Economy - Growing fiscal demands of the crown and inequalities within society

12 important questions on Economy - Growing fiscal demands of the crown and inequalities within society

What evidence suggests that early Valois Kings were able to exploit the prosperity of France?

All taxes totalled 5 million livres in 1523, this reached 13 million by 1559 

What was the economy like in the 1st half of the 16th century?

- prosperity and stability

- population growth

- successful harvests

Louis XII was left a deficit of 1.4 million, and left Francis I the same amount. What does this tell you about his kingship?

Louis was unable to make a profit (however he did manage royal finances relatively affectively e.g. reducing the taille etc)

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What did the taillon serve to do and what tax did HII introduce? How much did this raise?

It served to support the military in 1549

In 1552 a new clerical tax was introduced which raised an additionalbackground-color 1.4 million livres per annum.

How many livres did HII collect? How does this compare to his father?

HII collected 8.4 million livres from taxation - an increase in 25% from his father's in 1515 = he managed to bring some uniformity and centralisation to fiscal machinery. 

Why did HII rely on bankers loans? How much did he borrow? How can this be compared with FI?

To subsidise his foreign policy. He borrowed 1.2 million livres from the Lyons bankers in 1552 and a further 1.8 million a year later.

Francis pursued a similar policy but HII was able to gain a favourable credit rating with the bankers of Lyons because he instituted a systematic way of repaying debt.

What did HII introduce in 1555?

The grand parti de Lyons = promised four annual repayments = confidence in bankers which allowed HII to negotiate further loans amounting over 10 million livres in 1555-56.

What can be said about HII's reign in terms of economy compared to his fathers?

Like FI, HII's legacy was one of debt and fiscal insecurity. 

What do LXII and HIV have in common regarding taxation?

They both lowered the taille and increased indirect taxation. 

What can be said about the ability of strong monarchs to centralise fiscal demands?

It had mixed successes.

Why did Renaissance monarchs drain the economy?

- fighting wars

- courts and buildings = projecting the image of power

Name six means of raising revenue.

- Venality

- Loans from foreign bankers

- HII's seige presidal 

- Rentes (FI)

- Church = selling bishoprics (FI)

- HII's - grand parti de lyons

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