Absolutism

							                 Absolutism
• Essential Questions:
  – How did absolute monarchs centralize power in
    government and thereby control the religion,
    culture and economics of Europe?
                Absolutism
• Time: 16th through the 17th centuries
• Place: Western Europe and Russia
• What: Many rulers used divine right to claim
  rule over their empire(s).
• How: most rulers during this time reigned
  under an absolute monarchy. That is, these
  rulers were involved in every part of their
  government/economics/culture/religion.
                Phillip II of Spain
• Ruler of Spain during
  their “golden years.”
   – Don Quixote is written
   – El Greco
• Spain becomes the
  most powerful nation
  during his reign (1556-
  1598)
           Government tactics
• Expanded Spanish
  armada to over 150
  ships
• Appointed anyone he
  wanted to gov’t jobs
• Created a new royal
  palace (1584)
• Fought in two wars
  – Spanish Armada defeat
           Spanish Inquisition
• Attacks against
  Protestants, Muslims,
  Jews and Homosexuals
• About 87,000 cases
  recorded
• Continues until
  1834
          Economy under Philip II
• Used money from
  exploration to pay for
  most of his programs
• Command Economy
• Extreme spending
   – Debt of 36 million ducats
• Inflation and debt
  causes a decline in
  power and wealth
         France and Absolutism
• France emerged after Spain as the next great
  power of absolutism.

• Started over conflict.
  – Huguenots versus Catholics
  – Henry IV offered the Edict of Nantes
     • Created Religious tolerance towards Huguenots
• The main absolutist in France was Louis XIV.
         King Louis XIV: Sun King
• King of France from
  1661-1715
• “I am the State”
• Strengthened royal
  power immensely
• Built Versailles to keep
  the Estates General
  (Congress) happy and
  out of his way.
Versailles
Versailles Gardens
Versailles Mall
Versailles Gardens
Versailles Gardens
Versailles Gardens
Hall of Mirrors
Louis’ Chapel
                   Louis XIV
• Foreign Policy
  – Fought several wars, including the War of Spanish
    Succession and others against England,
    Netherlands, etc.
  – Had the largest army in Europe at 300,000 soldiers
     Religion under Louis XIV
– Persecuted the
  Huguenots
– Repealed the Edict of
  Nantes in 1685
– More than 200,000
  fled
– Why is this a bad
  move for Louis?
         Economics under Louis
• Mercantilism
  – Export more than a country imports
• Taxes and tolls
  – Over 100 tolls within France
  – Placed high Tariffs on imported goods
  – Huge taxes on the middle class
• Cost of Versailles:
  – 10% of total income to maintain
Habsburg Family Crest
Austrian Empire: 1657-1718
  Leopold I
 Holy Roman
  Emperor
(r. 1658-1705)
Schönbrunn Palace
Schönbrunn Palace
Schönbrunn Palace
Prince Eugène of Savoy: 1718
Holy Roman Empire: 1750
Prussian Family Crest
Prussia & the Austrian Empire: 1721-72
King Frederick I of Prussia (r.1701-1713)




                          Formerly:
                         Frederick III
                        of Brandenburg
                        (r. 1688-1701)
Frederick the Great (r. 1740-1786)
Frederick the Great (r. 1740-1786)
Frederick the Great’s Court
Europe in 1740
Charles VI (r. 1711-1740)
    Maria
   Theresa
(r. 1740-1780)
Maria Theresa & Her Family



                  Her Notable
                  Children:
                   HRE Joseph II
                   HRE Leopold II
                   Queen Marie
                   Antoinette (Fr.)
War of the Austrian Succession
• What are the benefits of Absolutism? Who
  benefits?

• What are the problems with Absolutism?
        A Breach to absolutism
• England’s Parliament held much power.
  – Queen Elizabeth was able to coerce parliament on
    many issues
  – Charles I- acted as a complete absolutist monarch
     • Refused to sign the Petition of Right
     • Jailed civilians
     • Led troops into the House of Commons to arrest
        A breach to Absolutism
• The English Civil War.
  – Cavaliers (supporters of Charles I)
  – Roundheads (led by Oliver Cromwell)
  – Charles I is executed
• The Commonwealth.
  – A republic led by Cromwell
  – Puritan laws and power
• The Glorious Revolution
  – Charles II
  – Constitutional monarchy
  – English Bill of Rights
     • Habeas Corpus
     Absolutism in Central and Eastern
                  Europe
•   The Thirty Year’s War
•   The Hapsburgs (in Austria)
•   Prussia
•   Russia
    – Peter the Great
       • Search for a warm water port
       • Petersburg
       • Westernization of Russia