Transcript 10th Euro Studies 10.28.14

10th Euro Studies 10.28.14
Turn in:
 Baseball Card Project
 Monarch Chart
 Monarch Map
Take out:
 Planner
 Pen/Pencil
 Notes
Today’s objective:
 I can explain how French
monarchs following Louis XIV
impacted power in Europe.
Today’s Agenda:
Gather your things: Cards,
Chart, Map…
France:
 Louis XIV
 Louis XV
 Quiz Return
HW:
 Study Guide (Online)
The Sun King’s Grand Style
• Louis spent a fortune surrounding himself
with luxury
• Built the huge palace at Versailles near
Paris
– Palace was 500 yards long
– Ornate decoration and furnishings
– Intended to clearly show Louis’s wealth and
power
Louis Controls the Nobility
• Louis required hundreds of nobles to live at
Versailles
• They were kept busy with elaborate rituals
surrounding Louis
– The Levée
• Increased royal authority in two ways:
– Made the nobility dependent on Louis
– Took them away from their homes so the
intendants had more power
• Kept them under Louis watchful eye
Patronage of the Arts
• Versailles was a center of arts
• Louis made opera and ballet more
popular
• Most famous writer – Moliere
– Wrote comedies
• Louis supported the arts as a way to
glorify the king and promote values that
supported his absolute rule
Louis Fights Disastrous Wars
• Under Louis, France was the most powerful
country in Europe
• He attempted to expand France’s boundaries
by invading the Spanish Netherlands, but he
only gained a small region
• Decided to fight other wars, but other
countries joined together to keep France from
becoming too strong
• A poor harvest, high taxes to finance the
wars, and constant warfare brought suffering
to the people of France (this will become a
theme…)
Louis’s Death and Legacy
• Died in 1715
• Positive legacy:
–
–
–
–
France was a great power
Leader in European art and literature
Military leader of Europe
Had a strong empire of colonies
• Negative legacy:
– Left huge debt from wars and building Versailles
– Resentment by the poor over taxes and Louis’s
abuse of power
The Legacy of Louis XIV
Transformed France into the
strongest country in Europe
Able financial ministers: Cardinal
Richelieu and Jean Baptiste
Colbert transformed French
economy, increased trade and
improve French treasury
The wars of Louis XIV against
Spain and internal wars of
religion will nearly bankrupt the
nation.
A Shaky Monarchy after
Louis XIV
• Death of Louis XIV who ruled for
72 years, left throne to greatgrandson, Louis XV (another boy
king…)
• the Duke of Orleans, regent for
five-year old Louis XV makes
John Law financial manager of
the kingdom
– Helped establish the first
national French bank—the
Banque Generale
John Law
John Law and the French Economy
• The wars of Louis XIV left the country completely
wasted, economically and financially
• Law abolished internal tolls and encouraged building
new roads for trade
• Started new industries—led to 60% increase over
two years
• Revived overseas commerce by increasing French
fleet from 16 to 300 ships
– Fur trade
“The Mississippi Bubble”
• Law organizes a monopoly on trading
privileges in the French colony of Louisiana
in North America
• To get French investors, the value of the
Mississippi Company’s stock was inflated
• 1718—the Mississippi Bubble as it was
called turns into a financial disaster and
Law flees the country disguised as a woman
The impending collapse of John Law’s bank triggered a financial panic throughout France.
Desperate investors sought to exchange their paper currency, for gold and silver before the banks’
supply of precious metals was exhausted.
Collection Musée de Bretagne, Rennes
The Reign of Louis XV (r. 17151774)
Saw growing discontent among
French citizens who desired
more say in gov’t and rejected
royal absolutism set up by his
great grandfather, Louis XIV
Parliament is reinstalled and
becomes the center for popular
resistance to royal authority for
most of the century
Social Division amongst the
French
• Many French resented special privileges of the aristocracy
– Nobles and clergy were exempt from taxes
– Aristocracy received gov’t pensions
– Highest positions in gov’t were reserved for aristocrats
– Promotions based on political connections rather than
merit
– Versailles became a symbol of wasteful, extravagant,
and a frivolous life
Growing Discontent
• France’s main ability to produce in agriculture
was based on the feudal system of peasantry
tied to the land
• Peasants were taxed excessively in comparison
to other segments of society
• What happens with enough discontent???
Need for Gov’t Reform
• France had no uniform code of laws lacked justice
in French judicial system
– Not all classes were treated equally in the eyes of
the law
• 1770—local parliaments rose up against Louis XV’s
absolutism, BUT were abolished by the king
• Some philosophes applauded the parliaments
attempt at reform and demanded an overhaul of
French system
Death of Louis XV
• Louis XV failed to solve the problems of
France left to him by his greatgrandfather
• Corruption and inequality in gov’t are
the legacies left behind
• Crowds lined the road to curse Louis
casket
• Under Louis XV (r.
1715–1774) France
suffered major
defeats in Europe and
around the world and
lost most of its North
American empire.
• Louis himself was an
ineffective ruler, and
during his reign, the
monarchy
encountered
numerous challenges
from the French
aristocracy.
•
CORBIS/Bettmann
10th Euro Studies 10.28.14
Turn in:
 Baseball Card Project
 Monarch Chart
 Monarch Map
Take out:
 Planner
 Pen/Pencil
 Notes
Today’s objective:
 I can explain how French
monarchs following Louis XIV
impacted power in Europe.
Today’s Agenda:
Gather your things: Cards,
Chart, Map…
France:
 Louis XIV
 Louis XV
 Quiz Return
HW:
 Study Guide (Online)