 The internal conflicts and dynastic crises of the 16th and 17th centuries (the Wars of Religion between Catholics and Protestants and the Habsburg's internal family conflict) and the territorial expansion of France in the 17th century demanded great sums which needed to be raised through taxes, such as the land tax () and the tax on salt () and by contributions of men and service from the nobility.One key to this centralization was the replacing of personal patronage systems organized around the king and other nobles by institutional systems constructed around the state.The appointments of —representatives of royal power in the provinces—did much to undermine local control by regional nobles.