Louis XIV 1661-1715

Description

Undoubtedly the best revisionist history on France 1661-1715, the reign of Louis XIV. Contents INTRODUCTION TO THE SERIES V ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vi INTRODUCTION vii Part One: The Background I l HISTORICAL BACKGROUND I The political situation in 1661 I Economy and society 4 The social politics of royal finance 10 Justice and administration 13 Part Two: Analysis 16 2 KING, COURT AND MINISTERS 16 3 THE YEARS OF REFORM 32 Finance 32 Tithes, indirect taxes, rentes, the General Farm 35 Administrative order: parlements, intendants, provincial assemblies 36 Public order: revolts, the Grandjours, the police, the legal codes 39 The economy 42 Art and architecture: the imagery of gloire 46 The price of glory 54 The military reforms of Le Tellier and Louvois 55 4 FOREIGN POLICY 58 The Dutch War 62 The reunions 64 The Nine Years War 65 The War of the Spanish Succession 68 5 CHURCH AND STATE 74 6 THE LATER DECADES 86 The court and politics 86 The intendants in perspective 93 Financing the wars 95 Criticism of the royal policies 99 The economy 101 The monarchy and reform 102 Part Three: Assessment 104 Part Four: Documents 112 GLOSSARY 150 APPENDIX 1: CHRONOLOGYOFTHE REIGN 153 APPENDIX 2: REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE 156 APPENDIX 3: LOUIS XIV'S FAMILY TREE 157 BIBLIOGRAPHY 158 INDEX 172