1697-1737







Lorraine, 1737-1766



In 1737, STANISLAS LESZYNSKI, ex-King of Poland, was crowned Duke of Lorraine and took up residence in Lorraine. Being the father-in-law of French King Louis XV., relations with France were good (the King of France was to inherit him in 1766). Stanislas Leszynski could devote his energy to the beautification of his capital at Nancy. The administration of Lorraine served two masters - Stanislas and his son in law, King Louis XV.
During the War of Austrian Succession (1741-1748), briefly an Austrian force threatened Lorraine, but had to recross the Rhine when Prussia again attacked the Austrian position in Bohemia. During the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) military action was limited to the right bank of the Rhine; Lorraine was not directly affected.
Under Stanislas, the administration of Lorraine was reorganized according to the French model. A mercantilistic policy promotes the extension of salt production and export, and introduces forest administration (timber production). The wars made the introduction of additional taxation necessary; Bitsch was refortified, a number of garrisons constructed (1740es-1750es). The network of roads was improved, an enterprise in which corvee labour was used in grand scale; these enterprises served the interests of France rather than those of Lorraine.
In 1766, Duke Stanislas died, 89 years of age. He was inherited by his son in law, King Louis XIV. (until 1774). Formally, the Duchy of Lorraine remained a separate entity until 1789.



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EXTERNAL
FILES 		Histoire de Lorraine, from en-lorraine.com, in French
Histoire de Nancy, from en-lorraine.com, in French
Article Lorraine, from Catholic Encyclopedia
DOCUMENTS List of Dukes of Lorraine, from Kessler History Files (scroll down)
Regnal Chronologies : France, scroll down for Guise and Lorraine
REFERENCE Coins of Lorraine, 1701-1800, in : Krause, Mishler, Standard Catalog of World Coins : Eighteenth Century 1701-1800, 2nd ed., 1997, pp.233-235
Yves le Moigne, Auf dem Weg zur Eingliederung (1697-1789) (On the Road to Annexation), pp.331-380, in : Michel Parisse (ed.), Lothringen, Geschichte eines Grenzlandes (Lorraine, History of a Border Country), Saarbrücken 1984



This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted on January 3rd 2002, last revised on January 15th 2007

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