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Why did the League of the Public Weal fight Louis XI in 1465?
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Louis XI
Louis XI.
The League of the Public Weal formed in 1465 to oppose Louis XI primarily because of his determined and often tyrannical efforts to centralize royal authority at the expense of the nobility.12
The princes and great vassals were provoked by several of the King's policies, including:
- Revocation of Privileges: Louis antagonized the nobility by revoking Valois pensions and ceremonial trappings.1
- Promotion of Independence: He promoted the independence of seigneurial towns and tolerated the resurgence of urban oligarchies, which undermined traditional feudal control.1
- Fiscal Pressure: The King imposed heavy taxes to fund his army, government, and diplomacy, which caused significant resentment.1
- Centralization: His efforts to strengthen royal authority and enlarge the royal domain threatened the power of the great vassals, leading them to appeal to the people against what they termed "misgovernment".12
In response, the League proposed a regency of the princes supported by the three estates to curb the King's power.1