Absolutism in Western Europe

Chapter Sixteen:

Definition of Absolutism:

• In an absolutist state, power resided only in kings who considered themselves accountable to God alone.

• Absolute kings created new state bureaucracies, regulated the government, and secured the support of the nobility.

How is Absolute different from totalitarian?

Absolute Power• Rule by divine Right• Secured the favor of

nobility• Maintained standing

armies• Looked towards

expansion as a way to hide domestic issues

• Hereditary

Totalitarian • Usually remove religion

(i.e. Stalin) or at the least, rarely use religion for justification

• Used military – often fed in to lower class ideals

• Also looked towards expansion as a way to hide domestic issues

• By vote or by force

What is better: Absolute Monarchy or Administrative

Monarchy?

This is an excellent essay question

Foundations of French Absolutism: Henry IV, Sully, and Richelieu

I. Henry IV• Cared for his people• Lowered taxes• Condensed power of the nobility• Overall, gained peace

II. Sully• Henry IV’s minister• Brought about financial security• Also brought about economic growth

III. Cardinal Richelieu• Ruler of France under Louis XIII• Broke power of the French nobility• Subordinated all groups and

organizations to the French monarchy• Altered the royal council• Established an efficient administration

system using intendants, whom weakened the nobility- They delivered royal orders,

collected taxes, and recruited men for army

IV. Through the Edict of Nantes, Henry IV gave Huguenots (protestants) religious freedom in 150 towns, but Louis XIII changed that dramatically• Re-instituted the Catholic mass• Many protests over high taxes and food

shortages• Usually let riots “burned themselves out”

V. Richelieu sought to break Hapsburg power• Supported the resisting of the Swedish king

against the Hapsburgs• Acquired land and influence in Germany

VI. Richelieu supported the French Academy

• It created a dictionary which to normalized the French language

VII. French government’s ability to tax was limited by the nobility

VIII. Mazarin continued Richelieu’s policies• Gave rise to a period of civil wars known as

the Fronde (Fronde means anyone who opposes the government)• Rebellion was widespread• Conflicts hurt the economy and new king,

Louis XIV, thought that absolute anarchy was the only way

The Absolute Monarchy

of Louis XIV

About Louis XIV

• Known as “Sun King”• Devoted Catholic• Feared the nobility• Enhanced both aristocratic

prestige and royal power

I.Made the court at Versailles a fixed institution• Used it as a means of protecting

royal power and as the center of absolutism• French language and culture

became the international style• Weakened the aristocracy and

separated power from status• A centralized state was formed

II. Financial and Economic management under his minister, Colbert• Louis’ wars were expensive- Most farmers ended up paying more

taxes than the nobility• Encouraged French industry and

enacted high foreign tariffs• Hoped to make Canada part of the

French empire• Though France’s industry grew, it’s

agriculture economy suffered under the burden of heavy taxation

III. The Revocation of the Edict of Nantes• In 1685, Louis revoked the Edict of Nantes• Then destroyed the Protestant churches

and schools• Many Protestants fled the country

Why?• Because Louis hated the division of France• And also most people supported the policy

Louis XIV’s Wars

I. Louis kept France at war for 33 of the 54 years

he ruled• Created a professional army• Army was modern because the

state, not the nobles, employed the soldiers• Took personal control of the army• Martinet created a firm but

effective system of training

II. Louis continued Richelieu’s expansionist

policy• In 1667, he invaded Flanders and

gained twelve towns• Strasbourg was taken in 1681 and

Lorraine in 1684• Fought the Dutch king of England, William III, and the League of

Augsburg in a war- His heavy taxes fell on the peasants,

resulting in many revolts

•This led to the War of Spanish Succession (1701-1713)

–Attempt to preserve the balance of power in Europe

–War ended French expansionism and left France on the brink of bankruptcy

–Concluded with the Peace of Utrecht (1713), which forbade the union of France and Spain

The Decline of Absolutist Spain in the 17th Century

II. Philip’s minister Olivares thought that the revival of war with the Dutch would solve Spain’s problem

•Led to war with France

III. The Treaty of Pyrenees (1659) marked the end of Spain as a great power.

•Ended all French-Spanish wars•Too much of Spain’s past had been built upon gold, silver, and slavery

•Cervantes’ novel Don Quixote characterizes the dreams that Spain once had

I. Spain had developed an absolutist monarchy but by the 1590s it was in a serious decline

• Population decline, intellectual isolation, and the lack of a strong middle class led to its decline.

• The Dutch and English began to cut into Spain’s training

• Their supply of silver began to decline; which led to bankruptcy