Week 4 - Queen Anne

Week 4 - 1703

Read:  Queen Anne by Herbert Woodfield Paul
Published 1906
Available on Google Books at no cost.

A very detailed look at the politics and social mores of the 14 years of Queen Anne's reign.  This was an excellent explanation of how she became Queen and  the Act of Settlement which secured succession of George I.  The religious tenor of the times dominated the political parties and many of the decisions made. 

 The book was divided into sections; the War of Spanish Succession, Politics, Literature, and Society and Manners. 

The Duke of Marlborough and Godolphin dominated the leadership of the country during the Wars of Spanish Succession, but gave way to the Tories , St John and Harley, in 1712.

 The writings of Jonathan Swift, Daniel Defoe, Addison and Steel (The Spectator),  Prior, Alexander Pope, Congreve and Dryden and the prominence of political pamphlets dominated literature and were important to the political process

 

Despite Anne's personal adherence to religious teachings, society of the time was marked by licentiousness, drunkenness, gambling and scandal.  She insisted upon courtliness and manners at Court, but this did not necessarily translate to society in the whole.  Court favoritism gave power to others and Anne was not considered to be capable or intellectual enough to manage the affairs of state. 

It was not a favorable look at Anne herself, but pointed out the lasting impact of her reign, including military victory, the Act of Settlement, the dominance of the Church of England, The Act of Union and the advance of Literature.

My take was that she left Britain more stable and enriched than she found it.

Very readable and a good explanation of the times.

1702 - Week 3

The Spanish Succession War

 by August Friedrich Wilhelm Edle

Pub. 1906

 

Available on Google Books

A concise overview  of the causes, claims, alliances and battles of the War of Spanish Succession.

 

The book includes descriptions of both the First Partition Treaty, The Second Partition Treaty, and a description of the participants and their aspirations from these treaties.  Neither of the treaties was successful, and war did ensue.

 

A good discussion of the parties involved in the Grand Alliance and the cause for agreement between France and Bavaria.  The Grand Alliance, for the most part, was formed to keep France and Spain from unification under one monarch.

 

The book gives a brief description of the results of the battles of Hoechstadt, Blenheim, Gibraltar, Turin, Oudenard, and Malplaquet.  I believe that the author was more impressed with Eugene of Savoy than Marlborough, where others have given Marlborough more credit.  I will read further to form a better opinion of this discrepancy.

 

The results of the war and the changes in territories and the Peace of Utrecht are detailed in the last part of the book.

 

I enjoyed this quick read and thought I gained a better overall understanding.

 

 

1701 - Week 2

The Bourbon Kings of France by Desmond Seward
Kindle Unlimited

I chose this book this week to gain knowledge of France during the early 18th Century.  This history went further back, but the background on Henry IV and LouisXIII gave an interesting perspective on where many of the events in the early 1700's were founded.

Henry IV, (1589-1610) the first Bourbon king did much to enhance peace and prosperity in France although his early reign was beset with war.  He issued the Edict of Nantes in 1598 which brought the end of the religious conflicts between Catholicism and the Huguenots.  He fostered industrialism, settled Quebec and promoted agricultural improvements. 

Louis XIII inherited a much stronger France from his father in 1610.  His mother Marie de Medici was regent and promoted discord in order to retain power.  He married 'Anne of Austria' the Infanta of Spain (which would later lead to a French claim on the Spanish throne).  Cardinal Richelieu was his first minister and did much to rule France.  Some of his achievements included standard gold  coinage, support for the arts and architecture, commission of a French dictionary and the first modern newspaper "The Gazette". He began the building at Versailles, built a small fleet to compete in global commerce, increased the standing army to 200,000 making France a power in Europe.

Louis XIV became king in 1643, and Cardinal Mazarin was his first minister.  At the death of Mazarin, Louis took control over the daily governance of France and was heavily involved in reform of taxation and the law.  Upon the death of Philip IV of Spain,  Louis attacked Flanders in the 'War of Devolution'. The "Triple Alliance" (England, Sweden, and the United Provinces along with Franche Comte) was formed to contain his advances.  The war was settled by the Treaty of Nijmegen in 1678 and France won Franche Comte and 12 cities in Flanders.

In 1685 (1643-1715)Louis revoked the Edict of Nantes and as many as 300,000 Huguenots left France, taking with them much of the industrialization gain.

In 1686 the League of Augsburg (German princes, Spain, Sweden, Dutch and England) was formed to stop Louis' aggression and the 'Nine Years War' ensued.  Louis was successful in gaining, by  the  Treaty of Ryswick, Strasbourg, the Hudson Bay, and most of Newfoundland, however there was a great deal of government debt and the treasury was exhausted.  This, along with several years of bad harvests caused much unrest.

In 1700 Charles II left the throne of Spain to Phillipe (Duc d'Anjou - grandson of Anne of Austria) precipitating the Grand Alliance being formed in the Hague.  The Duke of Marlborough and Eugene of Savoy were two generals of the alliance that were particularly successful against Louis.  Due to the previous policy of keeping the aristocracy attendant at court there was not a particularly effective officer corps.  Louis did not want internal turmoil and by keeping his nobility weakened, he avoided internal strife.  Not until 1712 at Villars did France win a major battle in the 'War of Spanish Succession'.  The Battles of Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenard, and Malplaquet were all won by Marlborough and Savoy (Malplaquet, although technically won by the Alliance cost Marlborough far more troops than France lost. Marlborough was removed from command by the new Tory government.) In 1713 at the Treaty of Utrecht, Philip V (Spain) renounced his claim to France, satisfying the Grand Alliance that France and Spain would not be united, France retained Alsace but ceded Gibraltar and the Hudson Bay to England.  Louis' greatest accomplishment was to break the Hapsburg encirclement of France.  History's view of Louis' megalomania was not kind, and his weakening of the nobility and the economic state of France after his wars would lead to some of the causes of the French Revolution.  Although 'he made France suffer, he also made her great' and made France first among nations for 50 years.

Louis XV (1710 - 1774) had neither the strength nor vision of his grandfather (XIV).  His reign was marked by a policy of peace and prosperity at all costs.  He marginally supported his wife's father in the War of Polish Succession.  He supported arts and finance but did little to keep France great.  "For Louis XV, the eighteenth century was always the age of the Rococo, not of the Enlightenment."  His favorite mistress, Mme de Pompadour did much to encourage the arts, philosophy and science, but Louis showed little interest.

Louis XVI and XVII are getting way ahead of the current year, and I will return to them after I review the next 75 years.

Introduction

I am a History major who went to work in other fields and now that I'm retired I would like to return to study my first love, 18th Century history.  I recently read a couple of books that I found inspiring by David Liss.  The need for more in-depth knowledge was apparent.

 

I have decided to read a book each week, in chronological order, about the  people and events beginning in 1700.  I may add some novels and some original source writings.  I am on a budget, so I'm trying to find the most economical sources available.

 

I find the 18th Century to be the most exciting because it is filled with change, revolution, industrialization, war, freedom and a cast of characters that beat all.

 

I started by 'googling' a timeline of the 18th Century:  British Empire timeline .

 

My first book will be:  "Spain under Charles the second, or Extracts from the correspondence of the hon.Alexander Stanhipe,british minister at Madrid, 1690-1699" by– Alexander STANHOPE from Google Books

Week 1 - 1700

In order to gain a better understanding of what led up to the War of Spanish Succession, I read "Spain Under Charles the Second, or Extracts from the Correspondence of the Hon. Alexander Stanhope, British Minister at Madrid 1690-1699"  by Alexander Stanhope.  

The book was available at Google/books at no charge.

Stanhope was British minister at Madrid  from 1689 to 1699, the ten years prior to the death of Charles II and this book is a compilation of letters written by him to various British dignitaries and family members.

This book details a first-hand experience of the causes for the downfall of Spain. These were the conclusions that I drew from the writings for the problems which led to war:

• Poor leadership by an ailing Charles II.
• Poor economic conditions in Spain
• Corruption evidenced by each official not being held accountable to the throne and raising funds for their own use.
• The Inquisition (from his notes, seemed not only to be a religious issue, but also a method of attaching the wealth of the Jews and others out of favor, who were imprisoned, tortured and often killed
• Constant problems of trade due to the interference of the Monarch and his necessity to either raise money or not pay his bills.
• Fractionalization of the court, petty squabbles and favoritism to the detriment of getting anything done
• Poor infrastructure
• Charles II preferred a Catholic successor, and the theme of Catholic vs. Protestant was prevalent throughout the book. He chose the Philip of Anjou, grandson to Louis XIV, who would later become Philip V of Spain
• The succession: 3 major candidates; the emperor; France; Bavaria and also Castillian and Aragonese candidates. The Spanish populace favored a French successor as long as France and Spain were never united. The Grand Alliance (The United Provinces, England, the Hapsburg Empire and most of the German States) that formed against France and Spain fought to keep France and Spain separate

 

The book was an interesting look at the day-to-day circumstances of an empire in decline, and set the stage for the War of Spanish Succession.