Louis XIV was the King of France from 1643 to 1715. He was known for his centralization of government and increasing the authoritarianism of the monarchy, as well as many other decisions that changed the course of France. His reign was significantly long, and his authoritarian monarchy structure managed to last until the onset of the French Revolution over a century later. During his reign, like any monarch, he faced issues, from diplomatic relations to military actions and major decisions that affected the entire country of France. Three of the major problems that he had to face were the question of ministry, changes to religion, and foreign relations.
The question of ministry was an issue that Louis XIV had to face from the minute he came to power. There was a strong feeling in France at this time that the Kings had to rule through a first minister, and Louis XIV was expected to choose someone for this task (Article 2). However, Louis XIV chose not to choose anyone and decided to be “his own first minister” (Article 2). He therefore established absolutism and exerted control over all of his ministers. The real issue came when Louis XIV wanted to replace the finance minister, Nicolas Fouquet, who was accused of many financial crimes such as embezzlement, and had to begin to make these types of important decisions. Some of these decisions included punishing Fouquet, who had become increasingly unpopular with the French people. Colbert, whom Louis XIV chose as Fouquet’s replacement, began to make many reforms that the people of France did not always agree with, but were supported by the King and thus were established.
Religion was a major part of Louis XIV’s kingship and persona, and he made many changes to the national religion of France that caused significant problems for the people. He revoked the Edict of Nantes in 1685 (Article 4). By revoking the Edict, Louis XIV caused the loss of many French citizens who identified as Protestant. The Protestants who had been forced out of French citizenship were the more industrious of the French people, which amounted to a significant loss for industry and economy (Eggert 211). Many viewed this as an attack on the Protestants, which led to the “question of civil war” (Eggert 211). The French people saw the absolutism of the monarch and chose to flee the country instead of resisting the force of power that had eliminated them based on religious circumstances (Eggert 211).
Louis XIV found himself and his empire in heated relations with the Dutch and the English, among many other foreign relations issues. These conflicts escalated to the Franco-Dutch war that began in 1672 (Article 4). France would also become an enemy to England, causing a significant amount of conflict that Louis XIV was forced to deal with as the result of many of his decisions. The French suffered some military defeats including Blenheim, Turin, Malpaquet, and Ramillies (Eggert 211). The amount of wars that France was involved with also pushed the country toward the verge of bankruptcy (Eggert 211), which caused more issues for the monarchy. Wars with other countries and within France would occur throughout Louis XIV’s entire reign and constantly test his military and diplomacy skills on a regular basis.
Louis XIV’s reign ended with his death in 1715, and his successor Louis XV stepped into power to replace him in autocratic rule. Three of the many issues that Louis XIV faced during his reign included the issue of ministry, religious decisions, and wars that would cripple the French economy and nationality.
Works Cited
Article.
Eggert, C. A. “The Age of Louis XIV.” Modern Language Notes 9.7 (1894): 209-212.
