Question: Louis XIV declared his goal was "one king, one law, one faith." Analyze the methods the king used to achieve this objective and discuss the extent to which he was successful.
Louis XIV was a ruler well known for his extravagance and successful absolutism. During his reign, Louis’s goal was to achieve “one king, one law, one faith,” which he did somewhat successfully through making France absolutist, creating a centralized state, and enforcing Catholicism.
Louis XIV wanted to make sure that he was the absolute ruler of France, and waged many wars including the War of Spanish Succession, the War of Devolution, the Franco-Dutch War, and the War of the League of Augsburg. By being successful militarily, Louis was able to claim, “L’ etat cest moi,” or, “I am the state”. While he successfully strengthened his military’s reputation, the wars were extremely expensive for France and put them in a financial hardship. In the beginning of his reign, Louis XIV disbanded the General Assembly, which was similar to an early French parliament. By disbanding the General Assembly, Louis made sure that there was very few people standing in his way of ruling; he wasn’t sharing any power. He also made sure to invite nobles to his residence at the Palace of Versailles for extended “vacations”. By inviting the nobles to stay at his palace, Louis could effectively watch over the nobles to make sure they weren’t arranging any uprisings against his monarchy. Through his successful military management and suppressing of possible revolt, Louis’s absolute reign helped him achieve his “one king” goal.
Louis XIV made many changes that allowed him to have a centralized state. Through his wars, Louis made sure that the power of France was emphasized and that people knew they were a dominant country. For his military success, many people looked up to him as a true leader, and therefore focused their loyalties to him. Louis’s use of the Palace of Versailles also helped make a centralized state because it was the true source of political activity, especially when other nobles would come to stay. By dismissing the General Assembly, as well as checking up on other nobles, Louis made sure that there were no outside sources of governing that were distracting from his official law. Through creating a centralized French state, Louis was able to achieve his “one law” goal.
Finally, by enforcing Catholicism, Louis completed the third part of his main goal. Louis XIV’s parents, during their reign, always had trouble conceiving children. When Louis XIV was born, he was immediately called “God given”. Louis used this to his advantage to enforce the belief of divine right, that he was the king as chosen by God, so whatever decisions Louis wanted to make, were “coming from God”. In 1685, Louis revoked the Edict of Nantes, and declared that French citizens either had to be Catholic, or leave France. He also allowed for the destruction of many Huguenot churches and homes. Although he successfully made France all Catholic, his movement created lots of problems because of the amount of Protestants that left France. When they left, there was a deficit in labor, and the Huguenots made sure to take their French money along with them. Even if it did come with economic punishments, through his successful and strict Catholic enforcement, Louis completed the third part of his goal: “one faith”.
Louis’s “one king, one law, one faith,” goal was accomplished through absolutism, a centralized state, and religious uniformity, but came with intense economic consequences.
Louis XIV wanted to make sure that he was the absolute ruler of France, and waged many wars including the War of Spanish Succession, the War of Devolution, the Franco-Dutch War, and the War of the League of Augsburg. By being successful militarily, Louis was able to claim, “L’ etat cest moi,” or, “I am the state”. While he successfully strengthened his military’s reputation, the wars were extremely expensive for France and put them in a financial hardship. In the beginning of his reign, Louis XIV disbanded the General Assembly, which was similar to an early French parliament. By disbanding the General Assembly, Louis made sure that there was very few people standing in his way of ruling; he wasn’t sharing any power. He also made sure to invite nobles to his residence at the Palace of Versailles for extended “vacations”. By inviting the nobles to stay at his palace, Louis could effectively watch over the nobles to make sure they weren’t arranging any uprisings against his monarchy. Through his successful military management and suppressing of possible revolt, Louis’s absolute reign helped him achieve his “one king” goal.
Louis XIV made many changes that allowed him to have a centralized state. Through his wars, Louis made sure that the power of France was emphasized and that people knew they were a dominant country. For his military success, many people looked up to him as a true leader, and therefore focused their loyalties to him. Louis’s use of the Palace of Versailles also helped make a centralized state because it was the true source of political activity, especially when other nobles would come to stay. By dismissing the General Assembly, as well as checking up on other nobles, Louis made sure that there were no outside sources of governing that were distracting from his official law. Through creating a centralized French state, Louis was able to achieve his “one law” goal.
Finally, by enforcing Catholicism, Louis completed the third part of his main goal. Louis XIV’s parents, during their reign, always had trouble conceiving children. When Louis XIV was born, he was immediately called “God given”. Louis used this to his advantage to enforce the belief of divine right, that he was the king as chosen by God, so whatever decisions Louis wanted to make, were “coming from God”. In 1685, Louis revoked the Edict of Nantes, and declared that French citizens either had to be Catholic, or leave France. He also allowed for the destruction of many Huguenot churches and homes. Although he successfully made France all Catholic, his movement created lots of problems because of the amount of Protestants that left France. When they left, there was a deficit in labor, and the Huguenots made sure to take their French money along with them. Even if it did come with economic punishments, through his successful and strict Catholic enforcement, Louis completed the third part of his goal: “one faith”.
Louis’s “one king, one law, one faith,” goal was accomplished through absolutism, a centralized state, and religious uniformity, but came with intense economic consequences.