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Louis XIV becomes King of France (Age 4 - 1643)

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Louis XIV becomes King of France (Age 4 - 1643)

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Louis XIV became king of France in 1643 when he was just four years old, but since he was too young to rule, his mother, Anne of Austria, and Cardinal Mazarin made decisions for him. During this time, a series of rebellions called the Fronde challenged the king’s power, which later made Louis determined to rule with complete control as an absolute monarch.

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Louis XIV becomes King of France at age 4 (1643)

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The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) was a long and violent conflict in Europe, mainly between Catholics and Protestants, but it also became a power struggle between different countries. It ended with the Peace of Westphalia, which changed borders, reduced the power of the Holy Roman Empire, and gave countries more control over their own affairs. France emerged from the war as a stronger nation, but King Louis XIII died soon after, leading to his four-year-old son, Louis XIV, becoming king under the guidance of his mother and Cardinal Mazarin.

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In 1701, Louis XIV seized Dutch barrier fortresses, which started the War of the Dutch Succession. He aimed to weaken the Dutch Republic and expand France’s territory by controlling key strategic points. Louis’ actions were driven by his belief in absolute power, as he wanted to increase France’s dominance in Europe. The war demonstrated how his control over the military allowed him to act without needing the approval of other nations or his people, a key aspect of absolutism.

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The Fronde (1648–1653) was a series of rebellions in France where nobles and common people fought against the monarchy’s growing power. These uprisings happened while Louis XIV was still a child, forcing him and his advisors to flee Paris at times. The chaos and instability convinced Louis that a strong, absolute monarchy was necessary to prevent future rebellions. As a result, when he became king, he worked to centralize power, weaken the nobility, and establish himself as the sole ruler of France, shaping his absolutist rule.

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The War of Devolution (1667–1668) was a conflict between France and Spain, where King Louis XIV claimed parts of the Spanish Netherlands (modern-day Belgium) through his wife’s inheritance rights. Using his strong, centralized army, Louis quickly conquered several territories, showing his power as an absolute ruler who controlled both politics and the military. However, other European countries, like England and the Dutch Republic, opposed his expansion, forcing him to sign the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle and return some land. This war was one of Louis XIV’s first attempts to expand France’s borders, proving how absolutism gave him the ability to wage wars without needing approval from others.

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The Palace of Versailles was a massive and luxurious palace built by King Louis XIV to show off his power and control as an absolute ruler. He moved the French government there, forcing nobles to live at Versailles so he could keep a close eye on them and prevent them from challenging his authority. The palace’s grand design and strict court rules showed that Louis had total control over France’s wealth, politics, and society. Versailles was a symbol of absolutism because it demonstrated that all power belonged to the king, with no one able to challenge his rule.

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Louis XIV died in 1715 after ruling France for over 70 years. His death marked the end of an era of absolute monarchy in France, as he had shaped the country to revolve entirely around his rule. During his reign, he centralized power, controlled the military, and made all major decisions, showing the complete authority of the king. His passing left a huge legacy, but it also left France weakened by constant wars and debt, challenging the sustainability of absolute rule in the future.

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After Louis XIV's death in 1715, the Enlightenment in France grew as people began questioning absolute monarchy and seeking new ideas about government, freedom, and individual rights. Philosophers like Voltaire and Montesquieu criticized the strict control and heavy taxation that had defined Louis XIV’s rule. Many Enlightenment thinkers argued that power should be shared and that rulers should be held accountable, directly challenging the idea of absolutism. This shift in thinking helped lay the foundation for future revolutions, including the French Revolution, which sought to end absolute rule altogether.