Huguenots
French protestants who tore France apart
Henry IV
a Huguenot prince who inherited the French throne in 1589; fought for 4 years against fierce Catholic opposition to gain control of France; converted to Catholicism
Edict of Nantes
granted Huguenots religious toleration and other freedoms
Cardinal Richelieu
Louis XIII appointed him as his chief minister - strengthened central government
Louis XIV
king of France; Versailles; poured vast resources and persecuted Huguenots; patron of arts; ruled 72 yrs.
intendant
royal official who collected taxes
Jean-Baptiste Colbert
Louis's brilliant finance minister who imposed mercantilist polices to bolster the economy
Versailles
Louis XIV spared no expense to make this immense palace the most magnificent building in Europe
levee
rising
balance of power
Led by the Dutch or the English these alliances fought to maintain this; the goal was to maintain a distribution of military & economic power among European nations to prevent any one country from dominating the region
What rights did the Edict of Nantes extend to Huguenots?
religious toleration and other rights
Why did Louis XIV choose the sun as his symbol?
It symbolized his role as the all-powerful center of the nation
How did Louis XIV secure support from the nobility?
He kept them tied to the court; he exempted them from paying taxes
How did Louis's actions weaken France's economy?
Waging war drained his treasury; expelling Huguenots removed some of his most productive subjects
