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Louis XIV weakened the nobles and stengthened the government
When Cardinal Mazarin (the one that made the majority of the decisions) died, Louis XIV took control of the government by himself. He did this by decreasing the power of the nobles and increasing the power of the government who collected taxes and controlled law. Louis had to make contact with the local officials to do this. (That is Cardinal Mazarin in the photo) -
Louis XIV Tries to Expand
Louis XIV attempted to expand France. He captured. The Spanish Netherlands and gained 12 towns. Now too confident, he led an army to invade the Dutch Netherlands but they had failed. Still, France gained several towns and a region called Franche-Comte. -
Louis XIV Fights For More Land
Louis XIV fought extra wars so that he might have gained some more land. Though, the rest of Europe did not appreciate this and by the end of the 1680's, a European-wide alliance formed to stop France. Their defensive strategy was to balance out the power so that no single country could dominate others. -
Louis XIV expands the Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles was originally a hunting lodge built in 1624 by Louis XIII (Louis' father). Louis XIV expanded this palace to prove his power. This palace was the official residence of all kings of France from 1682 - 1790. The palace was very well made. -
Louis XIV Changes the Beliefs of Art
During the Renaissance period, the main focus of art was to glorify religion. Louis XIV convinced the population to make art glorifying himself to boost his reputation and glory. Because of this, he was a strong supporter of art. -
Louis XIV Canceled the Edict of Nantes
Louis XIV slowed the economic process of France. He canceled the Edict of Nantes which protected the religious rights of Huguenots. This caused skilled workers and businessmen to leave the country. Louis did not like the protestants. -
The War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714)
When Charles II of Spain died in 1700, it triggered a war against almost all of Europe from 1701-1714. This was because Charles gave his entire inheritance to his grandnephew Philip who was also the eldest grandson of Louis XIV. This gave Louis XIV way more power than he already had and people did not like that. This caused (once again) most of Europe to for alliance against France.
