Friday Oct. 21 Class

What is absolutism?

The belief that the king has absolute power to rule because God gave it to him (called "divine right")

The 3 documents about absolutism:

Richelieu, Political Testament, 1638

• not intended for general public-- just for Louis XIII
• author was the king's favorite ministers (politically) and was a churchman (religously) 
• played an important role in developing absolutism in 17th century France
• in favor of absolutism because he wanted to give King Louis XIII power who would then give him power
• absolutism would restore the power of the King and the entirety of France after the civil war-----get rid of Huguenots
• saving the state will save the church-- no separation (note that the state comes before the church)

Saint-Simon, Memoirs, 1691-1701 

• intended for public to read
• author came from lower nobility under Louis XIV
• St. Simon gave the impression that absolutism could work, but it was not under Louis XIV
• "God had given him all that was necessary for him to be a good King, perhaps also to be a fairly great one. All his faults were produced by his surroundings."--- translation--he could have been a great king, but fell short of it
• St. Simon believed the King was too focused on minor, petty details (like what the army wears and who shows up to dinner) and was too easily swayed by compliments ( the nobles at court knew this so they complimented him to gain power) 
• the king also set himself up for an overthrow because the entire county was too focused on riches and lavish and was close to having no money ---- "This folly, sustained by pride and ostentation, has already produced widespread confusion; it threatens to end in nothing short of ruin and a general overthrow."

(the court to King Louis XIV)

Jacques-Benigne Bossuet, Politics Taken From the Very Words of Holy Scripture, 1679 (first translated into English, 1707) 

• intended for the public 
• author was a bishop under Louis XIV
• Kings are given the authority to rule by God --- they are the earthy representation of God 
• the people must not disrespect the King because God put the King on the throne--- if one disrespects the King, they are disrespecting God and will have to deal with Him (God)
• with this being said, the king must respect the people he is ruling and do good for them-- kings must rule with "fear and self-restaint"

Absolutism made kings super powerful, even more than they were in the Middle Ages. They feared that the church or the nobles would damper their power.  Bureaucracies, composed of career officials appointed and solely accountable to the king, were made as a safeguard against the church and nobles. French bureaucracies were usually made up of members of the middle class and recognized that they served the state, and did not hold private positions.