Crown, Church and Episcopate Under Louis XIV

This monographic study is an elegant and eloquent account of the power, character and mentalite of the French church under Louis XIV and of its relationship to the crown and other elite institutions, and to its critics and other congregations. Bergin also fills a gap in our understanding of the personal rule of Louis XIV, for the church was vital to the functioning of the ancien regime and the period simply cannot be understood without integrating this element into the story. Joseph Bergin explores the king's practice of appointing qualified and worthy men as bishops, and of the difficulties and tensions inherent in it. Candidates generally began their careers with theology degrees and graduated to minor clerical positions, where they might gain valuable, practical experience, prior to their appointment as relatively mature men. Rarely were archbishops chosen who had not served as bishops, but appeal was to be found in family credit as well as demonstrable ability. The author explains the provenance of this system, illustrating it with numerous well-drawn examples and examining it in detail. In addition he accounts for the deficiencies of this policy of appointment.