issues of war, religion and the king 1670s/80s

1680s glory of Louis XIV began to dim

Permanent move to Versailles 1682: Learning and the arts patronised, major censorship prevented outspoken criticism of the Ancien Regime.

Dangerous nobles showered with honorary offices and kept within the sight of the throne. Some aristocrats flocked to court for such patronage, some kept themselves within distance of the king. Despite the number of aristocrats at Versailles the nobles were still the most powerful men

In the 1680s Louis XIV turned to trying to impose religious uniformity throughout the realm, which began in the 1670s from the Jesuit confessor and last of his mistresses who influenced his policies - Madame de Maintenon.

there was a problem with this however - Huegenots, Jansenists and claims of Rome, and the Quietists.

Louis XIV restrictions on the Huguenots party in France by twisting clause of Edict of Nantes and increased their persecution in 1679.

1685 - Edict of Fontainebleau revoked the edict of nantes = no official protestants in France

Jansenists b4 the frondes -> aquiried no. adherents from nobles of the robe = distrust by royal ministers.

antagonism btw the pope and Louis = came before greater persecution of Jansenists and huguenots

1680 onward monarchy downward path + opponents were more outspoken, w some local revolts.

15yrs after revocation: > reform plans appeared from Huguenots + aristocrats

policies of the ministers did not seem to reap benefits + old society and institutions seemed preferable. Most of the aristocracy had the aims of seeking to revive the role of higher aristocracy, but some decentralization of power as some felt greater loyalty to their provinces than to the Paris government.

financial crisis of later reign not only caused by war: disruption of trade, severe economic depression, riots frequent inc among the Huguenots. Peasants died of starvation Bigger gap btw lower and upper levels

Pontchartrain - minister - tried to solve the financial crisis by creating a new tax that befell all of the classes, but instead was a temporary levy, Capitation 1695, Tenth 1710. However the tax was avoided by the wealthy and the peasantry bore the extra load.

1693-4 terrible harvest = deaths, loss of vital taxpayers at a key moment lost 1/10th population.

Trade prospered but during the War of the League of Augsburg ports declined and industry was affected by return of foreign craftsman

1697 Rijswijk treaty, good harvests, inc trade, red taxation

Another war meant crown needed to gain + raise money, finance minister Chamillart + Desmarets tried to manipulate the coinage but harmed state’s credit

Various reports of peasants living in caves + subsisting on roots(1676), but in 1709 innumerable deaths from hunger, reports of cannibalism amongst starving children. By 1715 country was impoverished

Heir to the throne did 1711, Duc de Bourgogne king’s grandson also died (pinned hopes on for reform)

Vacancy to the throne gave possibilities of ambitious to follow their own careers

After Colbert’s death all of his efforts were scrapped, and most of King wisest advisors had died during the last 15yrs of his reign which meant there was a gap for talent to rule the kingdom (Louis XV)

French Society in the 18th century

Peasants -> 4/5ths of 20 million Frenchmen 1700

Regency[BO2] -> gained a little economic ground

Some good harvests and reduction in the pressure on land afforded by depopulation, which also compensated for the heavy burden of taxes and reduction in taxpayers

Large number of Frenchmen were back to work under peacetime conditions + inc overseas trading

Marginal improvement to the lives of peasant Frenchmen in the 18th century, many were in work despite some losing their own land and having to serve (seignourlism)

Attitudes towards the government: suspicious when appt new ministers which either attack or a novel tax followed

Richer peasants were more likely to move out of towns because otherwise they’d have to pay extra tax contribution, despite poorer neighborhoods inhability to find money for their own share (legit could;nt pay taxes to fund the still ongoing financial crisiS)

localities continued to defend their rights, which carried on through the preceding century, which made attempts to undermine them more regular - angered ministers of XV and XVI.

Intendant [BO3] mouthpiece of the king’s wishes, but also listened to local communities despite major refom being beyond their means/inclinations (influenced by the local complaints)

Centralized power had survived, the parliament, the estates and assemblies, sovereign courts and the municipalities and guilds.

Higher Clergy + nobility at top of social pyramid despite composition change.

Inc in ranks 2 aristocrats due to Bourgeoise investing in office + land

After 1715 nobility keen to defend their privileges and traditional aristocratic life based on their landed wealth, which in turn lead to increased power + ranks.

The financier, and some other Bourgeois their aim was nobility of office or of the sword. Financiers married their daughters to poor but well off aristocratic houses and purchased nobility for their sons.

The old nobility saw this as a threat to the traditional hierarchy, so voiced their grievances through the high noblesse de robe or parliaments

2nd half of 18th century tried to exclude parvenus [BO4] from their ranks which didn’t turn out how they wanted, as money was still a valid qualification for higher outposts.

Nobles of the Robe and Nobles of the sword (d’epee’[BO5] ), formidable and many OLD aristocratic families saw position of the high robe as a desirable one.

Senior Robins good place in the social hierarchy and tried to expand their sphere of influence further by purchasing offices for relatives, investing in land, placing sons in more traditional noble callings of army and church.

= Nobles of the swords siding with the defenders of their privileges.

NOBLES: Hereditary, and has titles (barons, earls etc)

ARISTOCRACY: kind of hereditary, in the sense that rich people have rich kids, tend to have more wealth, power and prestige

GENTRY: people of good social position, class of people next below the nobility

Reasons for this defence:

Attempts by the central government to tap into the wealth + red independence of the aristocracy

Royal ministers understood taxation was impossible while the nobility was exempt from direct taxation + held control over courts and provincial institutions

People regarded the government as a threat, which was reinforced by the parlements. BUT WHY

Nobles + Gentry split like third estate; some nobles still denied of ability to participate in retail trade = resemblance to peasants than grand seigneurs[BO6] .

Urban Patriciate sometimes made cause with the nobility against the crown.

Guilds of merchants and craftsmen which were aided by Colbert rose to higher positions as fortunes of their members increased

In some provincial centres e.g. Bordeaux, wealthy guild allied with robe + epee to hold all the offices of parlement and city, conversing in same salons as principal tax famers to inc wealth power and priveledge.

did not care if nobles at court disliked them for being 'provincial' - better security than favouritism at versaillles

MY ANALYSIS OF THIS: YOU CAN SEE THE NOBLES AND THOSE OF HIGHER POWER BANDING TOGETHER TO BRING MORE POWER TO THEMSELEVES - 99

Argues aristocratic superiority remained, upper + middle closer together. Inc in wealth but French society the same/static

[BO1]Check

[BO2]Define what this is

[BO3]Define

[BO4]Person of humble origins who has gained wealth, influence or celebrity

[BO5]Check

[BO6]A man whose rank or position allows him to command others

Louis XV

discontented parlementaries + aristocratic reformers established monarchy that used traditional advisers however ? agree abt the degree of pre-eminence (superiority) should be accorded to peerage (inc nobility)/parlement

Peers, illustrious aristocratic families inc reforming writers + powerful political governors, influential favourites, powerless reactionaries, united in grievances against king Louis XIV,ministers.

king given children precedence over them (= parlement reverse decision), Loathed Louis' advisers which were either of low social origin or because peers always been royal councillors by right of birth, peerage deprived of all power (by those never favourited[were kept in impotent positions])

reassertion of their status as an elite group - aristocratic concililar system to pursue an enlightened course

wanted to reverse the Colbertian mercantilism + bourgeois policies

most clung to their exemptions bar the few enlightened who wanted universal taxes

regent familiy - set aside kings will as could rely upon: nobles (1), parlement(2), Jansenets (3)

1. detested bastards + hoped for power of bureaucracy curbed

2. wanted to regain influence ( granted remonstrance b4 edicts + dismissed bastards)

3. loathed Madame de Maintenon and Jesuits (was given)

parlement given back its right to remonstrance before registering edicts = confirmation of full power of the (01) regent and excluded the bastards.

(01) Implemented some proposals from reformers inc created 'polysynodie'

< suppressed 1718 which left the secretary of state in charge of central bureaucracy.

robe and epee suffered massive defeats, losing opportunity of gaining higher positions and pre-eminence

peers alienated members of ancient nobility = them welcomed members of parlement of paris

government task : reform royal finances = Chambre de justice to extract money from the financiers, which ultimately left the wealthy unscathed

The Regent: Scot John Law 1716, personal control of tax collection + hopefully trading with North America which collapsed in 1720 = greater ruin to some people but left few with fortunes

that left suspicion with the upper social levels, world of trade and credit was unsafe

1723 regent died, Duc de Bourbon took over gov until Fleury led office from 1726 until 1743

- Fleury (inc chanellow d'Aguesseau) foreign policy = drain on revenues subsided and chance for finances to recover

- small war btw 1734-36 = profitable peace

- Jansenists: 1713 Bull Unigenitus

bull was an attack on the writings of Pasquier Quesnel, avoided offending Gallicans but Bishops + Parlementaries didn't wholly approve of it. Parlements dec register the edict instead demanding modifications to it.

Fleury -> purged episcopate (the bishops of a church or region collectively) of undesirables,chose high aristocrats as bishops follow lead of versailles = parlements champion lower clergy

Jansenism dangerous > wider/popular appea, Jansenists dispute lasted into middle years of century

prosperity to Marseille,Dunkirk, La Rochelle, Nantes etc.

Bordeaux -> merchants built themselves handsome houses + commissioned public buildings for the centre a great city

industry: regulations imposed by Colbert implemented rigidly, under directions of guilds + royal officials providing the link btw them, the paris government

control + restriction discouraged innovations in method, industry relied on labour of domestic workers

internal commerce of france hampered by customs barriers esp cinq grosses fermes + other provinces.

reform plans - unified customs area - successfully opp by principal tax famers + dues that req officials + collectors.

Peasantry - little changes/improved. population growth inc vagabonds/casual laborers. poorly cultivated fields.

contrast of countryside poverty against wealth = attraction of the town

1737: disgraced foreign minister chauvelin who tried to prosecute the aggressive foreign policy

factions growing in Paris and Versailles

Fleury died 1743

Louis XV was less confident in his own powers of decision and failed to pursue consistent plants of action. Preferred to hunt and devote himself to his mistresses

Court took form = more complaints over extravegance and waste.

? on replacing existing revenue with universal tax -> derived from inefficient system of farmed indirect taxes w direct taxes which befell the poorer elements in the state.

War of Austrian succession 1741-48, new controller general Machault d'Arnouville -> introduced a new tax the twentieth on everybody to which the upper classes severly opposed.

Jansenists and jesuits also disputed.

parlements: regained right to remonstrance (protest) 1715. paris parlement 1717 obtained surpession of new and hated tax on all classes - the tenth, failed to opp John Law, was exiled from paris until his fall. Upset plans for small direct tax 1725. Involved in religious issues 1730s.

1733-1748 efforts to limit temp imposition of direct taxes

parlements now seen as defenders of fiscal and provincial liverites, w/o opinion in foreign affairs.

Based their claims defending French traditions against evil acts of the royal ministers, greater support for them, Gallican views backing from lower clergy.

greater support = chance of uprising from parlements if alienated, threat as serious as the gov's own ability to imprison or exile members of or whole parlements.

parlementaire view -> King would act in subject's best interests if he were properly counselled.

Fleury's death - no supreme minister to govern/focus for hatred, however parlements and the estates were forced to register the edict (twentieth 1749); nobles refused to pay and no tax-collector had the power to change their minds.

Clergy protested with Jesuits, by members of the royal family + d'Argenson

1751 twentieth tax suspened (CHECK) based on clerical property. Machault accepted defeat in reformation of the royal finances.

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to what extent was the outbreak of revolution in 1789 primarily due to the poor leadership of Louis XVI?