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=//**__Louis XIII Biography__**//=

Louis XIII of France was born in 1601 and died in 1643. Louis was the son of Henry IV and Marie de Medici. He became King on 1610, when his father was assassinated. Because he was only 9 years old and was a minor, France was governed by a Regent. In this situation his mother Marie de Medici. She allowed her favourites, Galigai and Concini, to do as they wanted which discredited the monarchy after the exalted heights Henry IV had taken it to. From 1614 on Louis started to become more and more influenced by Charles, Duke de Luynes, who favourites royal absolutism. Both Charles and Louis implicated the murder of Concini and concocted the trial that found Galigai guilty of being a witch, then lead to her execution. Once both favourites were out of his way, Luynes used this to expand his and Louis Power.

Another person who tried to get Louis secure authority was Cardinal Richelieu. Cardinal Richelieu was born Armand Jean du Plessis in Paris on September 9, 1585. He chose the name Richelieu from the name of his family's estate. Cardinal Richelieu's first position was Bishop of Lucon, but in 1622 Pope Gregory made Richelieu a Cardinal. Cardinal soon rose from position in Lucon to become Secretary of State for foreign affairs in 1616, the he became Prime Minister of France in 1624. When Richelieu was rising in power King Louis XIII had not asserted his complete power. Political corruption, the power of a Protestant group called Huguenots, and independent nobility threatened the monarchs rule. In 1627 Richelieu set out to help Louis XIII secure authority.

Anyway enough about Richelieu back to Louis XIII. Louis married at the age of 14. His wife was Anne of Austria. It was an arranged marriage, but it was not a very happy one. Louis Spent years not living with his wife, but they did have a son Louis XIV. Louis died on May 14, 1643.
 * Military - Louis retracted the political and military privileges granted to the Huguenots by Henry IV. Louis also had the port of Le Havre modernized and he built a powerful navy. Louis also ended the Protestant military. Louis was also in the thirteen years of war.He also fought a two front war against Spain and the Holy Roman Empire to protect French territory for Hapsburg encirclement.
 * Legal System - Louis XIII ruled by extending absolute royal rule. He also released many laws. Another thing he did was held estate generals which was an assembly of representatives of the poorest french citizenry.
 * Ruling family - Henry IV of France was the father of Louis XIII and was married to Marie de Medici. Louis XIII's grandparents were antoine de Bourbon, Duke of Vendome and Jeanne d'Albret, Queen of Navarre. The oldest son was always the heir to the throne.
 * Government- Louis XIII was the first absolute monarchy that was in charge of a very complex government.At the top of the government was the Royal Council, only the king could appoint people to it normally senior nobles. It had a great advantage of having to register royal edicts to to make the valid and allow them to remonstrant over new laws.
 * Church- He was a Roman Catholic. Louis attempted to help the Huguenots expansion. Louis thought her would enforce his authority in two regions,because his father did not fulfill the promise he made to to the Roman empire.
 * Social Structure- Under Louis XIII reign there were three social structures
 * Those who prayed- they owned 10% of land and the church paid voluntary gifts every five years.
 * Those who Fought- They were made up nof French aristocracy. They owned 25% of land and were made up of 400,000
 * Everyone Else- This was made up of peasants and unskilled laborers. They were bossed around by nobles and they didn't like that much
 * Culture- Louis's education was very much neglected. Even though he was very interested with war.Louis liked to dress in the Italian style regardless that he wasn't Italian. Before Louis reigned and Cardinal Richelieu was in control of all things and he loved the art. He employed Simon Vouet and others to help decorate the Palais Royal and the Castle of Rueil.