The Origins of French Absolutism, 1598-1661

by Alan James

Overview

This controversial study takes the provocative line that the French monarchy was a complete success. James turns the idea of royal absolutism on its head by redefining the French monarchys success from 1598 - 1661.

The Origins of French Absolutism, 1598-1661 maintains that building blocks were not being laid by the so-called architects of absolutism, but that by satisfying long-established, traditional ambitions, cardinal ministers Richelieu and Mazarin undoubtedly made the confident, ambitious reign of the late century possible.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781317878896
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	01/14/2014
Series:	Seminar Studies
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	168
File size:	655 KB

About the Author

Alan James is a lecturer in the Laughton Naval History Unit of the Department of War Studies, King's College London. His is author of The Navy and Government in Early Modern France, 1572-1661 (Boydell, 2004) for which he was awarded the prize of 'Best Young Academic Author of the Year' by the college.

Table of Contents

Introduction to the Series

Acknowledgements

Chronology

Map: France in 1620

Introduction

PART ONE: THE BACKGROUND

1. EARLY BOURBON MONARCHY

The ‘Peace’ Of Nantes

The Recovery Of Royal Authority

The Early Reign Of Louis XIII

PART TWO: ANALYSIS

2. RELIGION

The Catholic Reformation

The Cardinal Ministers

The Huguenots

Jansenism

3. WAR

Early Aims and Ambitions

France in the Thirty Years' War, 1635-48

Mazarin and the Peace Of The Pyrenees, 1648-59

4. GOVERNMENT

Popular Rebellion

Money

Officers of the Crown

Fronde of the Parlement, 1648-49

Personal Government

5. SOCIAL ORDER

The Fronde of the Nobles, 1650-53

Louis XIII and the Nobility

Historians and the Nobility

The Dynastic State

PART THREE: ASSESSMENT

6. THE ORIGINS OF FRENCH ABSOLUTISM?

The Fouquet-Colbert Rivalry

The End Of Government By First Minister?

The Golden Years, 1559-61

PART FOUR: DOCUMENTS

Who’s Who

Further Reading

References

Glossary

Index

Editorial Reviews

On Alan James, 'He writes capably, is scholarly in approach and backs up his arguments with judiciously chosen documents.'

Richard Wilkinson, History Review

From the Publisher