ABSOLUTISM IN WESTERN EUROPE

Absolutism Absolutism

Conscious attempt by state sovereigns to extend their legal and administrative power over their subjects & over the vested interests of the social and economic institutions w/i their coun.

Age of Absolutism—1660-1789 (Height of it, but since 1500 rulers had been trying to make the state more powerful)

Difference between absolutism and totalitarianism Difference between absolutism and despotism Administrative monarchy –concept of public

service and private property Difference from medieval traditions Monarch as embodiment of the state

L’état, c’est moi –Louis XIV

Appeal of Absolutism

Wanted an end to the turbulence of French religious wars & 30 Years War

Only strong central gov’t could provide domestic order and prosperity.

Rulers insisted it was their duty to teach subjects how to order their domestic affairs, even against their will

Theory of Absolutism

Jean Bodin Late 16th century Political theorist

Bishop Jacques Bossuet Politics Drawn from the Very Words of Scripture Divine-right theory

Thomas Hobbes The Leviathan Defended absolutism without using religious

justifications, based solely on reason

5 Goals of Absolutist Rulers

1. Control & enlarge the armed forces 2. Control the administration of the legal system 3. Control the collection and distribution of taxes 4. Create an efficient bureaucracy whose

allegiance was to the monarchy, not to other social or economic interests within the country

5. Create a set of institutions strong enough to withstand, if not destroy the private interests that had hindered royal power in the past The Church The Nobility Semi-autonomous regions Independent representative bodies These were all obstacles to achieving a strong centralized

monarchical gov’t

French Absolutism

Henry IV –administrative reforms Edict of Nantes Taille—direct land tax levied on French peasantry &

non-nobles Purchase of offices permitted

Richelieu –Fr. Cardinal Chief minister for Louis XIII Intendants Eliminated the political and military power of

Huguenots Created spy network to crush noble plots Foreign policy –supported enemies of the Hapsburgs Developed the French Academy, to standardize and

promote Parisian French as the official dialect of French

French Absolutism

Richelieu –“Where the interests of the state are concerned, God absolves actions which, if privately committed, would be a crime.”

Richelieu is succeeded by Mazarin, another cardinal, trained by Richelieu in statecraft

Intriguing –churchmen are more responsible for influencing state policy and absolutism than kings

Louis XIII succeeded by his son, Louis XIV at the age of 4 What was the Fronde? How did it affect Louis XIV?

Absolute Monarch –Louis XIV

“The Sun King”, what is the significance of that image?

God established rulers on earth –what political conclusions are inevitable from that position?

Ascended the throne at age 4, tutored by Mazarin, takes no chief advisor upon Mazarin’s death, rules until age 76, his death.

Louis XIV’s Efforts to Make Himself Absolute Ruler

Divided France into 36 administrative units Diminished the power of the regional parlements Expanded and overhauled the army Diminished power of private interests

Revoked Edict of Nantes Didn’t call Estates General Used Versailles to emasculate nobility Threatened parlements with exile Outer provinces had their provincial estates crippled

Collected taxes Taille Capitation tax Gabelle Aide

Center of Absolutism -Versailles

Privileged nobles were encouraged to live at Versailles with their family

Other monarchs sought to imitate Versailles –leading in part to French becoming new language of polite society and diplomacy

Versailles

Wars of Louis XIV Le Tellier developed a professional army

of 100,000 in peace & 400,000 in war Louis wanted:

Parts of the HRE—extend French boundaries to the Rhine

To decrease Dutch commercial prosperity Spanish Netherlands To dominate European affairs Prestige and military glory that suited the Sun

King Fought 4 Wars

The War of Devolution (1667-68) France invaded Spanish Netherlands &

Franch-Comte Triple Alliance of England, Holland, and

Sweden intervened & forced Louis to withdraw

Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1668) gave France several towns along border of the Spanish Netherlands

The Dutch War (1672-78)

Louis broke up Triple Alliance by signing a treaty with King of England

Louis invaded Holland in 1672 William defended country by opening the

dikes and gaining support of HRE, Brandenburg, & Spain

Peace of Nijmegen (1678-79)—France gained Franche-Comte and more towns along border of Spanish Netherlands

War of the League of Augsburg (1688-97) Aka as the Nine Years’ War Louis tried to push France’s frontier to

the northeast into territory along the Rhine R.

William of Orange (became King of England in 1689) formed a new alliance against France

Treaty of Ryswick—France lost most of its gains, but kept Alsace.

War of the Spanish Succession (1701-14)

King Charles II of Spain died in 1700 & left crown to Philip of Anjou, grandson of Louis XIV

Leopold, the HRE, challenged the succession for his son Charles

High stakes b/c not just Spain, but also its colonial empire

European powers couldn’t let a Bourbon gain Spain and France

War of the Spanish Succession (1701-14) England, Holland, & HRE vs. French Peace of Utrecht (1713) & Rastatt (1714)

ended the fighting Recognized Philip of Anjou as King Philip V of Spain, but

the 2 thrones would remain separate Austrian Hapsburgs gained Spanish Netherlands, Naples,

Sardinia, & Milan French lost colonies—Newfoundland, Novia Scotia, and

the Hudson Bay area English gained Gibraltar, Minorca, and the Asiento Elector of Brandenburg was recognized as King of

Prussia

French Financial Policy -Mercantilism

Jean-BaptisteColbert –Louis XIV’s chief financial advisor Maximized exports, limited imports, and

built up France’s supply of gold & silver Encouraged industry, reduced domestic

customs barriers, & tried to eliminate the nobility’s ability to interfere with trade.

Expanded gov’t’s role in the economy Promoted the building of canals and roads &

expanded France’s merchant fleet

State Finances Under Louis XIV Haphazard financial system Nobility & clergy were exempt from most

direct taxes & middle class evaded many Main tax burden fell on peasants & lower

middle class Tax collectors paid for the privilege of

collecting the taxes=much corruption and waste

Colbert instituted mercantilist policies

Louis XIV’s Religious Policy

Defended idea that the king exercised administrative control over the church in France while recognizing the pope’s authority over faith and morals

Huguenots made up 10% of population by 1660s Louis probably believed they undermined his

political authority 1685—Edict of Fontainebleau—revoked the Edict of

Nantes & approved the destruction of Huguenot churches & closing of schools

200,000 Huguenots fled to England, Holland & Germany

Weakened the French economy b/c many were skilled artisans

The Decline of Spain

Contrast the success of France with the Failure of Spain:

Financial problems Philip II went bankrupt in 1596 & so did Philip III

in 1607 Army was out of date Gov’t inefficient Commercial class was weak Peasantry were suppressed Nobility loved luxury Overabundance of priests and monks

Decline of Spain

Reign of Philip IV De Guzman, count of Olivares—chief

minister Tried to limit power of Church & landed

aristocracy Tried to centralize gov’t

Failed b/c the number & power of nobles was too strong

Undermined their own efforts through costly wars that led to internal revolts

Decline of Spain

Foreign wars and expulsion of Moors and Jews stripped Spain of creative and middle class (few people saw money-making jobs as useful)

Inflation and taxes fell heavily on poor Spanish kings constantly overran budgets

and weren’t considered good credit risks by most European bankers

Inbreeding among the Hapsburgs resulted in an impotent and inept heir in Charles II (see following pictures)

Philip III Philip IV Charles II