Authority in Early Modern France
The way power is wielded has changed over time, and constantly shifts. The same holds true or the Early Modern Period as the idea of authority and state underwent transformation. As the authority of the Roman Catholic Church waned, European power consolidated with a number of centralized states. Authority manifested itself in different ways; leaders displayed acts of absolute authority under a single monarch in places such as France, but as time progressed the French increasingly shifted toward a more constitutional authority. Since the adoption of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire, the Roman Catholic Church held considerable clout in terms of authority and power among the people of …show more content…
Many modern nations used to be comprised of numerous smaller states, such as Italy (comprised of various kingdoms, duchies, and republics) and Germany (also comprised of smaller principalities and duchies). Other areas in Europe may have belonged to certain states, but there was not the sense of ‘togetherness’ binding various territories together. For example, while “France” was a single nation, different regions in France were governed by different tax and judicial systems, different laws. If there was no one law, one system to unite the entire country then it is hardly any surprise if they people did not feel as if they were one country. In that light, Francis I’s reforms in the early sixteenth century were a step toward centralizing the power of the French monarchy and making France feel like it was a single nation instead of numerous smaller regions ruled under a single man. He helped consolidate the state through increasing taxation (which provided a source of revenue for the state, which in turn helped fund military endeavors, and military power often backs any other form of authority). They were a burden on the populace, but it is undeniable that that specific course of action increased Francis’s authority by reaffirming his power over the towns in France. In addition, bureaucratic growth resulted in more royal officials going out into the country away from Paris to enforce the king’s will, bringing the state together and increasing reach of the king’s authority in the land. Thus, there is a shift towards centralizing monarchical power during the Early Modern period, as can be seen in France under Francis
The way power is wielded has changed over time, and constantly shifts. The same holds true or the Early Modern Period as the idea of authority and state underwent transformation. As the authority of the Roman Catholic Church waned, European power consolidated with a number of centralized states. Authority manifested itself in different ways; leaders displayed acts of absolute authority under a single monarch in places such as France, but as time progressed the French increasingly shifted toward a more constitutional authority. Since the adoption of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire, the Roman Catholic Church held considerable clout in terms of authority and power among the people of …show more content…
Many modern nations used to be comprised of numerous smaller states, such as Italy (comprised of various kingdoms, duchies, and republics) and Germany (also comprised of smaller principalities and duchies). Other areas in Europe may have belonged to certain states, but there was not the sense of ‘togetherness’ binding various territories together. For example, while “France” was a single nation, different regions in France were governed by different tax and judicial systems, different laws. If there was no one law, one system to unite the entire country then it is hardly any surprise if they people did not feel as if they were one country. In that light, Francis I’s reforms in the early sixteenth century were a step toward centralizing the power of the French monarchy and making France feel like it was a single nation instead of numerous smaller regions ruled under a single man. He helped consolidate the state through increasing taxation (which provided a source of revenue for the state, which in turn helped fund military endeavors, and military power often backs any other form of authority). They were a burden on the populace, but it is undeniable that that specific course of action increased Francis’s authority by reaffirming his power over the towns in France. In addition, bureaucratic growth resulted in more royal officials going out into the country away from Paris to enforce the king’s will, bringing the state together and increasing reach of the king’s authority in the land. Thus, there is a shift towards centralizing monarchical power during the Early Modern period, as can be seen in France under Francis