AQA · A-Level · History

    Course version: 7042 · Version from Sept 2017

    Louis XIV, France and Europe, 1643– 1715 (A-level only) – Louis XIV and…

    Full specification wording

    2F The Sun King: Louis XIV, France and Europe, 1643– 1715 (A-level only) – Louis XIV and Europe, 1661–1685: France and the policy of Reunions: the drive to annex ‘lost’ territories to France such as Luxembourg, Casale and Strasbourg; the Treaty of Ratisbon

    Louis XIV initiated the policy of Reunions to consolidate France's borders after 1679.

    Checked against the AQA 7042 specification (opens in a new tab) on .

    • Point 4 of 4
    • 3 key terms

    Study notes

    From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    The idea

    Louis XIV initiated the policy of Reunions to consolidate France's borders after 1679. Using legal courts called Chambres de Réunion, French lawyers exploited ambiguous treaty clauses to claim historical rights over border dependencies. This drive to annex 'lost' territories allowed Louis to seize strategic locations without formal war. Key acquisitions included the vital fortress of Luxembourg, the Italian stronghold of Casale, and the independent city of Strasbourg in 1681. This aggressive expansion provoked conflict, temporarily resolved by the Treaty of Ratisbon (1684). This agreement granted France a twenty-year truce, allowing Louis to retain Strasbourg and Luxembourg, representing the absolute peak of his territorial expansion and European dominance.

    What earns the marks

    • Define the policy of Reunions and explain the function of the Chambres de Réunion in providing a legal pretext for territorial expansion.
    • Analyse the strategic importance of annexing specific 'lost' territories, notably the defensive value of Strasbourg, Luxembourg, and Casale.
    • Evaluate the European reaction to the Reunions, noting the inability of the Holy Roman Empire and Spain to mount an effective immediate resistance.
    • Assess the significance of the Treaty of Ratisbon (1684) as a high-water mark for Louis XIV, securing a twenty-year truce and recognition of his recent annexations.

    Common mistakes and how to put them right

    • Describing the Reunions as purely military conquests.

      Put it right: Emphasise that the Reunions were primarily a legalistic strategy using courts to claim sovereignty, backed by the threat of military force.

    • Stating that the Treaty of Ratisbon permanently ceded the territories to France.

      Put it right: Clarify that Ratisbon was a twenty-year truce allowing France to occupy the territories, not a permanent treaty of cession.

    • Confusing the locations and strategic purposes of the annexed territories.

      Put it right: Specify that Strasbourg secured the Rhine frontier, Luxembourg protected the northern border, and Casale provided a gateway into northern Italy.

    Exam tips

    • Use the annexation of Strasbourg (1681) as a prime example of Louis XIV's opportunistic foreign policy, taking advantage of the Emperor's distraction by the Ottoman threat.
    • Discuss the policy of Reunions as a transition from the aggressive warfare of the 1670s to a more defensive, albeit highly provocative, strategy of border consolidation.
    • Evaluate how the Treaty of Ratisbon contributed to growing anti-French sentiment across Europe, laying the groundwork for the League of Augsburg.

    Try the lesson

    The start of the 2F The Sun King: Louis XIV, France and Europe, 1643– 1715 (A-level only) – Louis XIV and Europe, 1661–1685: France and the policy of Reunions: the drive to annex ‘lost’ territories to France such as Luxembourg, Casale and Strasbourg; the Treaty of Ratisbon lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    Have a go first

    What legal mechanism did Louis XIV use during the 1680s to justify the annexation of territories such as Strasbourg and Luxembourg under the policy of Reunions?

    Listen

    Louis XIV initiated the policy of Reunions to consolidate France's borders after 1679. Using legal courts called Chambres de Réunion, French lawyers exploited ambiguous treaty clauses to claim historical rights over border dependencies. This drive to annex 'lost' territories allowed Louis to seize strategic locations without formal war. Key acquisitions included the vital fortress of Luxembourg, the Italian stronghold of Casale, and the independent city of Strasbourg in 1681. This aggressive expansion provoked conflict, temporarily resolved by the Treaty of Ratisbon (1684). This agreement granted France a twenty-year truce, allowing Louis to retain Strasbourg and Luxembourg, representing the absolute peak of his territorial expansion and European dominance. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Define the policy of Reunions and explain the function of the Chambres de Réunion in providing a legal pretext for territorial expansion. Analyse the strategic importance of annexing specific 'lost' territories, notably the defensive value of Strasbourg, Luxembourg, and Casale. Evaluate the European reaction to the Reunions, noting the inability of the Holy Roman Empire and Spain to mount an effective immediate resistance. Assess the significance of the Treaty of Ratisbon (1684) as a high-water mark for Louis XIV, securing a twenty-year truce and recognition of his recent annexations. A common slip: Describing the Reunions as purely military conquests. Instead, Emphasise that the Reunions were primarily a legalistic strategy using courts to claim sovereignty, backed by the threat of military force. Exam tip: Use the annexation of Strasbourg (1681) as a prime example of Louis XIV's opportunistic foreign policy, taking advantage of the Emperor's distraction by the Ottoman threat.

    See it

    A flowchart running from top to bottom. The first box is labelled 'Policy of Reunions' and points to a box describing the Chambres de Réunion, where French lawyers exploit ambiguous treaty clauses. That leads to a box on claims to historical rights over border dependencies, which leads to a box on annexation of 'lost' territories without formal war. From this box three arrows lead to separate boxes labelled 'Luxembourg', 'Casale' and 'Strasbourg'. All three of these point to a single box labelled 'Conflict provoked', which leads to a box labelled 'Treaty of Ratisbon (1684): twenty-year truce', and finally to a box stating that France retains Strasbourg and Luxembourg.
    It shows how the policy of Reunions worked through the Chambres de Réunion, led to the annexation of Luxembourg, Casale and Strasbourg, provoked conflict, and was temporarily resolved by the Treaty of Ratisbon.

    Key words

    Say what each word means before you turn the card.

    Reunions

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Chambres de Réunion

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Treaty of Ratisbon

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    See every definition
    Reunions
    Policy initiated to consolidate France's borders after 1679 by annexing 'lost' territories to France such as Luxembourg, Casale and Strasbourg.
    Chambres de Réunion
    Legal courts through which French lawyers exploited ambiguous treaty clauses to claim historical rights over border dependencies.
    Treaty of Ratisbon
    Agreement of 1684 that granted France a twenty-year truce, allowing Louis to retain Strasbourg and Luxembourg.

    Label the diagram

    Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.

    The diagram again, with 3 boxes numbered instead of named. A flowchart running from top to bottom. The first box is labelled 'Policy of Reunions' and points to a box describing the Chambres de Réunion, where French lawyers exploit ambiguous treaty clauses. That leads to a box on claims to historical rights over border dependencies, which leads to a box on annexation of 'lost' territories without formal war. From this box three arrows lead to separate boxes labelled 'Luxembourg', 'Casale' and 'Strasbourg'. All three of these point to a single box labelled 'Conflict provoked', which leads to a box labelled 'Treaty of Ratisbon (1684): twenty-year truce', and finally to a box stating that France retains Strasbourg and Luxembourg.

    • 1Box 1

    • 2Box 2

    • 3Box 3

    0 of 3 labelled

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