16/02/2010

The Royal State in the Seventeenth Century

• War raises the need for money, because soldiers need to be paid
The impact of XVI
well equipped and trained => higher taxes
century wars on
Western Europe • Power is centralized – absolutism in monarchy while the power of
States the nobility decreases

General
England France
Characteristics
James I writes that
monarchs are placed
The Monarch is on Earth in God’s will
What was the theory considered God’s and they will be According to Jean
of “divine rights of representative on Earth judged in heaven Bodin, the king is
kings”? Main authors and his rights are according to the way “God’s image on
of this theory: divine meaning he can they ruled. Other Earth”
rule however he likes. representatives are
Francis Bacon and Ben
Jonson.
Royal courts grow The French Court is a
bigger because the vivid example of how
kings could not handle The Duke of much courts grew.
Administrative by themselves all that Buckingham – George Henry IV had 1500
Changes: How did was expected from Villiers, was the chief officials hired to work
the Royal them. Kings often had minister of James I and for him. However,
Courts develop? “right-hand men”/ Charles I right after French kings got their
chief- ministers, who him. favorites too. For
helped with the ruling. Louis XIII that was
Cardinal Richelieu.
What was the need Taxes rose, because so
for taxation? What many wars were led at
were the main that time and in order
sources of taxation to be successful in a England was in great
The amount of money
for the war one’s army should need for taxation after
spent by the royal state
English/French be well trained and all the wars the
increased with 60%.
crown? equipped. However country gad been
Even though the taille -
nobles were often through. Its main
the crown’s basic tax-
exempt from paying sources were the ship
remained the same,
them. Thus common money that port towns
new taxes like paulette
people were the ones had to pay and
- tax on office holding
who had to pay for the impositions, that
- were established.
armies of the king. concerned only the
Therefore common luxury import goods.
people lived in
poverty.
Summarize the main • Some people might live in poverty because of the king’s rule, but
characteristics of the he is a representative of God, therefore that must be God’s will
Royal state of the • Centralized power – absolute monarchy
XVII century. • Fragile religious toleration