"King Louis XIV: French Mastermind" Topic

"The Sun King's legacy was no less martial than cultural. Three of every five years during his reign were troubled by wars. Louis yearned to be a great king–another Charlemagne; yet historians continue to debate whether he deserved the epithet ‘great.' Did he rescue France, embroiled as it was in the civil strife known as the Wars of the Fronde, or did his absolute rule hasten the Revolution of 1789? What cannot be disputed is that Louis and the formidable military machine he commanded elevated France to a position of pre-eminence during his lifetime and for a century thereafter.

Louis' military excursions can be neatly separated into four distinct conflicts: the War of Devolution with Spain, the Dutch War, the War of the Palatinate and the War of the Spanish Succession–the last of which might be called the first truly global conflict of the modern age. His most spectacular successes came early, while he was still blessed with a handful of brilliant ministers (Jean-Baptiste Colbert and François-Michel le Tellier, marquis de Louvois) and marshals (Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne, vicomte de Turenne; Louis II de Bourbon, prince de Condé; and François-Henri de Montmorency, duc de Luxembourg)…"
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Amicalement
Armand

Louis certainly was an elemental cornerstone in the enmity between France and Germany. The way he pushed Frances borders eastward, and especially the "War of the Palatinate", known as "Palatinate Devastation" under the French General Melac in Germany, were naked wars of aggression. The idea was to make French fortresses in the newly conquered territory more defensible by burning all villages and towns within a days march, so that an attacker could not sustain his army.

Glup!….

Amicalement
Armand

Well, Sun leads to shadows…

I think that is an oversimplification Puster. Looking just at the Palatinate War I would agree. Much of the rest of his foreign policy though was consistent with earlier French foreign policy. The mergers of the Houses of Austria, Burgundy and Spain had created complications for France that French kings through Louis XIV had to deal with.

Agree!.

Amicalement
Armand

In the 30 years war France was allied to the Dutch, in 1672 the Dutch republic was attacked so no consisted policy imho!

The French in the 30 YW were continuing their earlier policy of trying to undermine the Spanish position in the Low Countries. The Dutch rebellion was assisting in that goal so the Franco-Dutch alliance made sense. In the recent Devolution though the Dutch backed the Spanish in resisting French claims. Louis XIV had reason to fear that in the next round the Dutch might support Spain again. So I see the attack as consistent.

Thanks!

Amicalement
Armand

>created complications

If you mean by "complications" that France could not act against the Empire without covering its back towards Spain, for a century or two, then you are right. On the other hand, you should look at the French borders from around 1477 to 1789. Thats not "complicated", its more or less a land grab, especially under Louis XIV.

I agree, however, that his policy was consistent with earlier French policy, like eg the treaty of Chambord where the German Protestant princes agreed that Francis could annex Imperial territory that was not theirs nor theirs to give.

We will have to agree to disagree.