Wars of the Fronde
The Wars of the Fronde were a series of civil wars in France during the mid-17th century, primarily occurring from 1648 to 1653. Triggered by discontent with the monarchy's centralization efforts under Anne of Austria and her chief minister, Cardinal Mazarin, the conflicts arose as various social classes, particularly the nobility and the poor, resisted the unpopular taxes and arbitrary arrests implemented by the crown. The term "Fronde" refers to the slingshots (frondes) used by the working-class Parisians who initially protested against the government's actions, particularly following the arrest of two judges who opposed new tax measures.
The first phase of the conflict began in Paris, where a popular uprising aimed at weakening royal authority culminated in barricades and violent clashes. Although a temporary peace was achieved in 1649, Anne of Austria's subsequent attempts to consolidate power led to further unrest and a second wave of rebellion known as the Princely Fronde. This latter conflict featured notable leaders such as the Great Condé, who allied with Spain against the royal forces.
Ultimately, the Wars of the Fronde resulted in the entrenchment of absolute monarchy in France, silencing judicial independence and diminishing the political power of the nobility, setting the stage for the centralized authority that would characterize French governance until the onset of the French Revolution in 1789.
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Wars of the Fronde
At issue: Whether the French king could impose his will, despite opposition from judges and the nobility
Date: June, 1648-August, 1652
Location: France
Combatants: Rebellious French nobles and judges vs. the royal forces
Principal commanders:Royalist, then Rebel, the Great Condé (1621–1686); Royalist, Turenne (1611–1675)
Principal battles: Invasion of Paris, Noyon in Picardy
Result: Loss of independence by judges and nobles and the imposition of absolute royal power in France
Background
During most of the reign of King Louis XIII, his prime minister was cardinal de Richelieu. Together they tried to impose their will throughout France, but they met with resistance. Many nobles had local power in their own provinces, and they resented interference from the central government. The judges in the various parlements (appeals courts) wished to preserve their right to determine whether royal decrees were compatible with French law. After the death in 1642 of cardinal de Richelieu and in 1643 of Louis XIII, Louis XIV, who was then only five years old, became the French king. His mother Anne of Austria became the regent, and she appointed Cardinal Mazarin as her prime minister. Mazarin was ruthless and corrupt. It was well known that kickbacks had to be paid to him before government contracts were approved. In an effort to raise money to support French participation in the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648), Anne of Austria issued a decree that required all French judges to sacrifice their salaries for four years, and she also imposed very unpopular taxes on poor people. Thus, she angered judges and poor people simultaneously. The Parlement of Paris rejected her decree, and this enraged Anne of Austria and Mazarin.
Action
When royal forces invaded Paris in 1648, poor people had no other weapons than a fronde, or slingshot, with which to fight; therefore, these French civil wars are called the Wars of the Fronde. The immediate cause of this war was Anne of Austria’s decision to arrest a seventy-three-year-old judge named Pierre Broussel and an equally elderly judge named Blancmesnil. At that time, a French monarch could order the arrest of any person in France without giving any reasons. This arbitrary arrest of two judges who had rejected the government’s attempt to impose new taxes on poor people angered working-class Parisians, who took to the streets to protest against Anne of Austria. Soon thereafter, they barricaded key streets in Paris in a clear effort to weaken the monarchy. This was a popular uprising against the hated Anne of Austria and Mazarin. Anne of Austria ordered royal forces under the Great Condé first to blockade Paris to reduce the rebels to starvation and then to invade Paris. The suppression of this popular revolt was brutal.
In October, 1648, the Peace of Westphalia had put an end to the Thirty Years’ War. Anne of Austria no longer needed to withhold salaries from judges and to impose hated taxes on poor people. She worked out a tentative agreement with Judge Broussel, whom she had been forced to release from prison, that reduced taxes and restored a degree of judicial independence. In March, 1649, the Peace of Rueil was signed.
Less than one year after this agreement, Anne of Austria reneged on her promises and tried to restrict the political power of the nobility. She did not want any resistance to her absolute power. She and her son left Paris to live in the nearby town of Saint-Germain-en-Laye when they realized that many military officers from noble families had revolted against the regular army. It was not clear who would control Paris. After a bitter struggle (1650–1651), the forces loyal to Anne of Austria won this battle, but the cruel treatment of the rebels provoked a second civil war, which is called the Princely Fronde (1651–1653). The rebels were led by the Great Condé, who had aligned himself with Spain. The viscount of Turenne fought a number of battles with the Great Condé, whom he defeated at the Battle of Noyon in Picardy in 1653. The battles between these two would continue in the Franco-Spanish War (1648–1659).
Aftermath
The result of the two Frondes was the destruction of judicial independence and imposition of absolute royal power throughout France. Until the French Revolution, which began in 1789, it was no longer possible to restrict the power of French kings.
Bibliography
Kleinman, Ruth. Anne of Austria: Queen of France. Columbus: Ohio State University Press, 1985.
Moote, A. Lloyd. The Revolt of the Judges: The Parlement of Paris and the Fronde: 1643–1652. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1971.
Ranum, Orest. The Fronde: A French Revolution: 1648–1652. New York: W. W. Norton, 1993.
Sturdy, David. Louis XIV. London: Macmillan, 1998.