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

The idea

In 1643, the French monarchy faced a precarious transition following the deaths of Cardinal Richelieu and King Louis XIII. Their legacy was a more centralised state, achieved by suppressing Huguenot power and using intendants to bypass rebellious nobles. However, this legacy also included massive financial strain and widespread resentment due to heavy taxation funding the Thirty Years' War. The establishment of the Regency for the four-year-old Louis XIV was immediately contentious. Louis XIII's will attempted to limit the power of his widow, Anne of Austria, by imposing a regency council. Anne successfully appealed to the Parlement of Paris to overturn the will, establishing herself as sole Regent and appointing Cardinal Mazarin as her chief minister.

What earns the marks

• Identify the centralising policies of Richelieu and Louis XIII, such as the deployment of intendants and the dismantling of Huguenot military strongholds.
• Evaluate the financial and social costs of the Thirty Years' War, noting the reliance on oppressive taxes like the taille and the resulting popular unrest.
• Explain the constitutional mechanism by which Anne of Austria overturned Louis XIII's will using a lit de justice in the Parlement of Paris.
• Assess the immediate political implications of Anne appointing Cardinal Mazarin, a foreigner and Richelieu's protégé, as her chief minister.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Claiming Louis XIII left France in a state of complete peace and financial stability.

  Put it right: Emphasise that France was heavily indebted and facing internal unrest due to the ongoing Thirty Years' War.

• Confusing the roles of Richelieu and Mazarin.

  Put it right: Specify that Richelieu was the chief minister to Louis XIII who died in 1642, whereas Mazarin was appointed by Anne of Austria in 1643.

• Stating that Anne of Austria automatically became absolute Regent upon her husband's death.

  Put it right: Explain that Louis XIII's will restricted her power, and she had to actively use the Parlement of Paris to break the will.

Exam tips

• When discussing the legacy of 1643, explicitly link the financial burdens of foreign policy to the domestic instability that followed.
• Use the term 'intendants' to demonstrate specific knowledge of Richelieu's administrative reforms.
• Analyse how Anne of Austria's reliance on the Parlement of Paris to break the King's will inadvertently empowered the magistrates to challenge the Crown later.