d to raise your renown amoung foreign nations to the point at which it ought to be," Richilieu succeeded in doing this. In 1627, Richilieu destroyed the fortresses of the Huguenots. He also built a barrier to deprive them of the sea. The Huguenots, in turn, were reduced from a powerful political party to a religious body. Richilieu leveled the castles of the nobles. Many individuals were executed for conspiring against the king. Districts were created in France and the middle class was put in charge of these districts. They were called intendants. The jobs of the intendants was to collect taxes, raise armies, and spy on the nobles. He tried to collect money from the nobles, but failed so he squeezed the money from the peasants, who were already tax-burdened. He starts to wage war on neighboring countries, especially the German Hapsburgs. Louis's rule had occassional religious differences between the Catholics and Huguenots, and many conspiracies against Richilieu. During his rule reign unity and religious peace were secured and France was raised to the first power in Europe. Louis XIV was ruler of France from 1643 to 1715. He was known as the Sun King. Louis imposed absolute rule on France and fought a lot of wars trying to dominate Europe. His reign was the longest in European history and was marked by flourishing French culture. He said,"The State is I," meaning that whatever he said, France was to do. Cardinal Jules Mazarin ruled as regent for Louis until he reached his legal age. Louis was given a weak education and was taught about court ceremonies, war, and kingship. His early life was very scary. He had been kidnapped many times, and everyone was trying to influence him. When Louis grew older he remembered these things and found itcrirical to bring stability and reform to France. He also got a deep suspicion of the nobility. When Cardinal Mazarin died in 1661, Louis shocked France by not naming another ...
