Absolute Monarchs in Europe Chapter Five What is
Absolute Monarchs in Europe Chapter Five
What is absolutism? n Period of time when Europe’s monarchs got stronger • Monarchs ruled with absolute power n Divine Right Theory • Idea that God had chosen the monarch to rule n Everyone believes theory during this period n If you question the king, you question God
Europe During the Age of Absolutism
Strengths of Absolute Monarchies n Efficiency • Decisions are made by one person n Nationalism • Promoted a common culture and identity n Stability • The ruler stays in power until death n Wealth • No resistance means a large and powerful empire
Weaknesses of Absolute Monarchies n Undemocratic • No collaboration of ideas n Individual rights • Often violated n Stability • If the ruler was poor, it could affect the country for decades
How to achieve more power? n Monarchs gained power generally in one of two ways: • Raising taxes n Increased their overall wealth and treasuries • Waging war n Victory often led to riches
Absolute Monarchy-Spain n Phillip II (reign: 15541598) • Fought to protect and expand Catholicism • Took control of Portugal when its king died without an heir • Created an army of about 50 K soldiers
Spain’s Golden Age n 1600 -1700 s • El Greco n Expressed the deep Catholic faith in Spain • Diego Velazquez n Reflected pride in the Spanish monarchy • Miguel de Cervantes n Wrote Don Quixote
El Greco
Velazquez
Don Quixote
The Fall of the Spanish Empire n Inflation and Taxes • Spain suffered from a severe economic decline • Wars cost Spain too much money n Had to declared bankruptcy
Absolute Monarchy in France n Religious Wars and Power Struggles • Henry of Navarre-converted to Catholicism n Survived the 1572 St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre (of Huguenots) • Edict of Nantes (1598) Henry’s declaration of religious toleration n Allowed Catholics and Huguenots to live in peace n • Louis XIII and Richelieu After Henry died, his son took over n Louis XIII n Henry of Navarre
Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu n Louis XIII was a weak King • Had an extremely powerful minister for support-Cardinal Richelieu n 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 n Louis XIV, the Boy King (1643) • Was not the true leader until 1661 • Cardinal Marazin ran the country n Louis Weakens the Noble’s Authority • Excluded the Nobles from his council n Economic Growth • Minister of Finance-Jean Baptiste Colbert Gave tax benefits to companies n Believer in mercantilism and self-sufficiency n
The Sun King’s Grand Style n King Louis spent much money on his personal life (servants, food, etc. ) • Especially the Palace at Versailles n Louis Controls the Nobility • Forced Nobles to be at the palace Making them dependant on the King n Forced them from their homes n n 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 n 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) n n n 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 n Louis died in 1715 • Positive Legacy France much more powerful n At the top of art, literature n Military leader of Europe n • Negative Legacy Constant warfare and construction n Deep debt n Unfair tax system n
Central Monarchs Clash n 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 n Ends the Thirty Years’ War • • • n 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 n Economic Contrasts with the West • Serfdom still strong in eastern Europe n Weak Empires • Ottoman Empire • Holy Roman Empire n The rise of Austria and Prussia • Due to the end of the Holy Roman Empire
States Form in Eastern Europe (cont) n Austria Grows Stronger • Gains Hungary and Bohemia • Wiped out Protestantism n Maria Theresa Inherits the Throne • Fought constantly with Prussia • Limited the labor that nobles could force peasants to do
Prussia Challenges Austria n The Rise of Prussia • Became a rigidly controlled, highly militarized society • Controlled by the King and the Junker class – landowning nobles n 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) n War of Austrian Succession • War between Prussia and Austria (1740) • Fought for control of Silesia (iron, textiles) • France helped Prussia, England Austria • Prussia wins in 1748, becoming a major European power
The Seven Years’ War n n n 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 n Russia Contrasts with Europe • Economically n Still heavily reliant on serfdom • Socially n Mongols kept Russia isolated from Renaissance and Age of Exploration • Geographically Ports froze during winter n Size of Russia was a problem n • Religious differences Europe: Catholic or Protestant n Russia: Orthodox n
The Absolute Rulers of Russia n The First Czar • Ivan IV (“The Terrible”) became czar (caesar) in 1533 n Took control over the nobles n • Rule by Terror Police force organized to track down and murder “traitors” to Ivan n Killed many nobles (boyars) and gave the land to new, more loyal nobles n
Ivan IV
The Absolute Rulers of Russia (cont) n 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 n Romanov Dynasty 1613 -1917
Peter the Great Comes to Power 1689 -1725 Peter visits the West • Wanted to learn about European customs and manufacturing techniques
Peter the Great
Peter Rules Absolutely n Peter’s Reforms • • • n 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 n Establishing St. Petersburg • Wanted to establish a seaport Make it easier to get to Europe n Warm water port – would not freeze in winter n • Built on a swamp • 25 -100 K people died to build the city • Became a very important port city
St. Petersburg The Cathedral of the Spilled Blood
Parliament Limits the English Monarchy n Monarchs Defy Parliament • King James’s Problems Offended Puritan members of Parliament n Fought over money n • King Charles I Fights Parliament Wanted money, Parliament refused each time – he dissolved Parliament n Parliament forced him to sign the Petition of Right – took power from King n • He did, but then just ignored it
King James and Charles I
English Civil War n 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 n Tried, convicted and executed Charles I • Never had a monarch been tried and executed
English Civil War (cont) n Oliver Cromwell’s Rule • General during the war who now led the country • Established a republican government • Had to squash a rebellion in Ireland n 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 n Charles II Reigns • Restored the Monarchy of England • Reformed the legal system n 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 n Bill of Rights • William and Mary established a constitutional monarchy • Limits on royal power increased • Establishment of the English Bill of Rights n 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 n Ruler cannot: • Suspend Parliament’s laws • Levy taxes without permission • Interfere with freedom of speech • Penalize a citizen who criticizes the King
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