Paths to Constitutionalism and Absolutism

England and France in the Seventeenth Century

Two Models of European Political Development

Monarchy

Religion

Government

Monarchy

England monarch’s efforts to to get new sources threatened political and economic stabilityFrance- Louis XIV made French dependent upon his patronageBut allowed Parlement of Paris to oversee royal decreesAnd regional parlements to administer local taxation

Religion

England: Protestant religious

movement of Puritanism opposed Stuart monarchy and sought to limit its powers.

France: Louis XIV- with

support of Roman Catholics, crushed Protestant dissident movement to create religious unity.

Government

English: Representative parliament ingrained in political structure, became strong institution by the end of the 17th century.

Parliamentary government included nobility and landowners to limit local monarch powers

French: Nobilty supported Louis XIV

Estates General was not an institutional base for reform

Constitutional Crisis and Settlement in Stuart

England(Words to Look For)

King James I, Divine right of Kings, Puritan separatists, Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts Bay ColonyCharles I, Petition of RightGrand Remonstrance, Oliver Cromwell, New Model Army, Lord ProtectorCharles II, Stuart RestorationJames II, Glorious Revolution, Bill of Rights

King James I

Advocated Divine Right of KingsMade his people mad by maintaining Anglican episcopacy.Enforced impositions that were unpopular with the Parlement1620- Puritan Separatists founded Plymouth ColonyFew years later- Massachusetts Bay Colony

Charles I

Forced more unpopular levies/ taxes Stationed troops en route to war with Spain in private homesParlement forced Charles I to agree to Petition of Right (Required the monarch to gain consent of Parliament before levying taxes)1629- Parliament declared that Charles’s levying of taxes without consent was treason

Civil War

1641- Grand Remonstrance (summary of grievances)Charles invaded Parliament, civil war (1642-1646)Oliver Cromwell(1599-1658) “Lord Protector”- led Parliamentary army (New Model Army), and won.England became a Puritan republic (1649-1660)By 1658 exiled Charles II was permitted to return to bring peaceful rule back to Europe.

Charles II

Rule is known as Rule is known as Stuart RestorationStuart Restoration

Brought England back to 1640s Brought England back to 1640s conditions conditions

When Anglican Church was at the When Anglican Church was at the fore of religionfore of religion

Monarch had little or no Monarch had little or no responsibility to call Parliamentresponsibility to call Parliament

Glorious Revolution

James II renewed fears of Catholic England by appointing Catholics in positions of power1689- Fled to France in the face of William of Orange’s army. William and Mary declared new monarchs of EnglandThis was the Glorious Revolution Bill of Rights- limited monarch powers, prohibited Roman Catholics from the throne, and guaranteed the role of Parliament in government.

Rise of absolute monarchy in France

(words to look for)Louis XIV, “The Sun King”, “One King, one law, one faith”, Cardinal Mazarin

Divine Right, “L etat c’est moi”

Versailles, Jansenists, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Mercantilism

Edict of Nantes

The Sun King

Louis XIV (called himself the Sun King)- Absolute monarchy and Catholic RuleMotto- “One King, One Law, One Faith”Helped by Cardinal Mazarin- Continued Richlieu’s policy of centralization of government

I am the State!

Louis XIV big on propaganda and public image

Believed to have Divine Right- unbound by rules of princes and parliaments

Famous for “L état c’est moi”

French Power

Louis XIV’s court at VersaillesSupported religious conformitySuppressed Jansenists (Group of Catholics opposed to Jesuit influence)France superior during XIV’s reign- Bureaucracy, military, and national unityJean-Baptiste Colbert- Controller of finances, helped XIV consolidate French wealth.Colbert’s close government control of economy known as mercantilism

Edict of Nantes

1685- Louis revoked Edict of NantesResulted in the immediate closure of Protestant churches and schools, expulsion of protestant ministersAlso, voluntary emigration of a quarter of a million French folk, who joined resistance to France throughout the world.