Absolute Monarchs in Europe

Post Renaissance & Reformation

Absolute Monarchs in Europe

17th Century Europe:•Time of upheaval• Religious and territorial conflicts between states led to almost continuous warfare and revolts…which led to the ultimate rule of monarch having absolute rule

Absolute Monarchs in Europe

Absolute monarch: kings or queens who held all the power within their states’ boundaries. Goal was to control every aspect of society

•Controlled everything from religious worship to social gatherings•Sometimes peasants revolted

Divine right: the idea that God created the monarchy and that the monarch acted as God’s representative on earth….so it supported the belief of an absolute monarchy

Absolute Rulers in Spain• King Charles V- a Hapsburg king

• Fought Muslims• Opposed Lutherans• Unwillingly agreed to the Peace of Augsburg• Decided to divide his kingdom

• Brother Ferdinand – Austria & the Holy Roman Empire• Son Phillip II- Spain, Spanish Netherlands, & American

Colonies

• Phillip II• Hard-working, independent• “His smile and his dagger were very close.”• Ends up having an empire that circles the globe• Built a huge granite palace & monastery within walls• Main accomplishments:

• Defended Roman Catholicism from Islam & Christianity• Helped to stimulate the arts

Absolute Rulers in France

•Between 1562 & 1598, the Huguenots and Catholics fought eight wars over religious differences.

•The St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre in Paris- 6-week nationwide slaughter of Huguenots

•Henry of Navarre•Marries Catherine de Medicis (ruler of France) daughter•Many disliked him but to stop controversies in the country he converted to Catholism from Protestantism•Declared the Edict of Nantes: stated that Huguenots could live in peace in France and set up their own houses of worship in some cities….basically establishing religious tolerance and bringing an end to the violent religious conflicts in France• dedicated his reign to restoring France and its prosperity• restored the monarchy to a strong position

Absolute Rulers in France

• Skepticism•As France regained political power, a new French intellectual movement developed•Idea that nothing can ever be known for certain•Expressed an attitude of doubt towards churches that claimed to have the only correct set of doctrines• DOUBTing old ideas was thought to be the first step to finding truth

•Rene Descartes was one of these thinkers•Developed a philosophy•Helped to create the Scientific Method

Absolute Rulers in France

Louis XIV•Become France’s most powerful ruler • claims the “I am the state.”•France is the most powerful country in Europe under his rule

•At 22, Louis took control of France and the government• Versailles Palace

•Promoted the arts to glorify not God or the individual but the KING (but leaves the country in upon his death)

•He weakened the power of the nobles•In fact, had over 500 working for him to keep them close

• He increased the power of government agents known asIntendants- people who collected taxes and administered justice.

They communicated with him regularly so he could keep control

Absolute Rulers in Central Europe

Germany•Can be Lutheran or Catholic, but not Calvinist•Ultimately a Protestant Union and Catholic League were formed •When Ferdinand II became ruler of the Holy Roman Empire and closed some Protestant churches he Thirty Years’ War began

Thirty Years’ War• conflict over religion and territory and power among European ruling families

•Ultimately it results in the:• Devastation of Germany

•Treaty of Westphalia• Weakening of Spain & Austria• Increased power of France

Absolute Rulers in Central Europe

Prussia• Rose to power in the 1600s• Has a strong ruling family, the Hohenzollerns•Move towards an absolute monarchy & create the best standing army in Europe

•Frederick the Great (Frederick II King of Prussia)• Prince who loved music, philosophy, and poetry• Had to watch his friend being beheaded after trying to run away•He followed the military policies estb. by his father but lessened some of the laws• He believed he should be like a father to his people

Absolute Rulers in Russia

Ivan IV

• Came to throne in 1533 at 3 years old• Boyers: Russian nobles who fought Ivan for control• At 16, took control and named himself “czar” which meant caesar• Married Anastasia of the Romanovs’ family

•After Anastasia’s death, Ivan’s “bad period” began• Believed the boyers poisoned her, so he organized personal police force that hunted down and murdered people Ivan thought were traitors….becomes known as IVAN THE TERRIBLE as a result

Absolute Rulers in Russia

Peter the Great

• One of Russia’s greatest reformers• Continued the trend of increasing the czar’s power• Still a land of boyers and serfs• Eastern Orthodox Christianity

• Takes a long visit to western Europe known as the “Grand Embassy”

• He wanted to learn about European customs and manufacturing techniques • As a result, his goal became westernization of Russia in order to make it stronger

•Makes reforms•Western steps in Russia• Establishes St. Petersburg

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Nicolaus Copernicus, 1543.

The Scientific Revolution & Enlightenment1550–1789

Enlightenment scientists and thinkers produce revolutions in science, the arts, government, and religion. New ideas lead to the American Revolution.

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The Roots of Modern Science The Scientific Revolution

The Medieval View• Most knowledge in Middle Ages comes from Bible, Greek/Roman sources• Supports geocentric theory— moon, sun, planets revolve around earth

A New Way of Thinking• Renaissance prompts new ways of thinking (1300–1600) • Scientific Revolution—new way of viewing natural

world—based on observation, inquiry• New discoveries, overseas exploration open up thinking• Scholars make new developments in astronomy, mathematics

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A Revolutionary Model of the Universe

The Heliocentric Theory• Widely accepted geocentric theory challenged as inaccurate• Copernicus develops heliocentric theory—planets revolve around sun• Later scientists mathematically prove Copernicus to be correct

Galileo’s Discoveries• Italian scientist Galileo Galilei makes key advances in astronomy

- makes discovery about planet surfaces, supports heliocentric theory

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Conflict with the Church• Church attacks Galileo’s work, fears it

will weaken people’s faith

• Pope forces Galileo to declare his and other new findings are wrong

A Revolutionary Model of the Universe

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The Scientific Method

A Logical Approach• Revolution in thinking leads to development of scientific method

- series of steps for forming, testing scientific theories

1.Observation2.Question3.Hypothesis4.Experimentation5.Conclusion

Bacon and Descartes• Thinkers Bacon and Descartes help to create scientific method• Bacon urges scientists to experiment before drawing conclusions• Descartes advocates using logic, math to reason out basic truths

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Newton Explains the Law of Gravity

Newton’s Theories• English scientist Isaac Newton develops theory of motion

- states same forces rule motion of planets, matter in space, earth

• Motion in space, earth linked by the law of universal gravitation

- holds that every object in universe attracts other object and all objects are affected equally by the same motions• Newton views universe as a vast, perfect mechanical clock

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The Scientific Revolution Spreads

Scientific Instruments• Scientists develop microscope, barometer,

thermometer• New instruments lead to better observations, new

discoveries

Medicine and the Human Body• Andreas Vesalius improves knowledge of anatomy • Edward Jenner produces world’s first vaccination—

for smallpox

Discoveries in Chemistry• Robert Boyle argues that matter is made of many

different particles• Boyle’s law reveals interaction of volume,

temperature, gas pressure

Scientific Revolution results in improvements in medicine and scientific instruments

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Two Views on Government

The Enlightenment in Europe

New Ways of Thinking• Scientific Revolution spurs reassessment of many

prevailing ideas - Europeans seek insights into society during 1600s,

1700s• Leads to the Enlightenment—a movement stressing

reason and thought and is associated with philosophies like Locke, Montesquieu & Voltaire

• Philosophes: thinkers who believed that they could apply reason to all aspects of life and they wanted progress for society

Hobbes’s Social Contract• Hobbes distrusts humans, favors strong government

to keep order just like Catherine the Great• Promotes social contract—getting order by giving

power to monarch

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Locke’s Natural Rights• Philosopher John Locke says government gets power from the people • Stresses that people have a right to overthrow an unjust government and thus he would most OPPOSE a dictatorship• His ideas become the basis of a quotation from the Virginia Declaration of Rights

Two Views on Government

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The Philosophes Advocate Reason

Beliefs of the Philosophes• The philosophes are French social critics in the

mid-1700s• Value reason, nature, happiness, progress,

liberty

Voltaire Combats Intolerance• Voltaire—influential philosophe, pen name

of François Marie Arouet• Publishes many works arguing for tolerance,

reason• Makes powerful enemies and is imprisoned

twice for his views

Continued . . .

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Montesquieu and the Separation of Powers• Montesquieu—French writer who admires Britain’s

government system• Favors separation of powers to keep one body from

running government & influence U.S. governments branches of government

Rousseau: Champion of Freedom• Rousseau—philosophe who favors individual

freedom, direct democracy• Views social contract as agreement by free people

to form government

Beccaria Promotes Criminal Justice• Italian philosopher Cesare Beccaria works to reform

justice system• Calls for speedy trials, greater rights for criminal

defendants

The Philosophes Advocate Reason

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Women and the Enlightenment Views on Women’s Education Change• Many Enlightenment thinkers take traditional

views of women’s role• Prominent writer Mary Wollstonecraft

urges greater rights for women: - argues women need quality education to

be virtuous and useful - urges women to go into traditionally male

professions like politics• Some wealthy women use their status to

spread Enlightenment ideas

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Legacy of the Enlightenment

Role of the Philosophes• The philosophes are not activists, but inspire

major revolutions

Belief in Progress• Scientific breakthroughs show human capacity to

improve society• There is a new Faith in Science

A More Secular Outlook• New knowledge of the world leads people to

question religious ideas• Voltaire and others criticize beliefs

and practices of Christianity

Continued . . .

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Legacy of the Enlightenment

Importance of the Individual• People place more emphasis on individual rights, abilities• Reason becomes a central concept for philosophers, rulers

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A World of Ideas

Intellectual Life in Paris• Paris becomes center of the Enlightenment during 1700s• City is home to salons— gatherings where thinkers discuss ideas

Diderot’s Encyclopedia• Philosophe Denis Diderot begins publishing Encyclopedia in 1751

- set of books to which Enlightenment thinkers contribute essays• Encyclopedia articles anger French government, Catholic Church• Encyclopedia helps spread Enlightenment ideas across Europe

The Enlightenment Spreads

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New Artistic Styles

Neoclassical Style Emerges• Pre-Enlightenment art style is baroque—grand,

ornate design• Enlightenment style is neoclassical, based on

Greek/Roman themes

Changes in Music and Literature• Classical music emerges; lighter, more elegant than

earlier style- led by composers such as Haydn, Mozart,

Beethoven• Novel emerges; works of fiction with detailed plots

and characters• Samuel Richardson’s Pamela considered first true

English novel

Enlightenment and Monarchy

Enlightened Despots• Spirit of the Enlightenment prompts rise of

enlightened despots:- monarchs who embrace Enlightenment values

to strengthen their rule

Frederick the Great• Frederick II, king of Prussia, reforms education and justice system• Grants religious freedom, abolishes torture, fails to end serfdom

Joseph II• Joseph II of Austria allows freedoms of worship

and the press• Abolishes serfdom, but the practice is

reinstated after his death

Catherine the Great• Catherine the Great—enlightened ruler of

Russia, 1762–1796 • Seeks to abolish capital punishment and torture,

but effort fails• Responds to peasant revolt by giving nobles

more power over serfs

Enlightenment and Monarchy

Catherine Expands Russia• In foreign affairs, Catherine successfully expands

Russian empire• Gains port access for Russia by seizing northern

coast of Black Sea • Seizes large parts of Poland, increasing empire’s

size

English Monarchy Clashes with Enlightenment Ideals

•Over the years, England’s monarchs struggled with Parliament• After, 1688, no British monarch could rule without the consent of Parliament & Parliament could not rule without consent of the monarch

• After the Age of Exploration, British colonists formed large and thriving settlements along the eastern shore of North America in the 1600s and 1700s

•British Parliament passed a trade law called the Navigation Act, which prevented colonists from selling most valuable goods to any country except Britain

• From 1754-1763, the French and the British fight on North American territory which causes a great debt for Britain….passing the Stamp Act on colonists which they argue they are being taxed without representation in Parliament

English Settlements Clash Fight for Enlightenment Ideals

•Colonial leaders use Enlightenment• ideas to justify independence

•The Revolutionary War began in 1775•July of 1776 the Declaration of Independence was issued by author Thomas Jefferson and was firmly based on John Locke’s and Enlightenment ideas of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness•Separation of Power with checks and balances is similar to Montesquieu’s ideas of division of power•The Bill of Right also was also influenced by philosopes: Voltaire, Locke, & Rousseau

Enlightenment Ideals Lead to War

Ultimately, the maintenance of Enlightenment ideals leads to

Revolution in France!