1. Louis Fights Disasterous Wars
1.1. Louis invaded the Spanish Netherlands in an effort to expand France's boundaries
1.2. The war ended in 1678 with the Treaty of Nijmegen.
1.3. France gained several towns and a region called Franche-Comte'.
1.4. In 1701, England, Austria, the Dutch Republic, Portugal, and several German and Italian states joined together to prevent the uion of the French and Spanish thrones. The long struggle that followed is knows as the War of the Spanish succession
2. The Sun King's Grand Style
2.1. Louis spent a fortune to surround himself with luxury
2.2. Louis made opera and ballet more popular.
2.3. One of his favorite writers was Molier'e
3. Religious Wars and Power Struggles
3.1. Henry of Navarre
3.1.1. decended from King Louis IX
3.1.2. the first king of the Bourbon dynasty in France
3.1.3. gave up Protestantism and became a Catholic
3.1.4. Edict of Nantes- declared that the Huguenots could live in peace in France and set up their own houses of worship in some cities.
3.1.5. killed by a fanatic that leaped into his carriage and stabbed him to death
3.2. Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu
3.2.1. Cardinal Richelieu- Louis's minister, able to pursue his ambitions in the political arena.
3.2.1.1. two steps to increase power of the Bourbon monarchy
3.2.1.1.1. 1. moved against Huguenots, forbade Protestant cities to have walls
3.2.1.1.2. 2. sought to weaken the nobles' power. he ordered nobles to take down their fortifies castles. he increased power to gov't agaents who came from the middle class.
4. Writers Turn Toward Skepticism
4.1. Skepticism-the idea that nothing can ever be known for certain.
4.2. Montaigne and Descartes
4.2.1. Montaigne created the essay.
4.2.2. Descartes used his observations and his reason to answer such arguments, in doing this he created a philosophy that influenced modern thinkers and helped to develop the scientific method