Final answer:
The presence of many small states ruled by French nobles initially led to a fragmented political landscape, but over time it spurred the creation of a stronger central government in France. Key reforms under Napoleon and the impact of the French Revolution reduced nobility power and spread egalitarian and nationalist ideas across Europe, altering the traditional social order.
Step-by-step explanation:
The effect of having many small states ruled by French nobles was transformative for France and Europe. Initially, the presence of multiple small states under noble control led to a fragmented political landscape. However, over the thirteenth century, a stronger central government emerged in France. This shift began during the late twelfth century with efforts by King Philip II and other monarchs to consolidate power. They did so by restructuring local government, replacing vassals with royal bureaucrats, and ensuring the monarchy had a steady income to pay for loyalty.
By the fourteenth century, this resulted in a significant portion of France being under direct royal control, enhancing the king's resources and reducing the power of vassals and the church. This was part of a broader trend across Europe, where the consolidation of nations replaced a patchwork of states and principalities with larger, centralized nations. By the early nineteenth century, the impact of the Napoleonic reign further diminished aristocratic power and spread ideas of egalitarianism and nationalism.
Also, the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars were instrumental in overturning the traditional European social order, which had been in place for roughly a millennium. Nobility saw their privileges eroded, and the ideas of status by birth began to give way to a society where merit mattered more. Napoleon's reforms in occupied territories, despite their abuses, also set the stage for modernizing the administrative systems, legal codes, and social hierarchies in Europe.