Question

How did Louis’ religious policies create a repressive environment?

A. By promoting religious tolerance and freedom
B. By enforcing strict censorship and persecuting non-Catholics
C. By encouraging diversity in religious practices
D. By supporting separation of church and state

Answer 1

Louis' religious policies created a repressive environment by enforcing strict censorship and persecuting non-Catholics, particularly following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes.

Step-by-step explanation:

How did Louis’ religious policies create a repressive environment? The correct answer is B. By enforcing strict censorship and persecuting non-Catholics. King Louis XIV of France, known as the 'Sun King,' implemented policies that vigorously supported Roman Catholic orthodoxy and sought to suppress Protestantism within his realm. He believed in the divine right of kings to rule and saw religious unity as key to his absolute power. Louis’ policies included the revocation of the Edict of Nantes with the Edict of Fontainebleau in 1685, which led to the destruction of Protestant churches, the closing of Protestant schools, and the persecution and forced conversion of Protestants, known as Huguenots. This created a repressive environment by imposing a single religious doctrine and penalizing those who did not conform, limiting the religious freedoms of non-Catholics. It caused many Protestants to flee France, leading to a brain drain of skilled workers and contributing to religious conflicts in Europe.