Age of Absolutism (c. 1600-1789)

Age of Absolutism(c. 1600-1789)

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What is Absolutism?

• All power invested in one ruler• Product of:

– Further centralization of Renaissance monarchies

– Desire for order as result of Wars of Religion

• Limited by technological constraints, power of nobility, and diversity of national populations

Philosophy of Absolutism

• Bodin -- Rationalism• Bossuet -- Divine Right of Kings• Hobbes -- Social Contract • Filmer -- Patriarchy





Common Features

• Strong, ambitious ruling dynasties• Cooptation of the nobility• Control of religious authority• Large, centralized bureaucracy• Large standing army• Increased taxes





Which nations had the largest armies?Why do Britain and the Netherlands fluctuate?

European Armies, 1690-1814

1690 1710 1760 1789 1814France 400,000 350,000 330,000 180,000 600,000Prussia 30,000 39,000 195,000 190,000 250,000Sweden n/a 110,000 n/a n/a n/aAustria 50,000 100,000 200,000 300,000 270,000Spain n/a 30,000 n/a 50,000 n/aBritain 70,000 75,000 200,000 40,000 250,000Nether. 73,000 130,000 40,000 n/a n/a

France: Foundations of Absolutism

• Cardinal Richelieu (1624-42)– Strips Huguenots of political/military rights

– Builds standing army

– Network of spies

– **Intendants

• Cardinal Mazarin (1642-61)• Faces severe problems:

1. Foreigner

2. Considered a scumbag

3. Inherits problems of Richelieu

• The FRONDE (1648-52)--tax revolt by the nobility





The Fronde (1648-52)

• Occurred in two waves– 1648 - tax revolt; nobles and peasants join forces

– 1650 - nobles of the sword attempt to overthrow the government

• Formative experience for Louis XIV• One of series of noble revolts across

Europe in late 1640s



Louis XIV (1643-1714)Builds absolute rule upon foundation laid by

Richelieu and Mazarin

• “one king, one law, one faith”• “L’etat c’est moi” (I am the state)

1. Bureaucratic control2. Co-optation of the Nobility3. Religious Uniformity4. Mercantilism5. Expansion of Military6. Propaganda



Bureaucratic Control

• Intendants

• Bribes of local officials



Cooptation of Nobility

• New privileges to nobles• Creation of approx. 20,000 new nobles• Life at Versailles

– Kept nobles close/Spied on them

– Favors for those who are close to Louis

– Extravagant lifestyle bankrupted nobility:

they became dependent on Louis for their lifestyle

Religious Uniformity• “Gallican Church”--Louis had say in appt. of bishops

in France

• Edict of Fontainebleu (1685)– Prohibited Calvinism– 200,000 Huguenots flee France



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Mercantilism



Jean-Baptiste Colbert

Military Reforms

• Increased size of army

• Appointed army and naval officers

Propaganda• Controlled printing presses• Foreign books were made illegal• Stayed out of sight at Versailles• Presented image of self as “Sun King”







Limits of French Absolutism

• Half the population didn’t speak “French”• Inadequate infrastructure• Local officials sometimes obstructed policies• Smugglers evaded mercantilist tariffs

Short-term policiesWars drain treasuryNew Nobles loyal to Louis onlyHuguenots fled the country

Spain

• A Weakened Nation1. Economic Problems

• Bankruptcy

• Weak commercial class

• Bloated, overindulgent nobility

2. Outdated military

3. Inefficient Government (El Escorial)



Spain• Count de Olivares & Philip IV (1621-65)

– Attempted to centralize government

– Reforms failed• Nobles too powerful

• Expensive, losing wars

• Internal revolts

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Austria• Leopold I (1658-1705) expanded the state

– Treaty of Karlowitz (1699)

– Consolidation of Hapsburg lands

• Weaknesses– Diverse ethnicities, religions, languages

– Nobles oversaw courts and police

– Local elites retain autonomy and privileges (e.g. Magyars)

Prussia (Brandenburg-Prussia)

Prussia = an army with a country

• Frederick William -- “Great Elector” (1640-88)– Large standing army

– General War Commissariat• 1st modern civil service in Europe

• State officials supervise tax collection

– “Service State” = Gov’t agreed to protect nobles’ rights to serfs in exchange for nobles’ surrender of their political powers



Johnny 5 says: “the Prussian nobles were known as JUNKERS”

• Frederick William I (1713-1740)– Continued centralization

– Developed military power1. Military = 50% of budget

2. 80,000 troops

3. Royal guard of “giants”

4. Conversion of industries

5. All young men register for draft

6. 1st country with reserve forces

Russia• Ivan IV “the Terrible” (1533-84)

– Expanded Eastward

– Maintained Loyalty through Fear &

Serv(serf)ice State

• Time of Troubles (1584-1613)– Boyars battled for control

– Michael Romanov named tsar in 1613



Russia• Peter the Great (1689-1725)

– Goal to make Russia a world power• Import technology/machinery

• Port on the Baltic Sea

• Westernize culture

1. Military Reforms

2. Administrative Reforms

3. Religious Reforms

4. Economic Reforms

5. Cultural Reforms



Wars of Louis XIV (1667-1713)• Four wars

– War of the Triple Alliance (1667)– Dutch War (1672)– War of the League of Augsburg (1689)– War of Spanish Succession (1702)

• Treaty of Utrecht (1713)• Allowed Bourbon monarch in Spain• France and Spain agreed to remain separate• Territorial Changes• England emerged as leading naval power

Documents

Age of Absolutism (c. 1600-1789)