Aim Was absolutism or a limited monarchy a

Aim: Was absolutism or a limited monarchy a better government? Period 4: 1450 -1750 What was absolutism? European monarchs in the 16 th and 17 th centuries sought to have absolute, or unlimited power. Due to divine right: belief that monarchs receive their power directly from god, and are responsible to god alone. Belief that an absolute monarch would have greater control and efficiency than a monarch with less power. Supported by Thomas Hobbes, who believed people to be naturally selfish.

Absolutism in Spain A) Spain united as a nation-state when Ferdinand of Aragon married Isabella of Castile in 1469. They conquered Granada (in southern Spain) in 1492. In 1492 they began the Spanish Inquisition and funded Columbus’s voyage to find an Atlantic Ocean route to the Indies.

Absolutism in Spain Continued… B) 1556 Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (a Hapsburg) retired and divided up his Empire. His son Philip II inherited Spain, the Netherlands and overseas colonies. King Philip II made Madrid (a city in Castile) the capital of Spain. He built El Escorial that served as a royal palace, monastery and tomb. 1567 he forced the Dutch to convert to Catholicism, leading to a revolt. With help from the British, the Netherlands declared independence from Spain in 1581. Who wants to kiss me? Hapsburg Ruler and Holy Roman Emperor Charles V above and Philip II below

El Escorial, Madrid The death of Habsburg King Carlos II in 1700 led to the War of the Spanish Succession (1701 – 1714), as he left no heir to the throne. “The Habsburg King Carlos II of Spain was sadly degenerated with an enormous misshapen head. His Habsburg jaw stood so much out that his two rows of teeth could not meet; he was unable to chew. His tongue was so large that he was barely able to speak. . . he could barely read or write. . . His body remained that of an invalid child. ” discovermagazine. com

Absolutism in Spain Continued… F) As retaliation for England helping the Dutch, Philip II sent an armada (fleet) of 130 ships and 33, 000 men to England May 1588. 2 months later they entered the English Channel. England had faster and more maneuverable ships with longer range cannons. Spanish ships had to retreat to the stormy north sea. Defeat of the Spanish Armada signaled the downfall of Spain as a global naval power.

Absolutism in Spain Continued… G) War of the Spanish Succession, (1701– 14) arose out of the disputed succession to the throne of Spain following the death of Charles II, the last of the Spanish Habsburgs. England, the Dutch Republic, and France all claimed the Spanish throne. The war ended with the Treaties of Utrecht in 1713 – 1714. ü Louis XIV's grandson Philippe was recognized as King of Spain. However, Philippe and his descendants ceded any future claim to the French throne. ü Spain's European empire was divided up between the Holy Roman Empire and England, greatly expanding the British Empire.

War of the Spanish Succession 1701 - 1714

After the Peace of Utrecht 1714

III Absolutism in France A) Louis XIV, a Bourbon, took the throne at 4 years old! He ruled France 1642 – 1715. He did not have real power until his chief minister, Cardinal Mazarin died in 1661; Louis was 23 years old. Louis XIV believed in the Divine Right of kings; that God chose him to rule the nation. Louis XIV was called “Le Roi Soleil” (“The Sun King”). He built his palace at Versailles near Paris; it was so expensive that it drained the French economy. B) He increased the size of France’s military. 1667 – 1713 Louis XIV went to war with the Holy Roman Empire and Spain over border disputes, as well as his demand for his grandson to become the next king of Spain. (The Wars of the Spanish Succession). The wars ended 1713 with the Treaty of Utrecht. (Louis’ grandson became the king of Spain, but France and Spain could never unite under one government. *This helped keep nation-states sovereign, continuing the precedent set by the Treaty of Westphalia). C) Religion: Louis XIV revoked the Treaty of Nantes, which had granted religious freedom to Protestants. As a result, 200, 000+ Huguenots (French Protestants) fled France.

“I am the state” – Louis XIV (Sun King) Based on his doctor’s advice, Louis XIV allegedly only took 3 baths his entire life. However, he changed his shirts multiple times each day, and had his hands and face washed. Sep 1, 1715, Louis XIV died of gangrene at Versailles.

Versailles

Primary Source: Daily Rituals of the Sun King 7. 30 -8 am "Sire, it is time", the first Valet de Chamber awakens the King. . . Doctors, familiars and a few favorites … followed in succession into the bedchamber of the King who washed, combed and shaved (every other day)…The officers of the Chamber and the Wardrobe then entered… during which the King was dressed and breakfasted… 10 am: As they left the King's apartment, a procession formed in the Hall of Mirrors… 10 pm: The crowd squeezed into the antechamber of the King's apartments to attend the Grand Public Supper… - Duke of Saint Simon

IV Absolutism in Russia A) In the 13 th century, Moscow paid tribute to the Khans of the Golden Horde. (Mongols) The Moscovite princes expanded their territory, and eventually gained independence under Ivan III (Ivan the Great). He tripled the size of Muscovy. B) Ivan IV “The Terrible/Formidable” was the grandson of Ivan the Great. In 1547 he proclaimed himself czar instead of the Grand Duke of Russia. He built St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow. He resisted the Mongols and expanded the size of Russia, but failed to gain access to the Black Sea (and a warm water port). After the death of his wife in 1560, Ivan IV began a 24 year reign of terror. Paranoid, he sent 1000 s of boyars (nobles) to Siberia and confiscated their land, and executed many others. “The czar is in nature like all men, but in authority he is like the highest God. ” – Ivan the Terrible

Absolutism in Russia Continued… Ivan the Terrible was alleged to have tortured small animals as a child. However, there is also evidence that he had been an intelligent and sensitive child who was neglected by the boyars (Russian nobles) after his mother’s death. It was during this period that Ivan beat his pregnant daughter-in-law, causing a miscarriage, killed his son in a subsequent fit of rage, and blinded the architect of St. Basil's Cathedral. It was also during this time that he created the Oprichniki, the first official secret Russian police force [who rode on black horses and dressed all in black]. – biography. com Ivan the Terrible 1530 - 1584 Oprichniki

St. Basil’s Cathedral

St. Basil’s Cathedral Interior

Absolutism in Russia Continued… C) 1682, 10 year old Peter “The Great” became czar. Due to the destruction by the Mongols, Russia was very behind Western Europe. 1697 Peter traveled to Western Europe in disguise to gain ideas to advance Russia. He studied shipbuilding in Amsterdam with the goal of building Russia’s 1 st navy, and modeled St. Petersburg on Amsterdam. He forced boyars to “modernize” by trimming their beards and shortening their sleeves. He built colleges, and established iron and steel mills in the Ural Mountains. He lost wars with the Ottomans to gain access to the Black Sea (for a warm water port), but he won land by the Baltic from Sweden, and sent explorers to Siberia and Alaska.

Absolutism in Russia Continued… St. Petersburg was Russia’s “Window on the West”. It was designed by Western engineers to imitate Amsterdam 100 years later, Russian poet Pushkin wrote: “…Here we at Nature’s own behest. Shall break a window to the West…” Amsterdam St. Petersburg

Absolutism in Russia Continued… D) Catherine the Great was born a German princess, at 15 she wed Czar Peter III. In 1762 her husband was murdered, and Catherine took the throne. Like Peter the Great, Catherine wanted to modernize Russia. ü She promoted the French language and culture ü She increased the size of Russia. She conquered Poland divided it up with Prussia (eastern Germany). She fought the Ottoman Turks for access to the Black Sea. Unlike Peter the Great, she was successful! ü She promoted many ideals of the Renaissance and the Enlightenment (Age of Reason), and sponsored artists. However, she gave greater rights to the boyars (Russian nobles), thereby giving them greater control over their serfs. *She was afraid of losing their support if she didn’t.

Catherine the Great Continued…

Catherine the Great’s Palace

V Absolutism in England A) Elizabeth I was the daughter of King Henry VIII. Ruled 1558 -1603. She increased the power of the British navy. Her navy defeated the Spanish Armada (fleet of ships on an attack mission) in 1588! Gave aid to France & the Netherlands to keep Spain from gaining power. “…I know I have but the body of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart of a king, and of a king of England, too; and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realms: to which, rather than any dishonor should grow by me, I myself will take up arms. . . ” Elizabeth I, 1588 Queen Elizabeth I 1533 - 1603

English Absolutism Continued… B) King Charles I believed in the divine right of kings and did not want to listen to parliament. A major complaint of the Englishmen were forced “loans” to the Crown. Anyone who refused to pay was jailed. When people complained, Charles I implemented martial law. Elizabeth I routinely wore white lead based makeup, which may have contributed to her death. She is called the “Virgin Queen” as she remained unmarried until death, but she feared losing her power. King Charles I 1600 - 1649

VI The Rise of Prussia “Prussians were Slavs who were forcibly Christianized in the 13 th century by the Teutonic Knights (diverted from the Crusades). Germans were brought in to farm the land by around 1350 the majority of the population was German, though the Poles annexed part of West Prussia. Germans conquered Brandenburg and the lords of Brandenburg became Electors of the Holy Roman Empire. There could not be a king of Brandenburg, which was part of the Empire, and there could not be a king of Prussia, because part of it was in Poland. However, Frederick I was permitted to call himself king in Poland, and so created the Prussian kingdom, with its capital at Berlin. Frederick modeled his court on Versailles. http: //www. historytoday. com/richard-cavendish/kingdom-prussia-founded#sthash. Fq. BMZ 8 Dc. dpuf

Prussia Continued… Frederick II “The Great” (1712 – 1786) To the left is the Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin.

Key Vocabulary Absolutism Catherine the Great Charles I Czar/Tsar El Escorial Frederick II “the Great” Frederick William I Glorious Restoration Hapsburgs Holy Roman Empire Isabella & Ferdinand Ivan the Great Ivan the Terrible Louis XIV “Sun King” Oprichniki Peter the Great Philip II of Spain Prussia Queen Elizabeth I Spanish Armada St. Basil’s Cathedral St. Petersburg Wars of the Spanish Succession Treaty of Nantes Treaty of Utrecht Versailles Did You Know? In English royalty, the Groom of the Stool was a servant who assisted the king with bodily functions and washing. The stool in question was a ‘close stool’ – a fixed or portable commode – and help was needed with the putting on and taking off of elaborate and expensive clothing. Most “grooms” were knights and were close advisors to the royals.