Question

Henry IV made important changes to nobility that augmented the king’s power. What were these changes?

Answer 1

French nobility was a powerful political class who always used to dictate the terms of court of king. They were hereditary and had collected a lot of wealth. They used to live in fortified castles and enjoyed a luxuries life. They had limited the powers of the king and became as king makers.

King Henry IV introduced some important measures which curbed the influence of these hereditary nobles and laid the foundation of absolutism in France. He inducted the commoners into to the nobility and thus curbed the influence of hereditary nobles. He also waged the wars against the ambitious nobles. He used Intendants to bring the royal authority to provinces and nobles. For tax collection royal bureaucrats were employed by him which further decreased the influence of hereditary nobles and increased the centralization of power as well.