<P> By the early 9th century, the efficient administration of Charlemagne's Empire was ensured by high - level civil servants, carrying the, then non-hereditary, titles of counts (in charge of a County), marquis (in charge of a March), dukes (military commanders), etc . During the course of the 9th and 10th centuries, continually threatened by Viking invasions, France became a very decentralised state: the nobility's titles and lands became hereditary, and the authority of the king became more religious than secular and thus was less effective and constantly challenged by powerful noblemen . Thus was established feudalism in France . Over time, some of the king's vassals would grow so powerful that they often posed a threat to the king . </P> <P> Since then, French kings had continuously tried to strengthen existing royal powers scattered among their nobles . Philip the Fair, Charles the Wise and Louis the Cunning were instrumental in the transformation of France from a feudal state to a modern country . By the time of Francis I, France was a very centralized state but the French Wars of Religion posed a new threat to royal absolutism with quasi-independent Protestant strongholds developing in various locations in the country . </P> <P> With his skilful Prime Minister Richelieu, who vowed "to make the royal power supreme in France and France supreme in Europe ." (source: Cardinal Richelieu's Political Testament), Louis XIII established Absolute Monarchy in France during his reign . When his son and successor Louis XIV came to power, a period of trouble known as the Fronde occurred in France, taking advantage of Louis XIV's minority . This rebellion was driven by the great feudal lords and sovereign courts as a reaction to the rise of royal power in France . </P> <P> The rebellion was crushed; however, many obstacles stood in the way of absolutism in France: </P>

Who was the french prime minister most responsible for building the absolute monarchy of france