This seems like a par for the course from a nation that looked until the 1500s like it would be the dominant world power before it turned inward.
I suppose that this could be interpreted as 'disallowing "franglais"', but your post is somewhat misleading. The media – newspapers, television, etc. – can say whatever the hell they want to, in whatever language they want to, and remain quite full of anglicisms, including "e-mail."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toubon_Law
The french wikipedia page mentions that this law was later substantially watered down by the constitutional council.
You're absolutely right about the Spanish, but it would be more appropriate to say the Hapsburgs, because what we're really talking about here is Spain, Austria-Hungry, the Balkans, The Holy Roman Empire... a huge portion of Europe all controlled centrally.
The French followed them, and for a period, the state of power was essentially France vs everyone else. England took off later, and that's the history most of us (Americans) are more familiar with.
BUT... this is a very Eurocentric view of history. There was a tremendous amount of other stuff going on leading up to and during this period in China, India, and what was once the Ottoman empire. In hindsight there are many reasons why our planet eventually became Eurocentric, but in 1500 that was not at all apparent - if things in China had gone differently; if they had not closed out new, outside, innovative ideas, we could very well have a very Chinese world today.
Excuse my spelling-nazism, but I believe that should be Austria-Hungary.
Austria-Hungry would mean something completely different.
(Tired of the same old "Hungary for Turkey" non-jokes? Or just bitter about that whole Ottoman occupation thing?)
They understand the power of the language and expanding your culture over others.
Some time ago you couldn't even send air mail without having some french words on the envelope.