Richelieu Dbq

The 17th century was a tumultuous time in Early Modern European history dominated by the Fronde, a series of civil wars in France (1648-1653), and the English Revolution, confrontations between Parliamentarians and Royalists in England (1642-1651). Unlike other conflicts, which were fought to determine who should rule, these wars were a response by the citizenry to the manners in which France and England were being governed. Subjugated under two absolute monarchical authorities, France and England’s people experienced unfair taxes and regulations intended to establish their king’s sovereignty; however, the forces meant to limit the power of the people worked to the opposite effect by provoking the public against their countries’ oppressive

31). This viewpoint, imparted by Cardinal Richelieu before he passed away in 1642, was the rationale behind the taxations imposed on the population by the monarchy. Richelieu argued for the importance of taxations and similar charges because of their subjecting qualities. He claimed without levies to subdue the people, the public would lose awareness of their station and excuse themselves from behaving civically (Political Testament, p. 31). This conclusion was justified by the imperial belief that the common people, as the less enlightened citizens of the state, were incapable of adhering to their own commonsense and the limits of the law (Political Testament, p. 31). In England, Henry Ireton expressed a similar consensus that denied the people their rights due to their social

Cardinal Mazarin, Chief Minister to the young King Louis XIV, responded to their insurrection by arresting the leaders of the parlement – in turn, sparking widespread, civil unrest throughout the public (Louis XIV and Absolutism, p. 25). This conflict was a product of the pent-up rage that had accumulated within the masses, for, “…they loved the Parlement too much, and they all hated the Minister,” (Louis XIV, p. 29). The Parisian riots forced the queen to pacify the Parlement and its zealous supporters by releasing the members Mazarin had arrested (Louis XIV, p. 29). The public had exhibited they were a force to be reckoned with, proving that they possessed the ability to assert power over their own political destinies by refusing to comply with the