Absolute Monarchs in Europe

What is absolutism?

Period of time when Europe’s monarchs got stronger• Monarchs ruled with absolute power

Divine Right Theory• Idea that God had chosen the monarch to rule

Everyone believes the theory during this period

If you question the king, you question God

Europe During the Age of Absolutism

Strengths of Absolute Monarchies

Efficiency• Decisions are made by one person

Nationalism• Promoted a common culture and

identity Stability

• The ruler stays in power until death Wealth

• No resistance means a large and powerful empire

Weaknesses of Absolute Monarchies

Undemocratic• No collaboration of ideas

Individual rights• Often violated

Stability• If the ruler was poor, it could affect the

country for decades

How to achieve more power?

Monarchs gained power generally in one of two ways:• Raising taxes

Increased their overall wealth and treasuries• Waging war

Victory often led to riches

Absolute Monarchy-Spain Phillip II (reign: 1554-

1598)• Fought to protect and

expand Catholicism• Took control of Portugal

when its king died without an heir

• Created an army of about 50K soldiers

Spain’s Golden Age

1600-1700s• El Greco

Expressed the deep Catholic faith in Spain• Diego Velazquez

Reflected pride in the Spanish monarchy• Miguel de Cervantes

Wrote Don Quixote

El Greco

Velazquez

Don Quixote

The Fall of the Spanish Empire

Inflation and Taxes• Spain suffered from a severe economic

decline• Wars cost Spain too much money

Had to declared bankruptcy

Absolute Monarchy in France Religious Wars and Power Struggles

• Henry of Navarre-converted to Catholicism

Survived the 1572 St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre (of Huguenots)

• Edict of Nantes (1598) Henry’s declaration of religious toleration Allowed Catholics and Huguenots to live in

peace• Louis XIII and Richelieu

After Henry died, his son took over Louis XIII

Henry of Navarre

Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu

Louis XIII was a weak King• Had an extremely powerful minister for

support-Cardinal Richelieu 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 Louis XIV, the Boy King (1643)

• Was not the true leader until 1661• Cardinal Marazin ran the country

Louis Weakens the Noble’s Authority• Excluded the Nobles from his council

Economic Growth• Minister of Finance-Jean Baptiste Colbert

Gave tax benefits to companies Believer in mercantilism and self-sufficiency

The Sun King’s Grand Style

King Louis spent much money on his personal life (servants, food, etc.)• Especially the Palace at Versailles

Louis Controls the Nobility• Forced Nobles to be at the palace

Making them dependant on the King Forced them from their homes

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 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)

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

Louis died in 1715• Positive Legacy

France much more powerful At the top of art, literature Military leader of Europe

• Negative Legacy Constant warfare and construction Deep debt Unfair tax system

Central Monarchs Clash

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

Ends the Thirty Years’ War• 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 Economic Contrasts with the West

• Serfdom still strong in eastern Europe Weak Empires

• Ottoman Empire • Holy Roman Empire

The rise of Austria and Prussia• Due to the end of the Holy Roman

Empire

States Form in Eastern Europe (cont)

Austria Grows Stronger• Gains Hungary and

Bohemia• Wiped out

Protestantism Maria Theresa

Inherits the Throne• Fought constantly

with Prussia• Limited the labor that

nobles could force peasants to do

Prussia Challenges Austria

The Rise of Prussia• Became a rigidly controlled, highly

militarized society• Controlled by the King and the Junker

class – landowning nobles 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) War of Austrian Succession

• War between Prussia and Austria (1740)• Fought for control of Silesia (iron,

textiles)• France helped Prussia, England and

Austria• Prussia wins in 1748, becoming a major

European power

The Seven Years’ War

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 Russia Contrasts with Europe

• Economically Still heavily reliant on serfdom

• Socially Mongols kept Russia isolated from

Renaissance and Age of Exploration• Geographically

Ports froze during winter Size of Russia was a problem

• Religious differences Europe: Catholic or Protestant Russia: Orthodox

The Absolute Rulers of Russia

The First Czar• Ivan IV (“The Terrible”)

became czar (caesar) in 1533 Took control over the nobles

• Rule by Terror Police force organized to track down and

murder “traitors” to Ivan Killed many nobles (boyars) and gave the

land to new, more loyal nobles

Ivan IV

The Absolute Rulers of Russia (cont)

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 Romanov Dynasty 1613-1917

Peter the Great Comes to Power1689-1725

Peter visits the West• Wanted to learn about European

customs and manufacturing techniques

Peter the Great

Peter Rules Absolutely

Peter’s Reforms• 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

Establishing St. Petersburg• Wanted to establish a seaport

Make it easier to get to Europe Warm water port – would not freeze in

winter• Built on a swamp• 25-100K people died to build the city• Became a very important port city

St. PetersburgThe Cathedral of the Spilled Blood

Parliament Limits the English Monarchy Monarchs Defy Parliament

• King James’s Problems Offended Puritan members of Parliament Fought over money

• King Charles I Fights Parliament Wanted money, Parliament refused each

time – he dissolved Parliament Parliament forced him to sign the Petition of

Right – took power from King• He did, but then just ignored it

King James and Charles I

English Civil War

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

Tried, convicted and executed Charles I• Never had a monarch been tried and executed

English Civil War (cont)

Oliver Cromwell’s Rule• General during the war who now led the

country• Established a republican government• Had to squash a rebellion in Ireland

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 Charles II Reigns

• Restored the Monarchy of England• Reformed the legal system

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

Bill of Rights• William and Mary established a constitutional

monarchy• Limits on royal power increased• Establishment of the English Bill of Rights

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

Ruler cannot:• Suspend

Parliament’s laws• Levy taxes

without permission

• Interfere with freedom of speech

• Penalize a citizen who criticizes the King

END