Describe this picture.Describe this picture.• Who is this man? Who is this man?

How do you know?How do you know?• What does he do? What does he do?

What is his What is his importance?importance?

• What is happeningWhat is happeningin the image? in the image?

Age of AbsolutismAge of Absolutism

Causes of AbsolutismCauses of Absolutism• of feudalismof feudalism• Religious & territorial conflictsReligious & territorial conflicts

– Protestant ReformationProtestant Reformation– Thirty Years’ WarThirty Years’ War– French Huguenots v. Cath.French Huguenots v. Cath.

• Economic growth (capitalism, Economic growth (capitalism, mercantilism)mercantilism)

• Political & territorial uncertaintyPolitical & territorial uncertaintyneed for army need for army

raised taxes raised taxes civil unrest & rebellioncivil unrest & rebellion

Thirty Years’ WarThirty Years’ WarCAUSESCAUSES

• Started due to Started due to religious conflict in religious conflict in Holy Roman Empire Holy Roman Empire – Expanded to Expanded to

involve most involve most European powers European powers for various reasons for various reasons (i.e. French-(i.e. French-Hapsburg rivalry)Hapsburg rivalry)

OUTCOMESOUTCOMES

• Peace of Westphalia Peace of Westphalia (series of treaties)(series of treaties)– Westphalian sovereignty Westphalian sovereignty

• Hapsburgs defeatedHapsburgs defeated• End of Holy Roman End of Holy Roman

EmpireEmpire• Some nations Some nations

weakened, some weakened, some strongerstronger

How do you solve rebellion, How do you solve rebellion, conflict, and chaos?conflict, and chaos?

• Get a centralized authority who can Get a centralized authority who can provide stability & order.provide stability & order.

What is Absolutism? What is Absolutism? • Characteristics:Characteristics:

1) Belief in “divine right” to rule1) Belief in “divine right” to rule

2) Strong personality traits of monarch 2) Strong personality traits of monarch ruler ruler = = symbol of national identitysymbol of national identity

3) Lessen power of nobility3) Lessen power of nobility

4) Large standing army/military4) Large standing army/military

5) Heavy taxation but heavy spending5) Heavy taxation but heavy spending

6) Control of ideas6) Control of ideas

7) Specialized councils to advise king7) Specialized councils to advise king• Absolutism was different in Eastern v. Western Absolutism was different in Eastern v. Western

EuropeEurope

Effects of AbsolutismEffects of Absolutism

• Control of ideas (religion, society)Control of ideas (religion, society)• Increased size of courts to appear Increased size of courts to appear

more powerfulmore powerful• Major building projects to glorify rulerMajor building projects to glorify ruler• Bureaucracies formed to control Bureaucracies formed to control

economyeconomy• Long-term effects Long-term effects revolution revolution

against monarchyagainst monarchy

Philip II of SpainPhilip II of Spain• Defender of CatholicismDefender of Catholicism• Arrogant, ambitiousArrogant, ambitious• Great wealth from empireGreat wealth from empire

– High inflation & taxesHigh inflation & taxes

• Large standing armyLarge standing army• Spanish Armada Spanish Armada but defeated but defeated • Golden Age of Spanish cultureGolden Age of Spanish culture• Escorial palace built to demonstrate Escorial palace built to demonstrate

his power & faith his power & faith • Golden Age of Spanish cultureGolden Age of Spanish culture

“His smile and his

dagger were very close.”

Escorial PalaceEscorial Palace

Louis XIV of FranceLouis XIV of France• Saw self as head of Cath. Church in FranceSaw self as head of Cath. Church in France

– Revoked Edict of NantesRevoked Edict of Nantes

• The “Sun King”The “Sun King”– Supported the arts BUT arts were to Supported the arts BUT arts were to

glorify himself as ruler, promote glorify himself as ruler, promote absolutismabsolutism

• Increased central powerIncreased central power– Closely watched over gov’t officialsClosely watched over gov’t officials

• Weakened nobilityWeakened nobility– Required nobility to live in Versailles Required nobility to live in Versailles – Estates General never metEstates General never met

“L’état ,c’est moi.”

(I am the state).

Louis XIV of FranceLouis XIV of France

• Needed large army for Needed large army for many warsmany wars– War of Spanish Succession War of Spanish Succession

France rose to military France rose to military leaderleader

– Strong empireStrong empire

• Controlled the economyControlled the economy– High debt & taxationHigh debt & taxation– Finance minister Jean Finance minister Jean

Baptiste ColbertBaptiste Colbert

Palace of VersaillesPalace of VersaillesProof of Louis XIV’s absolute powerProof of Louis XIV’s absolute power

Peter I (“the Great”) of Peter I (“the Great”) of RussiaRussia

• Increased czar’s powerIncreased czar’s power– 6’7”, obsessed w/war games6’7”, obsessed w/war games

• Brought Russian Orthodox Brought Russian Orthodox Church under state controlChurch under state control

• Reduced power of landownersReduced power of landowners– Forced boyars to serve in Forced boyars to serve in

military or gov’tmilitary or gov’t

• Modernized armyModernized army– Recruited men of lower-ranksRecruited men of lower-ranks– Talented foreigners Talented foreigners

• Imposed heavy taxesImposed heavy taxes– 80-85% of taxes went to war80-85% of taxes went to war– Beard taxBeard tax

Peter I (“the Great”) of Peter I (“the Great”) of RussiaRussia

• Westernized RussiaWesternized Russia– PotatoesPotatoes– 11stst newspaper newspaper– Raised women’s statusRaised women’s status– Western fashionsWestern fashions– Advanced educationAdvanced education

Peter I’s St. PetersburgPeter I’s St. Petersburg• Glorify himselfGlorify himself• Forced nobility to live thereForced nobility to live there• Sectioned by social statusSectioned by social status

Other Absolute MonarchsOther Absolute MonarchsPrussiaPrussia

• Frederick William IFrederick William I• Frederick II (“the Frederick II (“the

Great”)Great”)

AustriaAustria• MariaMaria Theresa Theresa

RussiaRussia• Catherine the GreatCatherine the Great