Transcript Louis the XIV and his Wars

Louis the XIV and his Wars
Mr. Rush
Louis’ Minister of Finance
Colbert was Louis’ advisor on the
economic and financial affairs of France
 Reformed business practices, put an end
to wasteful government spending
 Created a system of duties that were able
to collect money from all classes,
including nobles
 Encouraged farming and tending to
livestock

Louis’ Minister of Finance
Set high tariffs to keep out foreign goods
that would compete with domestic goods
 Established government control over
manufacturing of products
 Government subsidies to build up
merchants and shipping
 Enlarged the French navy, secured
overseas markets in the colonies

Louis’ Minister of War
Louis XIV appoints Francois le Tellier
(marquis de Louvois) as minister of war
 Louvois created an army that can be
considered modern

◦ Soldiers were not employed by nobles, but by
the French State
◦ King took direct command of army
◦ Louis XIV personally appointed all the
marshals and officers down to those with the
rank of colonel
Louis’ Minister of War

Louvois used different methods of
recruiting
◦ Dragooning (seizing men off streets)
◦ Conscription
◦ Lottery
Recruitment of foreign mercenaries
 Commissariat established to feed troops

◦ This took place of ancient tradition of living
off the countryside
Seeking Glory Through War
In addition to extravagant palaces, Louis
the XIV would spend much money on his
army and waging war.
 Looked to expand his kingdom beyond
the borders of France
 Louis’ wars would ultimately be
unsuccessful and lead France into
bankruptcy.

Invasion of Spanish Netherlands

French invasion of the Spanish
Netherlands in 1667
◦ Captured a number of border towns and
Franche-Comte
◦ Holland, England and Sweden form Triple
Alliance to stop the French
◦ Louis has to make peace and give up Franche
Comte
◦ Was able to hold possession of some towns
Invasion of Holland (1672)
Envious of Dutch trade, and angered by
their part in the Triple Alliance, Louis
secretly bribes Charles II of England to
help France wage war against Holland
 French crossed Rhine and begin to take
lands in the southern part of the country
 William of Orange has the levees opened
in order to flood the land and stop the
French from advancing

Invasion of Holland (1672)
English Parliament discovers treaty
between Louis XIV and Charles II and
compels Charles to renounce it
 England and Dutch make peace
 Results:

◦ Holland left in tact
◦ French gain Franche-Comte
Attacking the Palatinate (1689)
Louis XIV attempts to take control of the
Palatinate
 Alliance against France included England
with William of Orange as its new king
 After eight years the war was indecisive
and Louis the XIV agreed to peace

Heir to the Spanish Crown
It was well known that throughout
Europe that King Charles II of Spain had
mental problems and was unable to father
an heir to the Spanish Crown
 Louis XIV saw an opportunity to expand
the influence of the French Crown
 Louis wanted his grandson Philip V to
inherit the Spanish Crown

Philip V Inherits the Spanish Crown
Charles II named Philip V his successor on
the condition that the Spanish and French
Crowns would never be combined
 Louis XIV accepted the terms of the will
and allowed his grandson, Philip V to be
named King of Spain
 The English and the Dutch saw this as
unacceptable

War of Spanish Succession
(1702-1713)
Alliance against the French included
England, Holland and Austria
 King William of England dies shortly after
start of war, but Queen Anne takes up the
cause

◦ Fighting over in the New World between
French and English called Queen Anne’s War

French suffered losses in the Netherlands,
the Holy Roman Empire, Italy and North
America
Louis’ Wars take their toll on
France
The war takes its toll on the French and
Louis XIV is ready for peace
 Treaty of Utrecht creates many changes in
the map of Europe that can still be seen
today
 Wars have emptied the French Treasury,
taxes increased, the currency was
devalued
 Louis dies in 1714 leaving France worse
off
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