LOUIS XIV OF FRANCE:HIS LIFE AND REIGN "The Sun King""Le Grand Monarch""Louis the Great" His 72 year reign (1643-1715) is the longest in European history I. France:the most powerful nation in Europe A. Replaced Spain as the dominant European power after the Thirty Years' War B. During Louis' reign France became the political and cultural ideal of Europe 1. France was the model for all European society 2. All of Europe imitated the French court 3. French set the standards in art, literature, architecture, mannersall culture 4. France would be the cultural model for Europe until beginning of twentieth century 5. French became the language of style into the 20thcentury C. Louis' France became the model for absolute monarchical governments of the 17th and 18th Centuries 1. Louis reorganized the national government to improve the absolute, centralized control he inherited 2. Louis reorganized the army and created the first modern national army 3. France became the model for diplomacy in foreign affairs a. France succeeded the Italians as the standardsetter b. French became the new diplomatic language c. French is still the language of international agreements in politics and business D. The successes of France in this period made it the model for a powerful nationstate of the era II. The France of Louis XIV:status, circa 1650 A. Population:20,000,000 1. Twice the population of Spain; Four times the population of England 2. Austrian Habsburgs ruled 22,000,000 but it was not a true nation because it lacked unity of territory or language or culture 3. France had more manpower than any European nation except Russia in a much more concentrated area B. Economy 1. Louis inherited the benefits of Cardinal Richelieu's policies of centralization and mercantilism 2. French agriculture was flourishing from improvements of the early 17th century 3. France had prosperous commerce and cities 4. French government continued to support agriculture and commerce 5. Mercantilism was practiced in foreign trade beginning with Henry IV C. France was the major political victor of the Thirty Years' War, 16181648 1. Richelieu and Mazarin used the war to weaken the Habsburgs in both the Holy Roman Empire and Spain 2. Peace of Westphalia left the German states sovereign and divided and the Holy Roman Empire impotent: Austria continued as a power but directed its energy away from France toward the Ottoman Empire 3. War between France and Spain continued until 1659 4. Peace of the Pyrenees, 1659, marked the defeat of Spain a. Spain admitted to France's dominance b. Louis XIV was married to theInfanta(eldest daughter of the King), Maria Theresa c. Bourbon dynasty of France was joined to the Hapsburg dynasty of Spain and could possibly inherit the throne of Spain III. Louis XIV:Personality and qualifications A. Active and intelligent B. Believed in his right and responsibility in ruling France

C. Excellent at picking ministers to wield power in his name 1.