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Absolute Monarchs in Europe
What is absolutism?
Period of time when Europe’s monarchs got stronger• Monarchs ruled with absolute power
Divine Right Theory• Idea that God had chosen the monarch to rule
Everyone believes the theory during this period
If you question the king, you question God
Europe During the Age of Absolutism
Strengths of Absolute Monarchies
Efficiency• Decisions are made by one person
Nationalism• Promoted a common culture and
identity Stability
• The ruler stays in power until death Wealth
• No resistance means a large and powerful empire
Weaknesses of Absolute Monarchies
Undemocratic• No collaboration of ideas
Individual rights• Often violated
Stability• If the ruler was poor, it could affect the
country for decades
How to achieve more power?
Monarchs gained power generally in one of two ways:• Raising taxes
Increased their overall wealth and treasuries• Waging war
Victory often led to riches
Absolute Monarchy-Spain Phillip II (reign: 1554-
1598)• Fought to protect and
expand Catholicism• Took control of Portugal
when its king died without an heir
• Created an army of about 50K soldiers
Spain’s Golden Age
1600-1700s• El Greco
Expressed the deep Catholic faith in Spain• Diego Velazquez
Reflected pride in the Spanish monarchy• Miguel de Cervantes
Wrote Don Quixote
El Greco
Velazquez
Don Quixote
The Fall of the Spanish Empire
Inflation and Taxes• Spain suffered from a severe economic
decline• Wars cost Spain too much money
Had to declared bankruptcy
Absolute Monarchy in France Religious Wars and Power Struggles
• Henry of Navarre-converted to Catholicism
Survived the 1572 St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre (of Huguenots)
• Edict of Nantes (1598) Henry’s declaration of religious toleration Allowed Catholics and Huguenots to live in
peace• Louis XIII and Richelieu
After Henry died, his son took over Louis XIII
Henry of Navarre
Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu
Louis XIII was a weak King• Had an extremely powerful minister for
support-Cardinal Richelieu Richelieu took two major steps
towards power• Moved against the Huguenots and all
Protestants• Weakened the Nobles power and relied
on the middle class instead
Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu
Louis XIV Comes to Power Louis XIV, the Boy King (1643)
• Was not the true leader until 1661• Cardinal Marazin ran the country
Louis Weakens the Noble’s Authority• Excluded the Nobles from his council
Economic Growth• Minister of Finance-Jean Baptiste Colbert
Gave tax benefits to companies Believer in mercantilism and self-sufficiency
The Sun King’s Grand Style
King Louis spent much money on his personal life (servants, food, etc.)• Especially the Palace at Versailles
Louis Controls the Nobility• Forced Nobles to be at the palace
Making them dependant on the King Forced them from their homes
Patronage of the Arts• Palace was the center of European arts
Louis XIV“The Sun King”
The Palace at Versailles
The Palace at Versailles
Bedroom of Louis XIV
Louis Fights Disastrous Wars Attempts to Expand Boundaries
• France had four times the population than England by 1660
• Gained territory in the Netherlands through warfare
• A European alliance helped to stop French aggression and expansion
• Wars cost France a tremendous amount of money
War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714)
Fought over the possible unification of Spain and France under one monarch
France and Spain vs. England, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Netherlands
Ended with the Treaty of Utrecht• Thrones of Spain and France remained
separate• England gained a colony and greater
access to the Atlantic Slave Trade
War of Spanish Succession
Death of Louis XIV and Legacy
Louis died in 1715• Positive Legacy
France much more powerful At the top of art, literature Military leader of Europe
• Negative Legacy Constant warfare and construction Deep debt Unfair tax system
Central Monarchs Clash
The Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648)• Fought between Protestants (Hapsburgs) and
Catholics in the Holy Roman Empire• Naval warfare expanded its destruction• Helped to shape colonial formation of future
nations• First 12 years, Protestants are successful• Next 18 years, Catholics eventually gain the
advantage
Hapsburg Crest – Dual Headed Eagle
Spain Austria
The Thirty Years’ War
The Peace of Westphalia
Ends the Thirty Years’ War• Hapsburgs of Spain and Austria weakened• France was strengthened• Religious wars in Europe ended• German princes were independent of HRE• Peace negotiation to end war started
Beginning of Modern States• Ended the idea of a Catholic empire
States Form in Central Europe Economic Contrasts with the West
• Serfdom still strong in eastern Europe Weak Empires
• Ottoman Empire • Holy Roman Empire
The rise of Austria and Prussia• Due to the end of the Holy Roman
Empire
States Form in Eastern Europe (cont)
Austria Grows Stronger• Gains Hungary and
Bohemia• Wiped out
Protestantism Maria Theresa
Inherits the Throne• Fought constantly
with Prussia• Limited the labor that
nobles could force peasants to do
Prussia Challenges Austria
The Rise of Prussia• Became a rigidly controlled, highly
militarized society• Controlled by the King and the Junker
class – landowning nobles Frederick the Great
• Very practical leader – ruler as father• Atheist- established religious toleration• Very aggressive in foreign affairs
Frederick the Great
Prussia Challenges Austria (cont) War of Austrian Succession
• War between Prussia and Austria (1740)• Fought for control of Silesia (iron,
textiles)• France helped Prussia, England and
Austria• Prussia wins in 1748, becoming a major
European power
The Seven Years’ War
Austria, France, Russia vs. Prussia and Britain
1756 – Frederick attacked and Austrian ally, beginning the war
War did not change European territory• France lost all colonies in North America
and India to Britain
Russian History Russia Contrasts with Europe
• Economically Still heavily reliant on serfdom
• Socially Mongols kept Russia isolated from
Renaissance and Age of Exploration• Geographically
Ports froze during winter Size of Russia was a problem
• Religious differences Europe: Catholic or Protestant Russia: Orthodox
The Absolute Rulers of Russia
The First Czar• Ivan IV (“The Terrible”)
became czar (caesar) in 1533 Took control over the nobles
• Rule by Terror Police force organized to track down and
murder “traitors” to Ivan Killed many nobles (boyars) and gave the
land to new, more loyal nobles
Ivan IV
The Absolute Rulers of Russia (cont)
Rise of the Romanovs• After Ivan IV’s death (1584), there was a
power vacuum• “Time of Troubles” – nobles struggling
for power• 1613 Michael Romanov was chosen as
the next czar Romanov Dynasty 1613-1917
Peter the Great Comes to Power1689-1725
Peter visits the West• Wanted to learn about European
customs and manufacturing techniques
Peter the Great
Peter Rules Absolutely
Peter’s Reforms• Russian Orthodox Church under state control• Reduced the power of landowners• Hired European military officers
Westernizing Russia• Introduced potatoes• Women’s status increased• Nobles had to give up traditional dress• Advanced education
Peter Rules Absolutely
Establishing St. Petersburg• Wanted to establish a seaport
Make it easier to get to Europe Warm water port – would not freeze in
winter• Built on a swamp• 25-100K people died to build the city• Became a very important port city
St. PetersburgThe Cathedral of the Spilled Blood
Parliament Limits the English Monarchy Monarchs Defy Parliament
• King James’s Problems Offended Puritan members of Parliament Fought over money
• King Charles I Fights Parliament Wanted money, Parliament refused each
time – he dissolved Parliament Parliament forced him to sign the Petition of
Right – took power from King• He did, but then just ignored it
King James and Charles I
English Civil War
War Topples a King• Parliament tried to limit the powers of
King Charles I – starts a war instead• English Civil War (1642-1649)• Royalists (Cavaliers) vs. Roundheads• Puritan Roundheads won
Tried, convicted and executed Charles I• Never had a monarch been tried and executed
English Civil War (cont)
Oliver Cromwell’s Rule• General during the war who now led the
country• Established a republican government• Had to squash a rebellion in Ireland
Puritan Morality• Sought to reform society• Abolish sinful activities – sports, theater• Religious toleration for all except Catholics• Cromwell ruled until death, gov’t collapsed
Oliver Cromwell
Restoration and Revolution Charles II Reigns
• Restored the Monarchy of England• Reformed the legal system
James II and the Glorious Revolution• King James offended many b/c of his
Catholicism• Parliament worried of a Catholic line of Kings• James’s Protestant daughter Mary and her
husband William were asked by Parliament to overthrow James
• William invaded, and James fled – Bloodless Revolution known as the Glorious Revolution
King Charles II and King James II
William and Mary
Limits on Monarch’s Power
Bill of Rights• William and Mary established a constitutional
monarchy• Limits on royal power increased• Establishment of the English Bill of Rights
Cabinet System Develops• Became the link between the King and
Parliament - advisors to the King• Leader of the majority party heads the cabinet
– Prime Minister
English Bill of Rights
Ruler cannot:• Suspend
Parliament’s laws• Levy taxes
without permission
• Interfere with freedom of speech
• Penalize a citizen who criticizes the King
END