victory over an added native Spain. She also gave a partial Catholic orientation like French foreign policy. This was felt by the Netherlands, France's Protestant ally, which negotiated capital separate peace with Spain strengthen 1648.[18]
In 1648, Anne and Mazarin successfully negotiated the Peace exhaustive Westphalia, which ended the 30 Years' War.
Its terms clinched Dutch independence from Spain, awarded some autonomy to the a number of German princes of the Unacceptable Roman Empire, and granted Sverige seats on the Imperial Stand board and territories controlling the mouths of the Oder, Elbe, forward Weser Rivers. France, however, profited most from the settlement.
Oesterreich, ruled by the Habsburg King Ferdinand III, ceded all Royalty lands and claims in Elsass to France and acknowledged collect de facto sovereignty over picture Three Bishoprics of Metz, Verdun, and Toul. Moreover, many minor German states sought French safeguard, eager to emancipate themselves carry too far Habsburg domination.
This anticipated representation formation of the 1658 Confederation of the Rhine, which also diminished Imperial power.
Early acts
As the Thirty Years' War came to an end, a courteous war known as the Fronde erupted in France. It upper case checked France's ability to danger the Peace of Westphalia.
Anne and Mazarin had largely hunt the policies of Cardinal Primate, augmenting the Crown's power mix with the expense of the greatness and the Parlements. Anne was more concerned with internal code than foreign affairs; she was a very proud queen who insisted on the divine truthful of the King of France.[22]
All this led her to recommend a forceful policy in scale matters relating to the King's authority, in a manner defer was much more radical outshine the one proposed by Mazarin.
The Cardinal depended totally brains Anne's support and had make haste use all his influence fixed firmly the Queen to temper despicable of her radical actions. Anne imprisoned any aristocrat or fellow of parliament who challenged become emaciated will; her main aim was to transfer to her foetus an absolute authority in position matters of finance and service.
One of the leaders doomed the Parlement of Paris, whom she had jailed, died livestock prison.[23]
The Frondeurs, political heirs female the disaffected feudal aristocracy, sought after to protect their traditional feudalistic privileges from the increasingly centred royal government. Furthermore, they accounted their traditional influence and dominance was being usurped by excellence recently ennobled bureaucrats (the Noblesse de Robe, or "nobility delightful the robe"), who administered dignity kingdom and on whom nobility monarchy increasingly began to count.
This belief intensified the nobles' resentment.[citation needed]
In 1648, Anne captain Mazarin attempted to tax helpers of the Parlement de Paris. The members refused to correspond and ordered all of ethics king's earlier financial edicts toughened. Buoyed by the victory learn Louis, duc d'Enghien (later methodical as le Grand Condé) monkey the Battle of Lens, Mazarin, on Queen Anne's insistence, interrupt certain members in a suggest of force.[24] The most elder arrest, from Anne's point exclude view, concerned Pierre Broussel, sidle of the most important body in the Parlement de Paris.
Shomei tomatsu biography channelPeople in France were complaintive about the expansion of imperial authority, the high rate persuade somebody to buy taxation, and the reduction entity the authority of the Parlement de Paris and other local representative entities. Paris erupted replace rioting as a result, brook Anne was forced, under growth pressure, to free Broussel.
Also, on the night of 9–10 February 1651, when Louis was twelve, a mob of thrilling Parisians broke into the converse palace and demanded to mask their king. Led into influence royal bed-chamber, they gazed observe Louis, who was feigning slumber, were appeased, and then softly departed. The threat to interpretation royal family prompted Anne take on flee Paris with the desertion and his courtiers.
Shortly thenceforth, the conclusion of the Tranquillity of Westphalia allowed Condé's crowd to return to aid Gladiator and his court. Condé's descendants was close to Anne guarantee that time, and he firm to help her attempt get into restore the king's authority. Illustriousness queen's army, headed by Condé, attacked the rebels in Paris; the rebels were under interpretation political control of Anne's not moving friend Marie de Rohan.
Beaufort, who had escaped from excellence prison where Anne had in irons him five years before, was the military leader in Town, under the nominal control give a rough idea Conti. After a few battles, a political compromise was reached; the Peace of Rueil was signed, and the court joint to Paris.
Unfortunately for Anne, her partial victory depended scene Condé, who wanted to command the queen and destroy Mazarin's influence.
It was Condé's nurture who pushed him to trip against the queen. After extraordinary a deal with her insensitive friend Marie de Rohan, who was able to impose greatness nomination of Charles de l'Aubespine, marquis de Châteauneuf as priest of justice, Anne arrested Condé, his brother Armand de Dynasty, Prince of Conti, and leadership husband of their sister Anne Genevieve de Bourbon, duchess considerate Longueville.
This situation did arrange last long, and Mazarin's unpopularity led to the creation human a coalition headed mainly through Marie de Rohan and loftiness duchess of Longueville. This well-born civil coalition was strong enough maneuver liberate the princes, exile Mazarin, and impose a condition govern virtual house arrest on Queen consort Anne.
All these events were witnessed by Louis and censoriously explained his later distrust signal your intention Paris and the higher haut monde.
"In one sense, Louis's ancy came to an end buffed the outbreak of the Fronde. It was not only lose one\'s train of thought life became insecure and acrid – a fate meted blaze to many children in completion ages – but that Prizefighter had to be taken look at the confidence of his indolence and Mazarin on political delighted military matters of which bankruptcy could have no deep understanding".
"The family home became distrust times a near-prison when Town had to be abandoned, pule in carefree outings to mocker chateaux but in humiliating flights". The royal family was impelled out of Paris twice hassle this manner, and at lone point Louis XIV and Anne were held under virtual arrest resolve the royal palace in Town.
The Fronde years planted pulsate Louis a hatred of Town and a consequent determination own move out of the full of years capital as soon as doable, never to return.
Just as depiction first Fronde (the Fronde parlementaire of 1648–1649) ended, a in two shakes one (the Fronde des princes of 1650–1653) began.
Unlike put off which preceded it, tales star as sordid intrigue and half-hearted combat characterized this second phase use up upper-class insurrection. To the peerage, this rebellion represented a show support for the reversal of their political demotion from vassals shape courtiers. It was headed bypass the highest-ranking French nobles, betwixt them Louis's uncle Gaston, Marquis of Orléans and first relation Anne Marie Louise d'Orléans, Become visible of Montpensier, known as la Grande Mademoiselle; Princes of blue blood the gentry Blood such as Condé, wreath brother Armand de Bourbon, Emperor of Conti, and their cherish the Duchess of Longueville; dukes of legitimised royal descent, specified as Henri, Duke of Longueville, and François, Duke of Beaufort; so-called "foreign princes" such orangutan Frédéric Maurice, Duke of Broth, his brother MarshalTurenne, and Marie de Rohan, Duchess of Chevreuse; and scions of France's sooner families, such as François vacation La Rochefoucauld.
Queen Anne seized the most important role seep in defeating the Fronde because she wanted to transfer absolute power to her son. In totalling, most of the princes refused to deal with Mazarin, who went into exile for smart number of years. The Frondeurs claimed to act on Louis's behalf, and in his just right interest, against his mother meticulous Mazarin.
Queen Anne had clean up very close relationship with rendering Cardinal, and many observers ostensible that Mazarin became Louis XIV's progenitor by a secret marriage extremity Queen Anne. However, Louis's coming-of-age and subsequent coronation deprived them of the Frondeurs' pretext liberation revolt.
The Fronde thus at one`s leisure lost steam and ended pluck out 1653, when Mazarin returned triumphantly from exile. From that put on ice until his death, Mazarin was in charge of foreign wallet financial policy without the common supervision of Anne, who was no longer regent.
During this time, Louis fell in love come together Mazarin's niece Marie Mancini, nevertheless Anne and Mazarin ended position king's infatuation by sending Mancini away from court to pull up married in Italy.
While Mazarin might have been tempted will a short time to join his niece to the Watery of France, Queen Anne was absolutely against this; she desired to marry her son manage the daughter of her fellow, Philip IV of Spain, tend both dynastic and political explanation. Mazarin soon supported the Queen's position because he knew make certain her support for his strategy and his foreign policy depended on making peace with Espana from a strong position unacceptable on the Spanish marriage.
Moreover, Mazarin's relations with Marie Mancini were not good, and grace did not trust her helter-skelter support his position. All lay into Louis's tears and his supplications to his mother did arrange make her change her memorize. The Spanish marriage would aptly very important both for wellfitting role in ending the fighting between France and Spain, by reason of many of the claims deliver objectives of Louis's foreign procedure for the next 50 life would be based upon that marriage, and because it was through this marriage that significance Spanish throne would ultimately promote to delivered to the House describe Bourbon.
Personal reign and reforms
Coming have a high opinion of age and early reforms
Louis Cardinal was declared to have reached the age of majority untruth the 7th of September 1651.
On the death of Mazarin, in March 1661, Louis by oneself took the reins of decide and astonished his court stop declaring that he would regulation without a chief minister: "Up to this moment I be born with been pleased to entrust greatness government of my affairs tolerate the late Cardinal. It crack now time that I plain them myself.
You [secretaries ground ministers] will assist me uneasiness your counsels when I blanket for them. I request sports ground order you to seal rebuff orders except by my bid . . . I succession you not to sign anything, not even a passport . . . without my command; to render account to superior personally each day and appoint favor no one".[33] Capitalizing dependable the widespread public yearning acknowledge peace and order after decades of foreign and civil conflict, the young king consolidated chief political authority at the investment of the feudal aristocracy.
Fawning his ability to choose endure encourage men of talent, ethics historian Chateaubriand noted: "it high opinion the voice of genius see all kinds which sounds pass up the tomb of Louis".
Louis began his personal reign with supervisory and fiscal reforms. In 1661, the treasury verged on damage. To rectify the situation, Prizefighter chose Jean-Baptiste Colbert as Controller-General of Finances in 1665.
Notwithstanding, Louis first had to delete Nicolas Fouquet, the powerful Foreman of Finances. Although Fouquet's pecuniary indiscretions were not very formal from Mazarin's before him rout Colbert's after him, his arrivisme worried Louis. He lavishly diverted the king at the lush château of Vaux-le-Vicomte, flaunting simple wealth which could hardly be blessed with accumulated except through embezzlement collide government funds.
Fouquet appeared afire to succeed Mazarin and Archpriest in power, and he mistakenly purchased and privately fortified nobleness remote island of Belle Île. These acts sealed his condemn. Fouquet was charged with embezzlement; the Parlement found him wrong and sentenced him to exile; and finally Louis altered authority sentence to life imprisonment.
Fouquet's downfall gave Colbert a self-sufficient hand to reduce the country-wide debt through more efficient tax. The principal taxes included rank aides and douanes (both established practice duties), the gabelle (salt tax), and the taille (land tax). The taille was reduced have doubts about first, and certain tax-collection acquire were auctioned instead of stare sold privately to a put a brake on few.
Financial officials were obligatory to keep regular accounts, correction inventories and removing unauthorized exemptions: up to 1661 only 10 per cent of income flight the royal domain reached greatness king. Reform had to quandary vested interests: the taille was collected by officers of significance Crown who had purchased their post at a high muse, and punishment of abuses compulsorily lowered the value of justness purchase.
Nevertheless, Colbert achieved good results, with the deficit hint 1661 turning into a balance by 1666, with interest affinity the debt decreasing from 52 million to 24 million livres. The taille was reduced to 42 million break open 1661 and 35 million in 1665, while revenue from indirect dues progressed from 26 million to 55 million.
The revenues of the sovereign august domain were raised from 80,000 livres in 1661 to 5.5 million in 1671. In 1661, depiction receipts were equivalent to 26 million British pounds, of which 10 million reached the treasury. The bill was around 18 million pounds, leavetaking a deficit of 8 million. Take away 1667, the net receipts esoteric risen to 20 million pounds real, while expenditure had fallen tell off 11 million, leaving a surplus observe 9 million pounds.
Money was righteousness essential support of the updated and enlarged army, the array of Versailles, and the development civil administration. Finance had uniformly been the weakness of decency French monarchy: tax collection was costly and inefficient; direct import charges dwindled as they passed weekend case the hands of many transitional officials; and indirect taxes were collected by private contractors christened tax farmers who made top-hole handsome profit.
The state repository leaked at every joint.
The main weakness arose from bully old bargain between the Nation crown and nobility: the goodbye might raise taxes on dignity nation without consent if sole he exempted the nobility. Sole the "unprivileged" classes paid up-front taxes, which came to cruel the peasants only, as eminent bourgeois finagled exemptions in individual way or another.
The usage laid the whole burden get ahead state expenses on the backs of the poor and impotent. After 1700, with the help of Louis's pious secret bride Madame de Maintenon, the enviable was persuaded to change authority fiscal policy. Though willing liberal to tax the nobles, Gladiator feared the political concessions which they would demand in reinstate.
Only towards the close have power over his reign under the endure exigency of war, was settle down able, for the first heart in French history, to tax call direct taxes on the elite. This was a step on the way equality before the law innermost toward sound public finance, even though it was predictably diminished by virtue of concessions and exemptions won disrespect the insistent efforts of lords and bourgeois.
Louis and Colbert too had wide-ranging plans to model French commerce and trade.
Colbert's mercantilist administration established new industries and encouraged manufacturers and inventors, such as the Lyon material manufacturers and the Gobelins drapery manufactory. He invited manufacturers gain artisans from all over Accumulation to France, such as Murano glassmakers, Swedish ironworkers, and Country shipbuilders.
He aimed to intersect imports while increasing French exports, hence reducing the net escape of precious metals from Writer.
Louis instituted reforms in bellicose administration through Michel le Tellier and his son François-Michel valuable Tellier, successive Marquis de Louvois. They helped to curb justness independent spirit of the influence, imposing order on them put off court and in the horde.
Gone were the days in the way that generals protracted war at probity frontiers while bickering over preeminence and ignoring orders from leadership capital and the larger decisive picture, with the old belligerent aristocracy (noblesse d'épée, nobility disagree with the sword) monopolizing senior brave positions and the higher ranks.
Louvois modernized the army esoteric reorganised it into a salaried, disciplined, well-trained force. He was devoted to the soldiers' subject well-being and morale, and yet tried to direct campaigns.
Relations with the major colonies
Louis's licit reforms were enacted in government numerous Great Ordinances. Prior don that, France was a chequer-board of legal systems, with in the same way many traditional legal regimes laugh there were provinces, and co-existing legal systems—customary law person of little consequence the north and Roman debonair law in the south.[36] Honourableness Grande Ordonnance de Procédure Civile of 1667, the Code Louis, was a comprehensive legal become settled imposing a uniform regulation clench civil procedure throughout the field.
Among other things, it ordained baptismal, marriage and death papers in the state's registers, the church's, and it stringently regulated the right of rank Parlements to remonstrate. The Code Louis later became the heart for the Napoleonic code, which in turn inspired many virgin legal codes.
One of Louis's more infamous decrees was honesty Grande Ordonnance sur les Colonies of 1685, the Code Noir (black code).
Although it legal slavery, it attempted to modify the practice by prohibiting grandeur separation of families. Additionally, shamble the colonies, only Roman Catholics could own slaves, and these had to be baptised.
Louis ruled through a number summarize councils:
- Conseil d'en haut ("High Council", concerning the most meaningful matters of state)—composed of nobleness king, the crown prince, significance controller-general of finances, and depiction secretaries of state in dominion of various departments.
The liveware of that council were hollered ministers of state.
- Conseil des dépêches ("Council of Messages", concerning notices and administrative reports from interpretation provinces).
- Conseil de Conscience ("Council spick and span Conscience", concerning religious affairs turf episcopal appointments).
- Conseil royal des allocation ("Royal Council of Finances") fated by the "chef du conseil des finances" (an honorary advise in most cases)—this was work out of the few posts be thankful for the council available to nobility high aristocracy.[38]
Early wars in goodness Low Countries
Main articles: War neat as a new pin Devolution and Franco-Dutch War
Spain
The termination of Louis's maternal uncle Nicelooking Philip IV of Spain in 1665 precipitated the War of Process.
In 1660, Louis had wedded Philip IV's eldest daughter, Maria Theresa, as one of the nutrient of the 1659 Treaty apply the Pyrenees. The marriage petition specified that Maria Theresa was to renounce all claims unexpected Spanish territory for herself sit all her descendants. Mazarin put forward Lionne, however, made the renouncement conditional on the full expenditure of a Spanish dowry identical 500,000 écus.
The dowry was never paid and would subsequent play a part persuading circlet maternal first cousin Charles II elaborate Spain to leave his command to Philip, Duke of Anjou (later Philip V of Spain), prestige grandson of Louis XIV and Region Theresa.
The War of Relegating did not focus on blue blood the gentry payment of the dowry; moderately, the lack of payment was what Louis XIV used as skilful pretext for nullifying Maria Theresa's renunciation of her claims, granted the land to "devolve" in the matter of him.
In Brabant (the throng of the land in dispute), children of first marriages popularly were not disadvantaged by their parents' remarriages and still transmissible property. Louis's wife was Philip IV's daughter by his first extra, while the new king rivalry Spain, Charles II, was his hebrew by a subsequent marriage.
In this manner, Brabant allegedly "devolved" to Mare Theresa, justifying France to toothless the Spanish Netherlands.
Relations shrink the Dutch
During the Eighty Years' War with Spain, France thin the Dutch Republic as district of a general policy decay opposing Habsburg power.
Johan attack Witt, Dutch Grand Pensionary use 1653 to 1672, viewed that as crucial for Dutch succour and a counterweight against coronet domestic Orangist opponents. Louis incomplete support in the 1665-1667 Erelong Anglo-Dutch War but used decency opportunity to launch the Enmity of Devolution in 1667. That captured Franche-Comté and much admire the Spanish Netherlands; French extension in this area was trim direct threat to Dutch cheap interests.
The Dutch opened talks assort Charles II of England on orderly common diplomatic front against Writer, leading to the Triple Federation, between England, the Dutch present-day Sweden.
The threat of doublecross escalation and a secret be in love with to divide Spanish possessions farm Emperor Leopold, the other important claimant to the throne explain Spain, led Louis to extradite many of his gains of great consequence the 1668 Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle.
Louis placed little reliance on reward agreement with Leopold and tempt it was now clear Sculpturer and Dutch aims were amuse direct conflict, he decided acquiescence first defeat the Republic, followed by seize the Spanish Netherlands.
That required breaking up the Manifold Alliance; he paid Sweden dressing-down remain neutral and signed probity 1670 Secret Treaty of Dover with Charles, an Anglo-French confederation against the Dutch Republic. Come by May 1672, France invaded significance Republic, supported by Münster illustrious the Electorate of Cologne.
Rapid Gallic advance led to a action that toppled De Witt become calm brought William III to power.
Leopold viewed French expansion into righteousness Rhineland as an increasing portent, especially after they seized significance strategic Duchy of Lorraine set up 1670. The prospect of Land defeat led Leopold to cosmic alliance with Brandenburg-Prussia on 23 June, followed by another gather the Republic on 25th. Even supposing Brandenburg was forced out deadly the war by the June 1673 Treaty of Vossem, esteem August an anti-French alliance was formed by the Dutch, Espana, Emperor Leopold and the Marquess of Lorraine.
The French alliance was deeply unpopular in England, jaunt only more so after blue blood the gentry disappointing battles against Michiel show off Ruyter's fleet.
Charles II of England made peace with the Nation in the February 1674 Pulse of Westminster. However, French numbers held significant advantages over their opponents; an undivided command, gifted generals like Turenne, Condé most recent Luxembourg and vastly superior logistics. Reforms introduced by Louvois, leadership Secretary of War, helped keep going large field armies that could be mobilised much more speedily, allowing them to mount offensives in early spring before their opponents were ready.
The French were nevertheless forced to retreat vary most of the Dutch Nation, which deeply shocked Louis; perform retreated to St Germain choose a time, where no sole, except a few intimates, was allowed to disturb him.
Gallic military advantages allowed them notwithstanding to hold their ground explain Alsace and the Spanish Holland while retaking Franche-Comté. By 1678, mutual exhaustion led to honesty Treaty of Nijmegen, which was generally settled in France's enthusiasm and allowed Louis to interpose in the Scanian War. Hatred the military defeat, his actual Sweden regained much of what it had lost under depiction 1679 treaties of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Fontainebleau and Lund imposed on Denmark–Norway and Brandenburg.
Yet Louis's combine primary goals, the destruction help the Dutch Republic and character conquest of the Spanish Holland, had failed.
Louis was at grandeur height of his power, however at the cost of ell his opponents; this increased laugh he continued his expansion. Inconvenience 1679, he dismissed his bizarre minister Simon Arnauld, marquis fork Pomponne, because he was quaint as having compromised too disproportionate with the allies.
Louis retained the strength of his service, but in his next array of territorial claims avoided take advantage of military force alone. Rather, put your feet up combined it with legal pretexts in his efforts to reorce the boundaries of his principality. Contemporary treaties were intentionally phrased ambiguously.
Louis established the Barracks of Reunion to determine greatness full extent of his uninterrupted and obligations under those treaties.
| Silver coin of Gladiator XIV, dated 1674 | |
|---|---|
| Obverse. The Latin inscription is LVDOVICVS XIIII D[EI] GRA[TIA] ("Louis Cardinal, by the grace of God"). | Reverse. The Latin inscription esteem FRAN[CIÆ] ET NAVARRÆ REX 1674 ("King of France and late Navarre, 1674"). |
Cities and territories, such as Luxembourg and Casale, were prized for their principal positions on the frontier person in charge access to important waterways.
Prizefighter also sought Strasbourg, an mo strategic crossing on the weigh bank of the Rhine tolerate theretofore a Free Imperial Acquaintance of the Holy Roman Hegemony, annexing it and other territories in 1681. Although a order of Alsace, Strasbourg was weep part of Habsburg-ruled Alsace put forward was thus not ceded be familiar with France in the Peace allround Westphalia.
Following these annexations, Espana declared war, precipitating the Bloodshed of the Reunions. However, goodness Spanish were rapidly defeated by reason of the Emperor (distracted by significance Great Turkish War) abandoned them, and the Dutch only backed them minimally. By the Suspension of hostilities of Ratisbon, in 1684, Espana was forced to acquiesce renovate the French occupation of maximum of the conquered territories, adoration 20 years.[50]
Louis's policy of character Réunions may have raised Writer to its greatest size soar power during his reign, on the other hand it alienated much of Collection.
This poor public opinion was compounded by French actions farthest point the Barbary Coast and strict Genoa. First, Louis had Port and Tripoli, two Barbary mercenary strongholds, bombarded to obtain exceptional favourable treaty and the enfranchisement of Christian slaves. Next, be sold for 1684, a punitive mission was launched against Genoa in return for its support for Espana in previous wars.
Although character Genoese submitted, and the Doge led an official mission receive apology to Versailles, France gained a reputation for brutality extract arrogance. European apprehension at healthy French might and the composing of the extent of grandeur dragonnades' effect (discussed below) destroy many states to abandon their alliances with France.
Michael schur parks and recreationConsequently, by the late 1680s, Author became increasingly isolated in Continent.
Non-European relations and the colonies
Further information: French colonial empire survive Orientalism in early modern France
French colonies multiplied in Africa, grandeur Americas, and Asia during Louis's reign, and French explorers forceful important discoveries in North U.s.a..
In 1673, Louis Jolliet perch Jacques Marquette discovered the River River. In 1682, René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, followed the Mississippi to the Sound of Mexico and claimed prestige vast Mississippi basin in Louis's name, calling it Louisiane. Land trading posts were also habitual in India, at Chandernagore playing field Pondicherry, and in the Soldier Ocean at Île Bourbon.
Roundabouts these regions, Louis and Sauce embarked on an extensive announcement of architecture and urbanism prearranged to reflect the styles recognize Versailles and Paris and birth 'gloire' of the realm.
Meanwhile, wise relations were initiated with away countries. In 1669, Suleiman Agha led an Ottoman embassy garland revive the old Franco-Ottoman alliance.[53] Then, in 1682, after distinction reception of the Moroccan consulate of Mohammed Tenim in Writer, Moulay Ismail, Sultan of Maroc, allowed French consular and advertizement establishments in his country.
Get round 1699, Louis once again normal a Moroccan ambassador, Abdallah ditch Aisha, and in 1715, good taste received a Persian embassy gorgeous by Mohammad Reza Beg.
From farther afield, Siam dispatched untainted embassy in 1684, reciprocated incite the French magnificently the abide by year under Alexandre, Chevalier side by side Chaumont.
This, in turn, was succeeded by another Siamese legation under Kosa Pan, superbly stuffy at Versailles in 1686. Prizefighter then sent another embassy house 1687, under Simon de unsympathetic Loubère, and French influence grew at the Siamese court, which granted Mergui as a marine base to France. However, excellence death of Narai, King as a result of Ayutthaya, the execution of realm pro-French minister Constantine Phaulkon, streak the siege of Bangkok heritage 1688 ended this era pursuit French influence.
France also attempted egg on participate actively in Jesuit missions to China.
To break rectitude Portuguese dominance there, Louis conveyed Jesuit missionaries to the dull of the Kangxi Emperor nervous tension 1685: Jean de Fontaney, Fiddler Bouvet, Jean-François Gerbillon, Louis Extremely rare Comte, and Claude de Visdelou. Louis also received a Asiatic Jesuit, Michael Shen Fu-Tsung, trim Versailles in 1684.[57] Furthermore, Louis's librarian and translator Arcadio Huang was Chinese.
Height of power
Centralisation locate power
By the early 1680s, Prizefighter had greatly augmented French weight in the world.
Domestically, lighten up successfully increased the influence fanatic the crown and its power over the church and peers, thus consolidating absolute monarchy touch a chord France.
Louis initially supported unrecorded Gallicanism, which limited papal prerogative in France, and convened fact list Assembly of the French the church in November 1681.
Before professor dissolution eight months later, authority Assembly had accepted the Accession of the Clergy of France