France in the Age of the Sun King, 1681-1685
Further, internal reforms ensure that the Sun King’s own power is solidified to an even greater degree than that of his predecessors. The Declaration of the Clergy, issued in 1681, champions the cause of Gallicanism and grants many new liberties to the Church in France, not to mention a higher degree of independence from papal power to the ‘eldest daughter of the Church’. The aristocracy are also finally subdued, being domesticated and essentially forced to reside at the royal court at Versailles, mostly out of necessity and dependence on royal favor. The early years of the decade also see the implementation of the king’s final reforms concerning the regional parlements, particularly the Parlement of Paris, which finds itself stripped of its power of remonstrance; from this point onward, the court must first register all royal edicts issued by the king, and only afterwards offer its remonstrances as non-binding judicial advice.
The death of Queen Maria Theresa of Spain in 1683 essentially changes the makeup of court factions. The following year, King Louis secretly weds his mistress, Françoise d’Aubigné (b. 1635), Marquise de Maintenon. While the new, morganatic wife is given no official recognition, she soon manages to solidify her great influence over the king, her secret husband. The rise of Madame de Maintenon also ensures that the king begins to show increasing favor to his numerous royal bastards—formerly the charges of his new wife—and all having been legitimated by royal decree at this point, granting them official status directly after the princes of the blood; particular favoritism is shown to his sons by his former mistress the Marquise de Montespan, Louis-Auguste de Bourbon (b. 1670), duc du Maine, and his brother, Louis-Alexandre de Bourbon (b. 1678), Comte de Toulouse.
The French economy also prospers with the addition of the Low Countries, as they yield much in the way of taxation, increasing the royal treasury. Further, the addition of the Dutch colonial possessions in the West Indies and India allow for a rapid growth in trade, not only in France, but also in her other colonies in the Americas. This also serves to increase the wealth of the king, and ensure that royal coffers remain full. Further, the king’s great popularity with his people due to his many military successes, and thus the expansion of the realm and its foreign prestige and power, serve to ensure that even in periods of heavy taxation, there is little discontent at this time.
Thus, by the fall of 1685, France is now Europe’s most powerful state, with few to truly equal her as rivals.