The Creation of the Absolute King

How much power should a monarch have/ what if any limitations should

be placed upon them?

Key Concepts

• Absolute Monarch - a ruler whose power was not limited by having to consult with the nobles, common people, or their representatives.

• Divine Right of Kings - concept held that the monarchs received their power from God.– How would this affect their power and why?

Absolutism in Spain

• Charles I ( of Spain) &V (HRE)– Overcame not being accepted– He spoke “Spanish to God, Italian to women,

French to men, and German to his horse”– Member of the powerful Hapsburg family– King of Spain and Holy Roman Emperor

(bought the votes)- elected position– “The sun never set” over his empire

Problems of Charles V

• Secular leader of Roman Catholic Church– Felt responsible for defending the Church

• Protestant Reformation - called Luther to the __________________.

• Eventually signed the Peace of ________________– Gave each German prince the right to choose whether his state

would be Luthern or _________________.– Constant fighting cost him a fortune

• Divided his Empire in 2– Brother took the old Hapsburg holdings– Son Philip II took the Spanish Holdings

The Success of Charles

• The New World Exploration– Massive gold and silver fortune

• The Golden Age (1550 - 1650)– An flourishing of Artistic Achievement– El Greco– Diego Velazquez– Miguel de Cervantes – Sister Juana Ines de la Cruz

Philip IISecular Leader and Problems that resulted• Attacking the Netherlands

– Ignored Self - rule– Taxed heavily to finance military– Persecuted Calvinists - in the north

• Duke of Alba• Council of Troubles –Council of Blood (1000’s of heretics

publicly executed)• Revolt By William the Silent

– Flood the low lands– Guerrilla warfare– War for 64 years less 12

– Dutch - financial giants (Dutch E.India Co.)

Philips Problems with England

• England – Send aid to the Dutch rebels.– England’s sea dogs had plundered Spanish

ships– Mary’s death and the assassination of Mary

Queen of Scots left his little choice in restoring England to Catholicism

Economic Problems• The “poverty of Spain resulted from the discovery of the Indies”

= Sancho de Moncada• Lacked industry and food production

– Inflation -- 1500 - 1650 food prices x 5• Why - Gold and Silver imported• Result - industry destroyed -- too expensive

• Government became to centralized• Philip distrust led to a stagnant government

• Philip never raised enough cash to cover his expenditure– declare state ‘bankruptcies’ in 1557, 1560, 1576 and 1596.

• Spain had amassed a debt of 85.5 million ducats whilst his average annual income was 9.7 million.

• http://www.westegg.com/inflation/

France and Absolutism

• Henry IV

• “Paris is well worth a Mass”

• What is the significance of his statement?

Henry IV (of Navarre)

Cardinal RichelieuServed as regent to Louis XIII

– Louis XIII was 9 when Henry IV was assassinated

2 Pronged Strategy1. Make the King supreme in France

2. Make France supreme in Europe

Making the King Supreme• 2 Factions that held power in France

– Nobles• Efforts made to destroy their power

– Destroyed the nobles castles (military power)

– Appointed well educated governors to provinces (supporters of the king)

– (How do these measures increase the kings power?)

– Huguenots• Restrict the Edict of Nantes

– Remove the “fortified cities” protection “State within a State”

France Supreme in Europe

• Attacked the Habsburg Power (Holy Roman Emperor)

– Aided Sweden in the 30 Years War

– Promoted the extension of the War for as long as they could

– Treaty of Westfalia

• Ended the War with the Habsburg losing considerable power

• France gained Alsace

Louis XIV• The Fronde - a major rebellion to the centralizing power of the

State– How did this event impact the rule of Louis XIV

L ’etat c’ests moiBecame king at 5 years old ruled at 13Cardinal Mazarin replace Richelieu

– Appointed intendants (regional administrators from the middle class) – Built a new capital at Versailles

• Sign of power• Important nobles lived at Versailles• Advanced only be royal favor• Chose the sun as his personal symbol “Sun King”

Versailles StatisticsVersailles Statistics

2,000 acres of grounds 12 miles of roads 27 miles of trellises 200,000 trees 210,000 flowers planted every year 80 miles of rows of trees 55 acres surface area of the Grand Canal 12 miles of enclosing walls 50 fountains and 620 fountain nozzles 21 miles of water conduits 3,600 cubic meters per hour: water consumed 26 acres of roof 51,210 square meters of floors 2,153 windows 700 rooms 67 staircases 6,000 paintings 1,500 drawings and 15,000 engravings 2,100 sculptures 5,000 items of furniture and objects d'art 150 varieties of apple and peach trees in the Vegetable Garden

The Sun SymbolThe Sun Symbol

L ’ etat c’est moi!

L ’ etat c’est moi!

Louis XIII’s Old Chateau

Louis XIII’s Old Chateau

Versailles TodayVersailles Today

Palais de VersaillesPalais de Versailles

Palais de VersaillesPalais de Versailles

Versailles Palace – Park Side

Versailles Palace – Park Side

Garden View of Versailles

Garden View of Versailles

Chateau de Versailles

Chateau de Versailles

Chateau de Versailles

Chateau de Versailles

Versailles’ Northern Gardens

Versailles’ Northern Gardens

Gardens at VersaillesGardens at Versailles

Chateau de Versailles Gardens

Chateau de Versailles Gardens

The OrangeryThe Orangery

Grounds at VersaillesGrounds at Versailles

The Lightening of the Belvedere

by Claude Chatelet, 1781

The Lightening of the Belvedere

by Claude Chatelet, 1781

Fountains, Fountains, and More Fountains!Fountains, Fountains, and More Fountains!

And more Fountains!And more Fountains!

Hall of Mirrors

Campaign Poster• For each of the following a poster will be created that will hopefully

win your candidate the Absolute King of the Age of Absolutism1. Charles V2. Philip II3. Louis XIII (Cardinal Richelieu)4. Louis XIV5. Elizabeth I6. Charles I7. Oliver Cromwell8. Ivan The Terrible9. Peter The Great10. Catherine the Great