Eastern Absolutism
Absolutism and Constitutionalism in Eastern and Western
Europe1589-1740
By: Andrew Bailey & Ryan Castro
Absolutism Absolute kings regulated religious sects. And
abolished liberties long held by certain areas, groups, provinces.
Absolute rulers found that creation of a new State bureaucracies
that directed economic life of the country in the interests of the
king, was a way to raise revenue.Maintained permanent standing
armies, different from Medieval monarchs in that kings depended on
feudal lords to raise armies.
Foundation of Absolutism in France France was in terrible
condition since 1561Poor harvest left the peasants to starve, while
trying to fight off bands of demobilized soldiersNobles, officials,
merchants, and peasants wanted peaceHenry IV first ruler since
Louis IX to care about his people, and was able to keep peace in
FranceAppointed Protestant Maximilien de Bethune, duke of Sully, as
Chief minister Tried to gain Protestant confidence by issuing the
Edict of Nantes in 1598, which granted huguenots liberty of
conscience and of public worship in 150 towns
Foundation of Absolutism in France Cont.Introduced Paulette-
annual fee paid by royal officials to guarantee heredity in their
officesSully combined indirect taxes on salt, sales, and transit
and leased their collection to financiers, though taxes declined,
revenues increased Cardinal Richelieu first minister of the French
CrownDivided France into 32 Districts to help run the country Got
rid of any opposition Soon centralizing idea lead to the Fronde
civil wars in France 1648-1653 Led Louis XIV to believe that the
only alternative to anarchy was absolute monarchy
Absolutist France cont.Louis XIV revoked Edict of Nantes this
called for a state under only one religionFrance economically weak,
due to failed collecting methods King Jean-Baptiste Colbert came up
with Mercantilism which is a collection of governmental Polices for
the regulation of the economic activities by and for the state
Louis XIVLouis began to expand the boarders of France by
invading Flanders, part of Spanish Netherlands, and Franche-Comte
in the east in 1677, and kept expanding Later years brought bad
harvest and rising debt to force Louis to make peace but only to
build up forces for another warWar of the Spanish Succession
(1701-1713) Who would take over the Spanish throne, if France won
it would cause a power upset in Europe
Louis XIV cont.1701 England, Dutch, Austrians, and Prussians
formed grand Alliance to prevent France from being to powerful
Peace of Utrecht represented a balance of power setting limits on
the extent to which any one power could expandHelped the decline of
Spain Gave European powers experience in international
cooperation
French ClassicismFocused on Classical antiquity, resembled that
of Renaissance Italy
Decline of SpainSpain had developed the standard features of
absolute monarchySpain depended financially on an international
absolutism based on silver bullion from colonized countries like
PeruSpanish Kings had to continuously cancel the national debt,
making people lose faith in the govt. High inflation occurred due
the large amounts of gold and silver in the countryLed Spains
collapsed
ConstitutionalismLimitations of govt. on lawElizabeth I of
England(1588) was able to exercise great personal power due to
political shrewdness and flexibilityLeaders after her didnt possess
the same traits and led England to reject absolutism James I and
Charles I believed they only answered to God and began to control
everything Religion Puritans felt Reformation of the Church of
England hadnt gone far enough in cleansing Roman Catholics Charles
I seemed to be sympathetic to Catholics From 1629-1640 dissolved
Parliament do their restrictions on taxes he wanted to impose
Parliament didnt trust him Gave to the English civil war
(1642-1649) which be headed Charles and left England in a big pile
of S*@%
Cromwell and the Protectorate Commonwealth formed after the
beheading of Charles Power rested in Parliament executive power
lodged in a council of stateOliver Cromwell had controlled the army
that defeated Charles I, and he the Protectorate exercised military
dictatorship After his death in 1658 English people were fed up
with military rule By 1660 England Returned to monarchy with
Charles II as their king
Restoration of the MonarchyDidnt solve two problems What was
going to be the attitude of the state toward religious sects.What
was to be constitutional position of kingsCharles II wanted good
relations with ParliamentJames II took the throne and granted high
position in England to Catholics , going against the Test ActForced
James II and his family to flee to France 1688Gave the power to his
daughter Mary and her husband William 1689Glorious
RevolutionDestroyed theory of divine right monarchy Bill of Rights
made in response to Stuart absolutionsJohn Locke: Second Treatise
of Civil GovernmentCivil govts. are to protect Life, Liberty, and
Property i.e. natural rights
Dutch Republic Had fought against Spanish rule and won
independence in the Peace of Westphalia Became model for the modern
const. stateVirtually all power rested in the provincial Estates,
the Dutch were fiercely republican They were a confederation that
led to many countries wanting to take over the 7 provinces Strong
middle class due to commercial wealth and practice religious
toleration unlike all of Europe Baroque culture and artThis
movement was inspired by Louis XIV and the absolute rulers called
on the artistic talent of the age to glorify the power and
magnificenceBaroque was a style that evoked exuberance and grandeur
in sculpture
Baroque art was intended for the Catholic Church and became to
symbolize absolutist power
Summer Palace Vienna expressed baroque delight and bold sweeping
statements which provided a dramatic emotional expirience
Eastern AbsolutismAustria- HungaryBohemia regionPrussiaKingdom
of PolandBalkan ProvincesHoly Roman EmpireOttoman Turks
Struggle for PowerEmpires losing Power:Holy Roman EmpireRepublic
of PolandOttoman Empire
Up and coming EmpiresAustriaPrussiaRussia
Political TurmoilWeaker ruling in the east with poor monarch
leadership
Nobility had control over economic & legal control over
serfs/peasants
Nobility had ruling power in their provinceRise of
AustriaHabsburgs were trying to the unite the Holy Roman empire
under one banner Desperate for a ruler the Bohemian region looked
to become independent and not part of the Holy Roman EmpireAfter
the 30 years war Ferdinand the III began to take over rule of
AustriaAustria becoming a European PowerBecause of having a
permanent standing army from Ferdinand the III the Austrians begin
to become a military powerReligious views were seen as a direct
threat to the Austrians, the neighboring Ottoman Empire was largely
Islamic and posed threat to the Austrian Catholic way of lifeThis
lead to a long lasting conflict between the two sides for another
150 yearsHoly Roman EmpireSuffered tragically from the war
The Habsburgs were exhausted after the Thirty Years War, but
they still remained emperors of the Holy Roman Empire
30 Years War brought the declineeconomics arts, literature, and
science religious turmoilNo central authority
*40% of German population was killedHoly Roman Empire cont.
Numerous ethnic groups, religions & languages within empire
The real power lay with 300 varying political entities that
shared a geographic region, but had very little else in common.
Prussias rise Brandenburg-Prussia began as a small, landlocked
state on the Elbe River Through marriages and alliances including
French support during theThirty Years War it slowly added lands
Frederick William of Hohenzollern wielded states together in
absolutist statePrussiaHohenzollern rulers- elector of Brandenburg
& duke of Prussiaelector of Brandenburg helps choose Holy Roman
emperor1618 Prussia became possession of elector of Brandenburg
when junior branch of Hohenzollern family died out
Hohenzollern RulersFrederick William, the Great Elector (r.
1640-1688)
Frederick III, the Ostentatious (r. 1688-1713)
Frederick William I, the Soldiers King (r. 1713-1740)
Frederick William ( The Great Elector)Brought together the
dispersed territories into a single unified Prussia
Established himself and his kin as the future leadershipUnified
PrussiaFrederick William broke apart the power of the German
nobility ( Junkers)Established a royal bureaucracy with a less in
powered nobility from coming to powerBuilt a large and powerful
army, the best army in all of Europe at the time29Frederick the
IIICultural developmentsBuilt large palaces for his wealthyBecause
of the support towards the Hapsburgs he was awarded to be king of
all PrussiaLess active in foreign policy more towards his peoples
domestic attitudesFrederick William I ( The Soldier King)Pushed
Prussia towards being absolutist unificationStrived for utter
loyalty and nationalism, wanted service from his citizensIncreased
size of government bureaucracy Sparta of the North
Prussia overall Focused on the best military personal and
weapons
Large and efficient government bueacracy
Centralized control ( Monarchy)
RussiaIvan III (1442-1505) ended Mongol domination of Russia and
took the title Tsar (Caesar) proclaiming himself heir to the
Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire). He confiscated 80% of
Novgorod, keeping half and gave the rest to his nobles, causing a
rise in service nobility.
Ivan IV "the Terrible" grandson of Ivan III who started
westernizing Russia was a contemporary of Queen Elizabeth I of
England. Ivan the Terrible claimed all nobles had to serve the tsar
in order to hold office. His purges depopulated much of Russia,
forcing many peasants to flee west to hide and form groups called
Cossacks. Ivan believed he owned all the trade and industry which
sharply contrasted with capitalism in western Europe. Peter the
Great (1682-1725)10 years-old when he became the tsar Reorganized
government finances based on west Had a great interest for the
western ideologyBuilt strong army & equipped it with modern
weaponsPeters changing Russia Built new schools & an academy
for thesciences Women were given a more public role in society
Introduced cultural changes to upper classes new hair style,
western clothing, lavish palaces and western language.Government
& Economic changeEstablished metallurgical industries in the
Ural MountainsDivided the realm into 52 provinces, each with
governor Put towns under the control of provincial government All
men were required to enter state service army, navy or
bureaucracyExpansion in RussiaHad intentions of conquering
Constantinople(Control of the straits would give passage from Asia
to Europe)Defeated King Christian XII of Sweden at Neva River in
1703 Quickly built a new capital city, St. Petersburg
