Western Civilization

the new edict provided for the destruction of the

Huguenots’ churches and the closing of Protestant

schools.

FINANCIAL ISSUES The cost of building Versailles and

other palaces, maintaining his court, and pursuing

his wars made finances a crucial issue for Louis XIV.

He was most fortunate in having the services of

Jean-Baptiste Colbert (ZHAHNH-bah-TEEST kohl-

BAYR) (1619–1683) as controller-general of finances.

Colbert was an avid practitioner of mercantilism (see

Chapter14).Todecreasetheneedforimportsand

increase exports, he founded new luxury industries

and granted special privileges, including tax exemp-

tions, loans, and subsidies, to individuals who estab-

lished new industries. To improve communications

and the transportation of goods internally, he built

roads and canals. To decrease imports directly, Col-

bert raised tariffs on foreign manufactured goods

and created a merchant marine to carry French

goods.

THEWARSOFLOUISXIVBoth the increase in royal power

that Louis pursued and his desire for military glory

led the king to develop a professional army number-

ing 100,000 men in peacetime and 400,000 in time

of war. Louis made war an almost incessant activity

ofhisreign.Toachievetheprestigeandmilitary

glory befitting the Sun King as well as to ensure the

domination of his Bourbon dynasty over European

affairs, Louis waged four wars between 1667 and

1713. His ambitions roused much of Europe to form

Interior of Versailles: The Hall of Mirrors.Pictured here is the exquisite Hall of Mirrors at

Versailles. Located on the second floor, the hall overlooks the park below. Three hundred and

fifty-seven mirrors were placed on the wall opposite the windows to create an illusion of even

greater width. This photo shows the Hall of Mirrors after the restoration work that was completed

in June 2007, a project that took three years, cost 12 million euros (more than $16 million), and

included the restoration of the Bohemian crystal chandeliers.

Chateaux de Versailles et de Trianon (Thierry Ollivier)//

ª

RMN-Grand Palais/Art Resource, NY

The Practice of Absolutism: Western Europe 365

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