The Rise of European Absolutism What is Absolutism

The Rise of European Absolutism

What is Absolutism? • Absolutism: • A form of government in which all power is vested in a single ruler or authority

The Divine Right of Kings • The belief that God granted monarchs with the power to rule • Therefore, the king was answerable ONLY to God

Why Did Absolutism Develop? • Long-Term Causes of Absolutism: • The rise of cities & the support of the middle class • The growth of national kingdoms • Loss of Church authority • Decline of feudalism

Why did Absolutism Develop? • Immediate Causes of Absolutism: • Religious and territorial conflicts created fear and uncertainty • The growth of national armies to deal with conflicts caused rulers to raise taxes to pay troops • Heavy taxes led to additional unrest & peasant revolts

Long-Term Causes Immediate Causes ABSOLUTE RULER Immediate Effects Long-Term Effects

THINK ABOUT IT… • If our classroom were a country and you wanted to be the absolute ruler of it, what steps would you need to take?

Effects of Absolutism • Immediate Effects of Absolutism: • Regulation of religion & society • Rulers create bureaucracies to control their countries’ economies • Loss of power by nobility & legislatures • Larger courts & huge building

Effects of Absolutism • Long-Term Effects of Absolutism: • Western influence on Russia • English political reforms influence U. S. democracy • Revolution in France

After the Age of Exploration, FIVE European countries emerged and began to dominate Europe… ENGLAND FRANCE AUSTRIA PRUSSIA PREDICT: Which of the 5 emerging powers will be the strongest during the Age of Absolutism?

Russian Absolutism

Ivan the Terrible

Oprichniki • Established by Ivan the Terrible • Russian secret police force • Terrorized the Russian

Boyar Policy • Boyars: • Russian nobles • Ivan reduced nobles’ power • Seized their land placed it under his control

Peter the Great

Peter the Great • Forced the Russian nobility to adopt western customs • EXAMPLES: • Clothing & Hair Styles (beards!) • Women & parties • Eating potatoes • Building with stone

Saint Petersburg • Built a new Russian capital • “Window to the West” • Nobles were required to have a house in Saint Petersburg

Territorial Expansion • Expanded & modernized the army • Hired European officers to train soldiers with weapons & tactics • Took territory from Sweden • Gave Russia access to the sea

Noble Taxation • Russian nobles paid NO taxes • Burden fell on the poor in Russia

Economic Reforms • Brought agriculture & craft production under strict government control • Encouraged better trade & manufacturing

Religion • Brought the Russian Orthodox Church under state control • Created the Holy Synod to run the Church under his direction

This is a hairy situation! MEME Peter the Great (hint: he’s the one with the scissors) or the boyar

The German States

The Thirty Years War • Religious conflict in the Holy Roman Empire (Germany) • Protestant States v. Catholic States • The Peace of Westphalia ends the war • Divides the Holy Roman Empire into 30+ kingdoms

The Thirty Years War

Austria • The Hapsburg family of Austria sets up a strong monarchy • Most famous monarch – Maria Theresa (1740)

Prussia • Very militaristic kingdom • Becomes the most powerful of the German states • The heart of

Absolutism in France

What’s Been Going on in France? • Series of religious wars between Catholics & Protestants • Henry IV issued Edict of Nantes – a declaration of religious toleration – granted Huguenots – French Protestants - the right to worship in areas where they were a majority – Ended religious strife in France

Louis XIII & Cardinal Richelieu

Cardinal Richelieu • Appointed as a minister (under Louis XIII – weak king!) & became, in effect, the ruler of France • Took steps to weaken the nobility

Cardinal Richelieu • Established Intendants: Local administrators who represented the monarchy – Came from the middle class – Appointed & removed by the king • How would this weaken the nobility & increase the power of the king?

Louis XIV: The Sun King

Absolute Rule • The most famous ruler in French history • 72 year reign (16431715) • Source of ALL political authority in France

Absolute Rule - Nobles • Nobles were exempt from paying most taxes • Helped the king gain loyalty while reducing the power of the nobles

Absolute Rule - Culture • Made opera & ballet more popular • Chief purpose of art was to glorify the king and support his absolute rule

Absolute Rule - Religion • Louis XIV repealed the Edict of Nantes in 1865 • Ended religious toleration for Protestants • All Frenchmen under the control of the Catholic Church (& the king!)

Absolute Rule Economy • Practiced mercantilism • Encouraged colonization of Canada to increase trade & wealth

Louis’s Grand Style

Versailles • Louis XIV spent a fortune to satisfy his tastes • Built a splendid palace at Versailles & moved court there • Having the nobles at the palace decreased their power & increased royal authority

Versailles • It made the nobility totally dependent on Louis • It took them from their land, giving more power to the king • The elaborate style & rich decoration of Versailles impressed the king’s subjects & gained the admiration & envy of foreign monarchs

Versailles • Louis had a splendid, immense palace built at Versailles • So big that food was cold by the time it went from the kitchens to Louis’s chambers! • Its rich decoration and furnishings showed wealth and power

Controlling the Nobles at Versailles • Nobles hoped to be favorable in the eyes of the king; having the nobility at Versailles increased royal authority by keeping nobles away from their homes and making them dependent on the king • Marks of royal attention determined whether a noble succeeded or failed at Versailles • Louis awoke at 7: 30 am and had 100 nobles there to help him dress • Only 4 nobles were given the honor of holding his slippers or sleeves • Lesser nobles waited outside hoping for acknowledgement from Louis

Customs at the Palace • Louis created elaborate codes of etiquette, dress, and behavior for nobles at Versailles • Over 1. 000 nobles with their 4. 000 servants lived at Versailles; being away from court was a big no-no • Louis also had 5. 000 personal servants and 9. 000 soldiers living at Versailles • Performing duties such as wiping Louis’s sweat off indicated that you were of very high rank in court

Some rules to follow… • You could not knock on the king’s door; you had to use your left pinkie finger to gently scratch on the door and await permission to enter; as a result the pinkie fingernail was often grown longer than the others • There was a specific way that a man must sit down in a chair; sit down too fast and tight pants might split • Women and men were not allowed to cross their legs in public

Louis’s Wars • Under Louis XIV France was the most powerful nation in Europe • Fought wars to expand territory

Louis’s Wars • The War of Spanish Succession (1701 -1713) – Fought over who would acquire the Spanish throne – Long struggle between Britain, Austria, Dutch Republic, Portugal, German States & Italian States v. France & Spain • War drains French treasury,

Conclusion: • How did absolute rulers in both Russia and France bolster their authority and power?

Both Russia and France… • Built strong armies • Expanded territory • Created a strong centralized power • Brought nobility under control (no taxes) • Encouraged building, manufacturing, and trade • Brought church under gov’t control