Absolute Monarchs in Europe 1500 1800 By M

Absolute Monarchs in Europe 1500 -1800 By M. D. Bergquist World History Instructor Alexander High School

Europe Developed Into Absolute Monarchies • Feudalism had collapsed. • National monarchies replaced. • Intense competition for land trade lead to many wars. • Religious differences sparked civil wars. • Absolute monarchy emerged to protect the nation and preserve order. • “Gunpowder Revolution” began.

European Monarchies sought to consolidate power Hapsburgs one of the most powerful families Charles V was H. R. E. and the king of Spain Divided his realm upon retirement Philip II got Spain, Holland, and S. Italy Ferdinand (brother) was H. R. E www. theotherside. co. uk/tm-heritage/ background/flanders. htm http: //www. tudorhistory. org/people/charles 5/charlesv. jpg

Philip II King of Spain (1556 -1598) • Philip II 1556 • Sought to strengthen power through war • Seizes Portugal 1580 • Wealthy from Gold and silver from Americas • Defender of Catholicism • Golden Age of Spanish art and literature • Weakened Spain by incessant wars and poor economic choices. www. tudorhistory. org/ people/

• Prudent King who build the El Escorial palace

B. Last of the Spanish Hapsburgs • 1550 -1650, Spain’s golden century – Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote • Wars, inflation, and wastefulness hurt Spain – Lost skilled artisans in Jews and Muslims • Philip’s successors overtaxed the people – Rebellion • Charles II, 1665 was the last Hapsburg – No heir – Other kings plotted to take over

France was wracked by religious warfare until Henry of Navarre agreed to be king (1589 -1610) • First of Bourbon dynasty • Issued Edict of Nantes which promised religious toleration. • Began to rebuild French economy. • Assassinated leaving 9 -year old son to rule. http: //www. kfki. hu/~arthp/html/p/pourbus/frans_y/

Cardinal Richelieu created a strong monarchy. • Regent (1624 -1642) for Louis XIII (1610 -1643) • Richelieu broke the power of nobles and Protestants by destroying walled cities and castles. • Used the middle class for government jobs. • Challenged Hapsburg power by intervening in Thirty Years War. . http: //home. nyu. edu/~rgr 208/richelieu jpg

When Louis XIII died leaving his five year-old son as king Cardinal Mazarin became regent (1643 -1661). • Continued Richelieu policies. • Generally disliked by the French people because of increased taxes and continued consolidation of royal power. • Fronde Revolt by nobles harshly suppressed. http: //www. ac-strasbourg. fr/pedago/lettres/Victor%20 Hugo/Notes/Mazarin. htm

Louis XIV becomes the most powerful king in Europe (1643 -1715) • When Mazarin died, Louis assumed full control at age 23. • Worked long hours to strengthen France. § National army • Broke power of nobles and Protestants. • Restored economy via mercantilism. • Builder of the Palace of Versailles. http: //www. royalty. nu/Europe/France/Louis. XIV. html

Solidified absolutism • Promoted own image: – Sun King – Louis the Great – God’s representative on earth

Religious unification • “One king, one law, one faith” § Revoked Edict of Nantes, 1685

• Louis XIV, The Sun King • The best and worst example Of absolute monarchy. • “L’Etat c’est moi!” • Crippled France by fighting a series of losing wars and revoking the Edict of Nantes • On his deathbed he urged his young grandson and heir to avoid wars.

Ferdinand II Holy Roman Emperor (1619 -1637) • Wanted greater control of his Protestant nobles. • Touched off the Thirty Years War, which eventually involved most of western Europe. • Took German States 100 years to rebuild. http: //www. kaisergruft. at/anhang/ezhferdi. htm

The arrival of King Gustavus Adolfus’ Swedish forces. Next slide: Soldiers sack and loot a home. The Hanging Tree Thirty Years War (1618 -1648) • Hapsburgs v. German Protestants • Sweden v. Hapsburgs • France v. Hapsburgs • Peace of Westphalia, 1648 created modern Europe.

The Thirty Years War Many cities were destroyed an estimated 4 million Germans died. This is the Sack of Magdeburg www. millikin. edu/history/ civilconflict/photo 4. htm

Eastern Europe • Slower to develop due to the many ethnic minorities and lack of development —primarily agricultural. • Feudalism still strong. • Hapsburg Family in control. • Maria Theresa, Queen of Austria. (1740 -1780) http: //www. batguano. com/VLBmcaroline. jpg

• 1740, Maria Theresa inherited the throne – Pragmatic Sanction was signed in 1718 to protect her rule – Charles VI did this – No training, but she was a good ruler and made Austria stronger

Prussia • France and Prussia opposed pragmatic sanction • Brandenburg-Prussia was ruled by the Hohenzollern family • Gained land in the Thirty Years’ War • 1. Great Elector – Frederick William created a permanent standing army – The nobles, or Junkers, opposed his plan to raise taxes – Frederick allowed the Junkers to be free of taxes and to have power over peasants – Frederick I took over and became a king for his help against Louis XIV

Frederick the Great (1740 -1786) of Prussia was determined to make Prussia the dominate power. • Created a strong aggressive military. “ Most nations have an army, Prussia is an army with a nation”. • Promoted religious toleration and education at home. • Successfully made Prussia dominate power by defeating Austrians. • ( Seven Years War) www. ncl. ac. uk/~nhistory/ german. htm

• Followed father’s hard military policies (big standing army) • Thought the role of a government was to expand its territories • Was an atheist who disliked his wife and never had kids

Austria vs. Prussia • Frederick the Great assumed that Maria would be easy to bully b/c she was a woman • Battled Prussia for a while but eventually lost • Eventually both countries (Austria and Prussia) got involved in different alliances throughout Europe

Russia centralized under the leadership of the tsars

Ivan III The Great Ivan IV The Terrible 1462 -1505 1533 -1584 www. xenophongi. org/rushistory/ rusinwax/wax 28 s. jpg www. ronaldbrucemeyer. com/ archive/peter. gif Peter the Great 1672 -1725

PETER THE GREAT • transform Russia into a modern state. • Westernization • Peter realized country needed to modernize to catch up with rest of Europe • Wanted westernization; to bring elements of Western culture to Russia • 1697, journeyed to western Europe to see what Russia needed to modernize • New Skills • Peter traveled in disguise, was sometimes recognized anyway • Learned hands-on skills, especially shipbuilding • Recruited European experts to bring skills to Russia • Rebellion • Trip cut short by rebellion of streltsy, military corps with political influence • Thought streltsy wanted sister on throne; had members tortured, executed • Disbanded streltsy, organized more modern army

• In addition to modernizing army, Peter made many other reforms • Brought church under state control • Built up Russian industry • Started first newspaper in Russia • Sponsored new schools • Modernized calendar, promoted officials on service, not social status

Peter also founded a new city • Early 1700 s, fought Sweden to acquire warmwater port – Other ports choked by ice much of year – Port farther south on Baltic Sea to keep Russia open to western trade all year, connect Russia to west • On land won from Sweden, Peter built new capital, St. Petersburg – Russia’s government moved to new city – Featured Western-style architecture

English monarchs attempted to establish absolute system • James I (1603 -1625) fought with Parliament over his authority. • Puritans wanted Anglican Church to reflect a Calvinist view. • James refused to cooperate, except for a new Bible translation. www. bbc. co. uk/history

Charles loses his head in an argument • Charles I (1625 -1649) pursued an aggressive foreign policy with Spain. • Continually sought new funds from Parliament, members checked his power by forcing him to sign the Petition of Right, 1628. • When Charles dissolved Parliament and tried to raise money, civil war resulted. : www. mdarchives. state. md. us/. . . / 01 glance/images/charles 1. jpg

Oliver Cromwell defeats king’s forces and became Lord Protector • Charles executed for treason. • On paper, England was a republic but in practice a dictatorship. • Cromwell suppressed revolt in Ireland. • Imposed Puritan ideals on English. http: //www. graham. day. dsl. pipex. com/civilwar-cromwell. gif

Monarchy Restored • When Cromwell died, so did his government. • English invited Charles II (1660 -1685) to restore monarchy. • Reign was a period of calm marked by court decadence.

Monarchy In Crisis • On Charles’ death, brother became king. • James II (1685 -1688) was pro-Catholic, which angered many. • When his young wife produced an heir, Parliament feared a renewed period of turmoil and removed king from power. www. bbc. co. uk/. . . /monarchs_leaders/ images/james_2_full. jpg

The Glorious Revolution William and Mary Restore English Monarchy www. camelotintl. com/heritage/ rulers/images/willmary. gif • Parliament invited Mary, daughter of Charles I, and a Protestant, to jointly rule with her husband, William of Orange. (1689 -1702) • Both agreed to follow Parliamentary laws and accepted English Bill of Rights. • England became the only limited monarchy in Europe. Parliament in control.