Louis XV

Beyond Louis XIV, and a successor. What did Louis XV do for France?

1. Beyond Louis XIV
The Setting of the Sun
King

2. It shoulda worked For
France
Largest European population (21 million-
ish; England was 6.5 million including
Scotland)
An advanced economy
Structure imposed & controlled by Louis
XIV
Other European states also exhausted by
Louis XIV’s wars plus their own problems

3. The Monarchy of Louis XIV
A tiny review
Louis XIV also became king at
young age, with mother as regent
Cardinal Mazarin, chief minister
after Richelieu, provided advice
Louis raised to be king, taught
skills needed from childhood
Young king supremely confident
in ability to rule
When Mazarin died, 18-year-old
Louis declared he would run
government himself
“I am the state,” he declared

4. Louis XV (1715-1774)
Grandson of Louis
XIV successor
France ruled by
regent Duke of
Orleans until 1720

5. John Law (1671-1729)
& Mississippi Bubble
Trading company with
Louisiana (Mississippi
Company)
Printed paper money with no
gold backing
Mississippi company controlled
France’s national debt
Stock rose temporarily
Investors wanted to cash in, but
there was no gold
Long term effects re: paper
money and stocks

6. Duke of Orleans’
actions
Involved monarchy
more in government
System of councils
where nobles served
with bureaucrats
Result was Parlements:
courts dominated by
nobility

7. Different than English Parliament
French Parlements could not legislate, but could
recognize monarch’s law or act (or not)=veto kind of
a power
Louis XIV successful in restricting Parlements power
Duke of Orleans under Louis XV fully re-instituted
powers
Reinforced by financial and moral weakness of Louis
XV
Parlements

8. Cardinal Fleury 1653-
1743
73 when he came to office!
Tried to block monarch’s
ambition
Took hold of France’s
finances, reduced some
debt
Built roads and bridges
Never sufficiently taxed
nobles and clergy

10. A Weakened France
Louis XV never strong
ruler
Not trained
adequately by Fleury
Bad boy and
unmotivated to
actually work

11. What is the connection between the
Parlements, Fleury and the French
Revolution of 1789?

12. Was France better off with an absolute
ruler like Louis XIV?