Ch. 6 - Monarchies of France
MIDDLE WORLD HISTORY NOTES
Chapter 6 : French Monarchs (1337-1850)
FRENCH MONACH’S GAIN MORE POWER
1. Hundred Years’ War
-a series of wars between the kings of England and the kings of France over control of France
-actually lasted 116 years (1337-1453) marked with times of peace
-Edward III of England claimed to be King of France after the death of Charles IV
-the French quickly appointed Philip VI to avoid an English king in France and Edward attacked
-support in France was split between House of Burgundy (England) and House of Orleans (France)
-marks a new style of war in Europe including cannons ending the feudal system
-both sides experienced major peasant revolts
2. Joan of Arc
-seventeen-year old peasant girl
-claimed to have received a vision from god to lead French troops at the Battle of Orleans
-she was captured by Burgundy nobles and turned over to England
-she was tried for witchcraft, and burned at the stake
-she became a martyr and inspiration for French troops, declared a saint by the church
3. Estates General-
-became the representative body of French government
-First Estates (clergy, 1% of pop.), Second Estates (nobles, 2% of pop.), and Third Estates (common people, 97% of pop.) each got one vote
4. Huguenots-
-name given to the French Calvinist Protestants of the 16th and 17th centuries
-Protestantism spread rapidly in France in opposition to the crown
-militarily battled the country for religious control (French Wars of Religion)
-battles ended with the Saint Bartholomew’s Day Massacre which killed some 30,000 to 70,000 Protestants were slaughtered
-King Henry converts to Roman Catholicism and ends the movement
5. Henry IV-
-took over France as the first Huguenot king but converted to Catholic to unify country
-re-established the tax code (only the Third Estates paid taxes)
-assassinated by a fanatic Catholic
6. Edicts of Nantes-
-developed to end fighting and create religious tolerance in France
-when revoked, hundreds of thousands of French citizens fled the country
7. Cardinal Richelieu-
-Louis XIII took over France at age nine after his father’s assassination
-his mother, Marie De Medicis acted as regent
-a weak leader, Louis XIII appointed Richelieu as chief minister
8. Thirty Years’ War-
-last major European war of religion and the first all-European struggle for power
-began as a Protestant revolution in the Holy Roman Empire but other nations joined in to weaken the power of the Habsburg family
9. Treaty of Westphalia-
-ended the Thirty Years’ War giving France key territory along it’s border with German
The Reign of the Sun King (pp. 596-602)
10. Louis XIV-
-became the French king at four years old, longest reigning monarch in French history (72 years)
-he used the sun as a symbol of his power (his power and the sun’s rays reached far and wide) and became know as the “Sun King”
-fully believed in the “Divine Right of KIngs”
-moved the capital of France from Paris to Versailles where he built a magnificent palace and could keep an eye on nobles
-ended the Edict of Nantes to unify French religion, Protestants left the country weakening it in the long run
-made France Europe's leading nation in trade, military, and colonization
11. Balance of Power-
-developed as nations began to ally themselves with one another to match the more powerful countries
-began when Louis XIV fought wars to strengthen French borders
12. War of Spanish Succession
-Louis XIV’s grandson, Philip V inherited the throne of Spain
-European nations feared that a united Spain and France would upset the “balance of power”
-war erupted to end the unity
13. Treaty of Utrecht-
-ended the War of Spanish Succession by agreeing to allow Philip to rule, but not allowing the monarchy of Spain and France to unite
The French Revolution Begins. (pp. 650-655)
14. Louis XVI-
-inherited a country that was in huge debt from the leaders before him
-gave money to U.S. during revolution increasing the debt
-tried to tax the First and Second Estates
-captured trying to escape France when the Revolution broke out
-beheaded by the guillotine
15. Bourgeoisie-
-upper division of the Third Estates
-included merchants, manufacturers, and professionals
-the lower division included workers, poor, and rural peasants
-these people were required to pay the bulk of taxes and money to the church
-resentment grew between the Third Estates and the other two
16. National Assembly-
-developed by the Third Estates, who claimed to be the true voice of the French people and refused to be limited to one vote
-refused to leave until a constitution was written for France and adopted by Louis XVI
-Louis XVI agreed reluctantly sign while secretly planning to overthrow the new government
-designed the new constitution on the principles of “liberty, equality, and fraternity”
17. Sanculotte
-”without knee britches”
-referred to the poor, working class radicals of Paris
-were the main force behind the revolution
-demonstrated, rioted, and constructed street barricades against the kings soldiers
18. The Bastille-
-a fortress prison in Paris
-Louis XVI moved troops into Versailles and Paris
-fearing the troops were there to end National Assembly, they revolted
-on July 14, 1789 the Bastille was stormed by angry mobs to free prisoners and get gun powder
-symbol of French Revolution
19. Declaration of Pillnitz
-declared by Leopold II (Louis XVI’s brother-in-law) and Frederick William II of Prussia
-invited other European rulers to support a return of Louis XVI to power
-France declared war on Austria and Prussia and they invaded France
-as French success mounted, nations did join to contain France
20. National Convention
-created a republic government and abolished the King
-the Georges-Jacques Danton and Maximillien Robespierre led an extreme radical group called the Jacobins
-Jean-Paul Marat led a group called the led a less radical group
-Marat was assassinated while bathing
-Louis XVI was put on trial for plotting against the government and sentenced to death
-Louis XVI’s execution was disturbing to other nations, even those who did not support him
21. Marie-Antoinette-
-daughter of the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa
-French people did not like an Austria, especially when her involvement in French government increased
-”let them eat cake” showed her inability to understand the wide gap between the rich and poor in France
-she was beheaded by the guillotine
Revolution Begins Reform and Terror. (pp. 656-662)
22. Reign of Terror-
-Jacobins attempt to get rid of opposition to the National Convention
-thousands were sent to the guillotine, many only on suspicion
-when Danton called for an end to the Terror, Robespierre sentenced him to the guillotine
-eventually the National Convention arrested Robespierre and sentenced him to the guillotine
-after Robepierre’s death the Jacobins lost power and more moderate reforms were made
23. The Directory-
-designed to create a new government and constitution
-as with the other attempts at new governments, this failed too paving the way for dictatorship
The Napoleon Forges an Empire. (pp. 663-675)
24. Napoleon Bonaparte-
-began as a corporal in the French army but his military skill quickly elevated him to General
-he took over weak and poorly equipped troops in Italy but used his new and quicker military tactics to win war with Italy and Austria
-his victories made him very popular with the French people
-with Napoleon away, internal and external enemies began threatening France
25. Coup d’ etat-
-supporters of Napoleon seized control of the government from the Directory
-they made Napoleon dictator of France
-he took the crown from the pope and crowned himself Napoleon I Emperor of France
-Napoleon conquered or made treaties with almost the entire European continent
26. The Grand Army-
-Napoleon would lead 600,000 men on a march from France, across Europe, and into Russia to take the nation over
-Russia employed a scorched-earth policy to slow the French army who planned to live off the land
-Napoleon took over Moscow, but the citizens burned the city and all he could do was retreat back to France during the brutal Russian winter
-nations quickly broke alliances with France and turned on them
27. Leipzig, Saxony-
-The Grand Army was defeated
-Napoleon returned all land he conquered as was stripped of all power
-he was sent to Elba, an island of the coast of Italy
-Louis XVIII, brother of Louis XVI was restored as king
28. The Hundred Days-
-Louis XVIII’s rule was not well received
-learning of this, Napoleon escaped from Elba and allied himself with the soldiers sent by the king to defeat him
-Napoleon attempted to retake the empire he had lost
29. Waterloo, Belgium-
-European nations united to stop Napoleon’s advances
-Napoleon was defeated by the British Duke of Wellington
-he died under constant guard after being sent to the Atlantic island of St. Helena
-the French remember Napoleon for his positive contribution to France
-today, his tomb is located near the Arc de Triumph, which he commissioned to be built
-Napoleon created a strong nationalistic feeling though out Europe
30. Code Napoleon-
-reforms created while Napoleon was in control of France
-established a National Bank
-public education
-agreement with Catholic church which allowed for religious freedom in France
-organized streets in Paris
-created a state run postal service
-unified weights and measures
-went into effect in all the territory
conquered by Napoleon
31. Congress of Vienna-
-meeting of European nations to restore order, keep the peace, and suppress revolution after Napoleon
-main nations were Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia (although France had some say as well)
-basic principles 1) repay nations attacked by Napoleon 2) restore balance of power 3) all ruling families returned to thrones
-the Concert of Europe was designed to enforce the terms of the Congress