Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 12.djvu/534

* LOtris XIV. 476 LOTJIS XIV. belonged to France under Uie last four interna- tional treaties. The chambers decided llial with the cities and principalities conquered liy France went all territorial possessions which at any time might have been theirs. French armies ex- ecuted the decisions, adding Strassburg and many border towns to France. France was nt)v domi- nant in Europe, and its ])ovcr felt even in North- ern Africa, wherc the de])rcdations of the Barbary pirates led to the bombardment of Tripoli ( 1681 and 1U8.5) and Algiers (1U82 and 1083) by a French fleet. At home Louis ruled like an Ori- ental despot. The patriotic ambition of the nobil- . ity had been strangled along with their unruli- ness, and they were for the most part content to be mere satellites of the King. The provinces vere governed by royal intendants, and every detail of government was rigidly watched by the King. The power of the Churcli was also l)rought under the control of the King. The liberties of the (iallican t'luirch as against the Pope were asserted in the National Council of 182 (see G.4LLlc.N CiiL'Rcii), but at the same time uni- formity of belief was enforced by the suppression of the .lansenists and the enactment of stringent measures against the Huguenots, who, protected by the Kdict of Nantes, were living peacefully in the Kingdom. Arrogant and obstinate as he was, Louis was restrained in many tilings by the coun- sel of Colbert while that minister livecl. But Col- bert died in SeptenilKT, llKS.'i: his death had been preceded by that of the (^ueen, and in 1(>84 Louis privately married .Madame de .Iaintenon (q.v.), ■who for a long time had been his spiritiial guide. The Huguenots were gradually subjected to more and more pressure (see Dhaoonxades) . and in 11)8.5 the King finally revoked the Kdict of Nantes. The exercise of the Reformed religion in France was prohibited, and children were to be educated in tile Catholic faith. (See Huguenots.) On the death of the Flector Falatine. in 1G85, Louis claimed the territory of the Palatinate in right of the F.leetor's sister, the Duchess of Orleans. In 188 he invaded the Palatinate and the neigh- boring regions. Early in 168!) the Minister of War. Louvois, doubting the possibility of defend- ing the Palatinate against the Imperial Forces, ordered the devastation of that region — an act of inexcusable cruelty, which reduced half a million of people to utter misery. A new coalition was now formed against France, guided by the energy- and wisdom of William of Orange, just called to the throne of England. This league, the (hand Alliance, ultimately included England. Holland. Savoy, the Emperor, Brandenburg, Sweden, Spain. Saxony. Bavaria, and the Palatinate. The suei'ceding campaigns were largely waged in the Netherlands, while Marshal Catinat reduced Savoy. On .July 1, 16n0. Marshal Luxembourg defeated the I'rince of Waldeek at Fleurus ; on August 3, 1692, he gained a decisive victory over William IIL at Steenkcrke, and on .July 2!J.U>!).'!. won a second victory at Neerwinden. At sea the French under Tourville gained a great success over the English and Dutch off IJieppe (.July. IfidO), but this was counterbalanced by the crush- ing defeat of the French at J.a Hogue in May, 1602. The Fabian tactics of William III. checked the advance of the French, who were now- under the command of the incapable Villeroi : in 160.5 the English King took Namur, and thus hastened the approach of peace, of which France, exhausted by the vast campaigns, stood in great need. In 1697 the Peace of Rysw ick provided for a mutual restoration of conquests and the garrisoning of the forts in the Spanish Netherlands by Dutch troops as a barrier between France and Holland. Louis was forced to recognize William 111. as law ful King of Great Britain and to abstain from lending aid to the exiled Stuarts. Meanwhile Louis was able to maintain his rule at home in the face of growing discontent only by a rigid police espionage, administered by Count d'Argenson. The national linances, restored by the somewhat artiticial system of Colbert, were again in a deplorable condition, and the people were threatencil with want. The last years of Louis were a period of misfortune as signal a^ his previous successes had been. The question nf the succession to the tlirone of Spain, left vacant by the childless Charles IL. led to the tremendous struggle of the War of the Spanish Succession. (See SrccESSiON Wak.s. ) William revived the Grand Alliance in 1701 to combat the plans of Louis for jdacing his grandson. Philip of Anjou, upon the Spanish throne. The allies took the iield tinder the able generalship of .Marlborough and Prince Eugene and won the great battles of Blenheim (1704), Ramillies (1706), and Oude- narde (1708). After these French disasters ne- gotiations for peace were entered upon, but though Louis was willing to comply with all the demands of the allies in regard to the restora- tion of his early conquests and to recognize the Austrian Archduke Charles as King of Spain, he wotild not consent to join the allies in driv- ing his grandson out of Spain. Hostilities were resumed and Marlborough and Prince Eugene inflicted a bloody defeat on the French at Malplaquet (1709). Fortime. however, favored the French King. The death of the Emperor .Joseph I. and the accession of the Archduke Charles (Charles VI.) in the Austrian domin- ions and the (ierman Empire created dissen- sions in the ranks of the allies: the fall of Marlborough (1712) removed Louis's greatest enemy. The treaties of Utrecht (1713) and Ras- tadt (1714) brotight the war to a close. Philip of Anjou retained the Spanish crown, which, however, was shorn of its possessions in Italy and the Netherlands. France ceded Acadia to Eng- land. The obstinate policy of aggrandizement by despotic methods and of the repression of the natural tendencies of the people hail its re- sult after a period of factitious glory in a de- cline of the Ficnch power. The looseness and immorality of .society, to which the King gave the tone, was another cause of decay. Domes- tie niisfortimes embittered the last years of the King's life. Within the space of a year (1711- 12) death carried oflT the Dauphin Louis, the heir to the throne, together with his two sons, the Dukes of Burgtmdy and Berry, and the Duke of Burgundy's eider .son. the Duke of Brittany. L^pon Louis, the second son of the Duke of Burgimdy. a sickly child whose life was for a time despaired of. fell the succession to the crown. By his mistress, Madame de ilontespan, Louis had two sons, who bore the titles of Duke of Maine and Count of Toulouse. On September 1. 1715, the aged King died at Versailles. His reign had lasted seventy-two years. The epi- grammatic statement, L'rint c'est moi. attrib- uted to him, well described his role in French history. He had been France. His life was identified with the zenith of the French power,