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

The idea

During Louis XIV's minority, France was governed by Anne of Austria and Cardinal Mazarin. Their continuation of the Thirty Years' War required aggressive financial policies, such as the toisé and paulette renewal terms, alienating the Parlement of Paris. Seeking to protect its privileges, the Parlement issued the 27 Articles in 1648 demanding limits on royal power. This unrest sparked the Frondes (1648–1653), a series of civil wars. The Fronde of the Parlements (1648–1649) saw magistrates rebel against fiscal oppression, while the Fronde of the Princes (1650–1653) involved nobles like Condé attempting to overthrow Mazarin. The Crown ultimately survived, but the chaos deeply influenced Louis XIV's later absolutist rule.

What earns the marks

• Analyse the political partnership between Anne of Austria and Mazarin, focusing on their commitment to royal prerogative and foreign war.
• Explain the specific financial grievances of the Parlement of Paris, such as the manipulation of the paulette and the introduction of new taxes.
• Differentiate between the causes and participants of the Fronde of the Parlements and the Fronde of the Princes.
• Evaluate the impact of the Frondes on the young Louis XIV, particularly how the experience of fleeing Paris shaped his later absolutist policies.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Treating the Frondes as a single, unified rebellion against the Crown.

  Put it right: Distinguish between the distinct phases: the parliamentary Fronde (driven by legal and fiscal grievances) and the princely Fronde (driven by noble ambition).

• Assuming the Parlement of Paris was a democratic, representative body like the English Parliament.

  Put it right: Define the Parlement as a sovereign court of justice composed of ennobled magistrates (noblesse de robe) protecting their own privileges.

• Stating that Mazarin was universally popular and easily controlled the nobility.

  Put it right: Highlight that Mazarin was deeply unpopular due to his Italian origins, perceived greed, and centralising policies, making him the primary target of the frondeurs.

Exam tips

• Use specific examples of fiscal expedients, such as the toisé or the manipulation of the paulette, to explain why the magistrates of the Parlement of Paris moved into open opposition, and note how the Crown used the lit de justice as a judicial procedure to force these through.
• When evaluating the threat of the Frondes, contrast the military danger posed by the Princes with the constitutional challenge posed by the Parlement.
• Link the events of the minority directly to Louis XIV's later decision to rule without a chief minister and to relocate the court to Versailles.