Chapter 156: The New King
February, 1713
His father was dead, as was his grandsire. Two Kings gone within the space of a few months. The death of the Sun King had hit him harder than his father’s death, and in some ways he thought that made sense. He had always been closer to his grandsire than his father, had understood that man more than his father. Had worked with his grandsire more than with his father. But now they were both gone and the position of top authority belonged to him, and him alone. The coronation had taken place a few days ago in Rheims, and now they were back in Versailles, to prepare for the coming year.
Louis took a breath and then began his first council meeting as King. “Gentlemen, we know that times are uncertain. We know that the long reign of our predecessor saw many ups and downs, and we know that things are somewhat uncertain now. However, we do hereby promise before you all now that unlike our much vaunted predecessor, we shall not start a war unless it is to defend France. She is our concern now, not the concerns of other nations. This we swear before God and his only Son.” He crossed himself as did the other council members, he then began properly. “Now, the state of the economy is such that we must consider measures of reducing the burden borne by the peasantry, otherwise they shall revolt. Pontchartrin, tell us where we stand.”
Pontchartrin, was ageing rapidly now before his eyes, and it seemed he was growing slower in his responses. Still he provided some clever words in his response. “Sire, I have spoken with the members of the court, and they have agreed to increase their tax payments by five percent. With each member doing so, this will give the treasury a much needed boost. And enable us to begin considering the works on the roads you were proposing before.”
“Excellent. And what of the merchant classes?” Louis asked. He knew that the merchant classes would be the key to developing France. He suspected as well that a National Bank similar to that in Britannia would be needed, but he said nothing of that now.
“Sire, the merchant classes grumble, but they too are willing to pay out their fair share of the taxation. However, one Guillame de Castillion is demanding an audience with you, as a representative of the Merchant Guild.” Pontchartrin said.
His cousin, the Duke of Orleans spoke then. “Sire you cannot seriously consider entertaining such a request. The Merchant Guild is famous throughout the land for imposing the demands of the Paris mob onto other guilds throughout the land. To meet with him would be to legitimise him.”
Louis ignored his cousin and looked at Pontchartrin. “What is it that this man wishes to discuss?”
“He wishes to discuss what he claims is the unfair treatment of the Parisian merchants in terms of the trade agreement with Britannia.” Pontchartrin said.
“He speaks nonsense, Sire.” Orleans said. “The merchants are all benefitting from trade.”
“What is his specific complaint?” Louis asked.
“That the Parisian merchants are having to artificially price their wares in order to compete with the prices the British merchants set. He argues the problem is worse when they handle Scottish goods.” Pontchartrin said.
Louis considered that and then said. “Very well, tell the gentleman that we shall meet with him.” Pontchartrin nodded and made a note of that. Louis then turned his attention to the matter of war. “Now, we know that the situation in the Empire is most precarious our cousin the Emperor it seems has complained about the uncertainty of the electoral position in Bavaria. Where do we stand with that?”
This time it was Orleans who spoke. “Sire, I have looked into this situation in great detail and have found that King Maximilian is unwilling to take the electoral position away from his family. He wishes for his second son to inherit the position after him. However, Imperial law is such that it must go to the first son unless there is some involvement of the Pope and the Emperor and they reach agreement.”
“And let us guess, there is no agreement there?” Louis ventured.
“Indeed not, Sire. His Holiness wishes for Maximilian’s second son to inherit it, as the boy has displayed some depth of holiness, whilst the Emperor wishes for Maximilian’s brother to be the one granted the position.” Orleans said.
“No doubt so that he can marry his sister off to the man.” Louis quipped, which earned a laugh from his council.
There was a brief pause, and then Dubois, a new man who Louis had known for some time, and had recently invited onto the council spoke. “Sire, if I might?” Louis gestured for the man to continue. “Why not invite the chance to play intermediary? You could suggest that Maximilian’s oldest son remain heir to the Electorate but that his second son could serve as the governor there when they come of age? Right now, Maximilian’s brother is serving as his viceroy, so the boy could be raised by him. It would effectively help change things around.”
Louis thought on this for a moment and then said. “We think that you might just be onto something there, Dubois.” He paused and then added. “We shall task you with looking into this and seeing the legal aspects of it. We know the Emperor will look through the legal avenues to try and undermine this.”
Orleans spoke then. “Why not allow tensions to escalate, Sire? The Emperor wants Bavaria into his own domain, surely if we allow war between Spain and the Emperor we can benefit from it?”
“Not without the cost of more French lives, and we do not want that.” Louis said firmly. “Dubois, do as we have asked you.”
“Yes, Sire.” Dubois replied.