Louis XIV’s War Machine

(See Outline on my Blog – place it in Review Notebook AND use it to

review for the Unit III Exam)

I. Background

1. Louis could afford to maintain a large & powerful army.

2. France in a position to dominate Europe. How?a) superior administrative bureaucracy

b) superior armed forces (France could afford to maintain a large & powerful army)

c) superior national unity

3. Louis’ Goal?a) wanted to secure and expand his borders (Spanish Netherlands and southern border with Spain.

III. Three able MinistersNO note-taking – this is on the handout on blog• Jean-Baptiste Colbert (controller general of

finances)a) created economic base for warb) improved country’s infrastructurec) organized economic activity under state supervision (colonial, military goods, & luxuries)d) Tariffs regulated imports/exportse) increase the taille – tax on peasantry and major source of incomef) mercantilism

No Note-Taking2. Louvois = war minister

a) improved the militaryb) instituted good salariesc) promotion by meritd) improved image of the militarye) the army, now made up of French citizens, had considerable public support.

No Note-Taking

3. Vaubana) Perfected the art of fortifying and besieging towns.

b) Devised system of trench-warfare

IV. Early Wars1. War of Devolution (fought over his claim to

the Spanish Belgian provinces)a) Sends army into Flandersb) why? Never received the promised 500,000 crowns from the Spanish king when he married his wife. Wife had denounced all claims to the crown in exchange for the money. When Spanish king died, Louis argued that because his wife was the oldest child, inherited property “devolved” (went to) her. He had a case.

c) Triple Alliance = response to Louis’ aggression. Made up of: England, Sweden & United Provinces of Holland.

d) Louis forced into peace under Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. France gains control of certain towns bordering Spanish Netherlands. NOT a lasting peace because of

commercial struggle between France and Britain in W. Indies, Africa & India.

2. Invasion of the Netherlandsa) upset by Triple Alliance AND

b) Did not like the economic power, the religion (Calvinism) or government (representative) of the Dutch.

c) Treaty of Dover: i. Secret treaty b/t France and England against the Dutch!! ii. What??!! English King Charles II (Chuck II) was to receive money

and support from French troops so he could declare himself a Roman Catholic!! And, he was to receive money annually from France to join in a war against the Dutch.

d) B/c of William of Orange (later King of England = William and Mary) and his alliance with Holland, Spain HRE, & Brandenburg-Prussia, Louis loses. NO VICTORY.

e) Peace of Nijmwegan left Holland intact/Spain ceded some territories to France (Burgundy and some towns in present-day Belgium)

V. The Later Wars1. Background: Louis not happy with the outcome of the first two wars.

Appeared he wanted to destroy Holland’s independence, most of west HRE, and to bring Iberian peninsula under a French ruler.

2. Huguenotsa) Louis launches a methodical campaign against Huguenots beginning in 1679

b) 1685 Louis revokes the Edict of Nantes and 250,000 Huguenots flee country and join with England, HRE and Holland to fight France.

3. The Nine Years’ Wara) In 1681, Louis’ forces conquered free city of Strasbourg (in Alscace-Lorraine)

b) League of Augsburg formed in response i. Who’s in League? England, Spain, Sweden, United

Provinces and some HRE states.

ii. Their fear? Louis expanding into the HRE AND they feared his religious policies were too similar to Philip II

c) France vs. Leagued) at same time, Fr and Britain fight in N.America, called “King William’s War” or First French and Indian War.

e) Outcome? Peace of Ryswick (1697) War ends without victory – stalemate. Maintained the status quo..

VI. War of Spanish Succession1. Charles II of Spain dies in 17002. Both Louis XIV & Leopold of Austria &

HRE Emperor had claim to throne their grandsons.

3. Louis feared Habsburgs would dominate Europe if they had control of Spain and HRE.

4. But, most Euro nations feared France if it united with Spain!!!

5. Charles II left entire inheritance to Philip of Anjou, Louis’ grandson.

6. Spain belonged to France.

7. Louis sees Charles’ wishes as as God’s wishes, so he was

going to fight to defend it.

8. Grand Alliance England, Holland, several HRE states, forms to maintain a separate Spanish state.

9. France defeated in every major engagement

10. Treaty of Utrecht (a typical balance-of-power peace)a) ended hostilities with England

b) Confirmed Philip V as King of Spainc) Gave England Gibraltar, making it a Mediterranean power!

11. Louis agreed to recognize House of Hanover to succeed James II of England.

12.Treaty of Rastadta) Austrian Habsburgs compensated with Belgium (Austrian Netherlands) and the former Spanish possessions of Milan and Naples.

b) Elector of Brandenburg was rewarded with royal title of King “in” Prussia NOT King “of” Prussia. Although German, Prussia was situated outside of HRE.