Absolute Monarchs in
Europe, 1500-1800
Spain’s Empire and European
Absolutism
Spain’s Powerful Empire
• Philip II becomes king of Spain, the
wealthiest, most powerful nation in
Europe
• He defends Roman Catholicism against
Protestantism and Islam
• Spanish riches help stimulate a golden
age in the arts
Problems Weaken the Spanish
Empire
• Spain’s economy weakened due to
inflation, noble’s not having to pay
taxes, and spending too much money
on imports
• The Dutch revolt and break away from
Spain to form a new nation
The Independent Dutch Prosper
• Had religious tolerance
• Dutch traders make the Netherlands a
center of European trade & banking
• Dutch art flourishes in a climate of
prosperity
Absolutism in Europe
• Absolute Monarchs: kings or queens
who wanted all the power
• They believe in divine right: the idea
that God created the monarchy and
that the monarch acted as God’s
representative on earth
• Centralized authority, colonial wealth,
and warfare and unrest fuel the growth
of absolute rule
Group Activity
• Create an annotated brochure or
poster promoting Spain or the
Netherlands in the 1600s.
• Include the attractions of life in that
country, such as economic life,
politics, art and culture, geography and
resources, and social trends.
• As always, creativity and neatness
count.