OCR A Level History A Ascendancy France 2025 Question Paper

Download the official OCR A-Level History A The Ascendancy of France 1610–1715 question paper for the June 2025 examination series (Y313/01). This advanced OCR History paper explores Richelieu, royal authority, religion, warfare, absolutism, and France’s rise to power during the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries within the OCR A-Level History specification.

The paper contains source-based interpretation analysis and thematic essay questions covering the extent to which Richelieu strengthened royal authority, whether royal authority depended mainly on the personality of the king, the impact of religious developments on French society, and whether warfare hindered or helped France’s rise to power between 1610 and 1715. Students are required to evaluate historical interpretations, analyse continuity and change, and construct balanced historical arguments supported by precise historical evidence.

This official June 2025 paper includes interpretation evaluation tasks, thematic essays, and analytical judgement questions requiring historical reasoning, historiographical analysis, chronological understanding, and sustained evaluation under timed examination conditions. Topics explored include Louis XIII, Louis XIV, Richelieu, absolutism, Huguenots, religious conflict, financial administration, military expansion, foreign policy, and the growth of French power in Europe.

Perfect for students preparing for the 2025 and 2026 OCR A-Level History examinations, this resource is ideal for timed revision practice, mock examinations, essay-planning exercises, and examiner-style preparation. Pair it with the matching Y313/01 mark scheme on markscheme.net for complete worked answers and official examiner guidance.

This document is designed for A-Level students studying OCR History A The Ascendancy of France 1610–1715, including first-time candidates, resit students, independent learners, and home-schooled students preparing for the 2026 examination series.

It is especially valuable for students revising Richelieu, Louis XIV, royal authority, religion, warfare, absolutism, and France’s expansion during the seventeenth century.

The paper is also highly useful for teachers, tutors, schools, and revision centres conducting mock examinations, historiography workshops, essay-planning sessions, and examiner-standard OCR A-Level History revision classes using authentic OCR assessment materials.