Louis XIV (1643 - 1715)

1
Louis XIV (1643 - 1715)

• Helped by chief advisor, Cardinal Mazarin.
• Frondes 2 successive revolts of the nobility
  crushed by Mazarin.
• 1659 Treaty of the Pyrenees ended French
  involvement in the 30 Years War and gave Maria
  Therese of Spain to Louis as his wife.

2
Policies of the Sun King

• Divine Right Ruler (Bishop Bossuet)
• Built up Versailles and was a great patron of the
  arts (Golden Age of France).
• Used intendents to strengthen royal power and
  control the power of the nobility.
• Desire for territorial expansion led Louis into 4
  costly wars.

3
The Great Rivalries!
NO!
4
The Great Rivalries!
NO!
5
The Great Rivalries!
NO!
6
The Great Rivalries
Definitely NOT!
7
The Greatest Rivalry

• FRANCE
• Versus
• Hapsburgs

8
The Wars of Louis XIV

• GOALSIncrease French power in Europe and advance
  Fs territory in the NE at the expense of the Sp.
  Netherlands and the HRE
• War of Devolution (1667-1668) Louis claimed the
  Spanish Netherlands as his wifes unpaid dowry.
• Gained a small part of it as a result of the
  treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle.

9
More Wars

• War against the Dutch (1672-78) Louis went back
  to get more Dutch territory and to claim Dutch
  commercial interests.
• Fought against the Dutch, HRE, Spain, and
  Brandenburg.
• Treaty of Nijmegen France received another
  small piece of the Sp. Netherlands, but lost many
  valuable men.

10
Yet even more wars!

• War of the League of Augsburg(1688-97) Louis
  invaded Strasbourg and other Ger. border
  territories along the Rhine
• Opposed by Spain, Dutch, Sweden, HRE, and England
• Stalemate Peace of Ryswick Louis retreated
  from most territories in return for peace. France
  retains Alsace

11
War of Spanish Succession (1702 - 1713)

• Spanish king designated Louis grandson Philip as
  the Spanish heir and Leopold Hapsburg thought his
  son had a stronger claim. Important cause
  winner gets
• Spain
• Spains possessions in Europe
• Spains overseas colonies w/ the vast wealth
• War broke out and Spain and France fought
  England, HRE, and the Dutch.
• This bloody war ended in a virtual stalemate.

12
Treaty of Utrecht

• This treaty ended the War of Spanish Succession.
• Allowed Louis grandson Philip to become the King
  of Spain (Philip V), but forbade any combining of
  French and Spanish holdings or thrones.
• England received control of Gibraltar and of the
  Asiento (30 yr. slave contract to Spanish
  America) .
• Elector of Brandenburg is now King of Prussia

13
Results
As a result of the 4 wars fought during Louis
reign, France lost many talented generals and
found its economic situation to be unsound.