Louis XIV and Religion 1661-1684

Question 1

What was the background of Louis XIV and Religion?

Answer 1

• Dieu-donne.
• Louis was awarded the title of Most Christian King by the Pope.
• It had been in mutual interest for the Crown and the Pope to get along. This promoted religious unity.
• Worked both ways; Church actively support the king.
• Divine right of kings.
• State and church supprt one another.

Question 2

Louis’ personal beliefs.

Answer 2

• He was a devout Catholic.
• Jesuit confessors; strict catholicism.
• Règale.
• Ultramontanism; all power and decisions from Rome and the Pope.
• Absolutism.

Question 3

Religion and Royal authority.

Answer 3

• Louis felt justified in supervising the spiritual welfare of his subjects.
• Exploitation of the Church for its wealth.
• Louis extended the Règale.

Question 4

How was 1679 a turning point?

Answer 4

• Signalled the end of the Dutch War.
• The influence of Madame de Maintenon who dominated politics. Louis wanted to attone for two adulterous marriages. (Married Louis in 1682)
• Louis became much more aggressive with Huguenots and Jansenists. End of peace of the Church.
• The death of Colbert in 1683.
• Louis uses dragonnades.
• The death of the Duchess of Longville in 1679.
• Louis was keen to prove loyalty to the Catholic Church following the dispute over the Règale.

Question 5

What was a Gallican?

Answer 5

• This was a movement which favoured a strong independent French Catholic Church. This included ensuring the French king as well as the Pope had power, authority and influence over the church within France.

Question 6

What was Ultramontanism?

Answer 6

• This was a concept popular with Jesuits which emphasised the Pope’s rights and power over those of kings and general church councils and collaboration with Rome.

Question 7

What was the Règale?

Answer 7

• This was the king’s right from the 1516 concordant of Bologna to collect revenue from empty dioceses in Northern France.