Ch.14 Lecture notes

Crisis & Absolutism in Europe

1550-1715

Guiding Questions for Week

• What role did religion have on the rising power of Europe?• How did increased political &

economic power that resulted from European expansion result in conflict in Europe?

14.1 Europe in Crisis: The Wars of Religon

Wars of Religion

• 1517 Protestant Reformation• Martin Luther• Corruption in the Catholic Church “protested”• Formation of Protestant Churches• Wealth, power & influence lost by Catholics &

Pope• Catholic Kings & Pope fought against

Protestants.

French Wars of Religion

• 1562-1598• Followers of Calvin (one of leaders of

Reformation)• 7% of the population but large % of

nobles. Called Huguenots.• Valois (family name) monarchy strongly

Catholic

French Wars of Religion –cont.

• War of the “3 Henrys”--1587-1589• King Henry III—Catholic king of France• Henry, Duke of Guise—supported by King

Phillip II of Spain. Spain & France didn’t get along

• Henry of Navarre—Huguenot leader, protestant

French Wars of Religion –cont.

• Nobles helped Henry of Navarre to win• Took name Henry IV—first king of Bourbon

Dynasty• Protestant, but converted to Catholicism in

order to run Catholic France

Phillip II & Spain

• Catholic Country• Phillip II—son of Charles V, Holy Roman

Emperor, Habsburg family• Ruled 1556-1598• Militant Catholic—regained control of

Southern France from Muslims & expelled Jews

Phillip II & Spain--cont

• Edict of Nantes—1598• Named Catholicism the “official religion”• Also recognized Huguenots—provided

religious freedom• Henry IV—liked by both Catholics &

Protestants• French Revolution 200 years later—his statue

the only one not torn down

Phillip II & Spain--cont

Spanish & Netherlands

• Netherlands—most valuable possession of Spain

• Fought for independence in 1588• Netherlands led by Protestant King• Phillip sent army to reconquer & recatholicize

Elizabeth of England

• Queen Elizabeth I--3rd child of Henry VIII, reigned 1558-1603

• Protestant• Sister, Queen Mary, had been Catholic• Phillip II—Spain, Catholic, proposed to

Elizabeth—potential political marriage—denied

Elizabeth of England-cont

• 1588 Spanish Armada—Spain planned to invade England to return Catholics to power

• Storm & English navy destroyed Catholic fleet

• Rise of England, decline of Spain

Tudors & Stuarts

• Queen Elizabeth—3rd child of Henry VIII, reigned 1558-1603, died w/o heir, throne to cousin James King of Scotland, she was last of “Tudors”

• Stuarts—King James I—founder of King James Bible in English,

Divine Right of Kings

• Kings receive power from God and responsible only to God. Parliament disliked.

• Taxes only w/ Parliament’s approval—power taken from king

• King Charles, James’ son, imposed rules on church—church followers rebelled (too much like Catholic)

Civil War

• Cavaliers (supporters of monarchy) vs. Roundheads (support parliament)• Oliver Cromwell—puritan, believed

were doing battle for God, purged parliament of all dissenters,

Civil War-continued

• The Rump Parliament is the name of the English Parliament after they purged the Long Parliament in 1648 of those members who supported King Charles I

• "Rump" normally means the hind end of an animal; its use meaning "remnant" was first recorded in the above context. Since 1649, the term "rump parliament" has been used to refer to any parliament left over from the actual legitimate parliament.

• 1649—executed king, “horrified much of Europe.” Why—they had kings

Restoration

• After Cromwell became unpopular, monarchy restored

• Charles II brother James were Catholic• James II king in 1685 but was “old” and

only 2 children were protestant daughters• Had son late in life and Parliament worried

about Catholic succession

Glorious Revolution

• James II’s daughter, Mary & husband William of Orange “invited” to the throne

• All the crown jewels, little power. They accepted

• Called the Glorious Revolution—little or no bloodshed. James II and family fled to France—Catholic protection.

Glorious Revolution-cont

• Bill of Rights—Parliament had right to make laws and taxes, citizens could keep arms and have trial by jury.

• Limited or “Constitutional Monarch”• End to “Divine Rt. Of Kings” b/c Parliament,

not God, had chosen king.

14.3 Absolutism

France w/ Louis XIV

• Absolutism—all power (well most) in hands of king• King at age 4—1643 (French

phase of 30 years war ends 1468)

France w/ Louis XIV--cont

• Cardinal Richelieu– Church official– “advisor to king” but ran government– Crushed Huguenots – Advisor to Louis XIII– Picked successor—Cardinal Mazarin

• Mazarin died 1661/Louis XIV finally takes control of throne at age 23

Louis XIV

• Sun King—hall of mirrors, daily walk from east to west at dawn, in essence “I am as important to the world as the sun)

• Versailles—nobles had to live there, lavish balls & banquets, “Homecoming” dance every night, they spent all of their money, he made them all equal—to each other, not himself

• War—57 of 72 years at war

Louis XIV-cont.

• War expensive/Versailles expensive—France deep in debt when reign ended

• Ruled 1643-1715• Told successor (great-grandson!) “Soon you

will be King of a great kingdom….Try to remain at peace w/ your neighbors. I loved war too much. Don’t follow me in that or overspending…Lighten your people’s burden as soon as possible…”

Central & Eastern Europe

• Prussia—– Frederick William—“Great Elector”—not king– Prussia part of Holy Roman Empire—elected/chose

emperor– 4th largest standing army—small country geographically, – Heavy taxes to pay for– “landed aristocracy”—wealthy people who owned land,

long-term wealth, called Junkers (different meaning than today, obviously)

– Son, Frederick, gets title of “king”

Central & Eastern Europe-cont.

• Austrian empire– Part of Hapsburg family– Present day Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary,

Croatia, – B/c empire—large number of different people

groups/languages/cultures, never really unified– (Hapsburg) Holy Roman Emperor held titles of

archduke of Austria, king of Bohemia, king of Hungary

Russia

• 1500’s became independent from Mongols

• Ivan IV—title of czar (tsar)—Russian for caesar—ultimate ruler

• Russian nobles—boyars—crushed by Ivan—power struggle between Czar & Nobility, like king vs. parliament

Russia-cont.

• Ivan IV—AKA Ivan the Terrible b/c was ruthless• Dynasty ended in 1598• 1598-1613—called Time of Troubles—like

English Civil War in 1640’s—no clear leadership

• Romanov dynasty—1613-1917(communist revolution)

Peter the Great

• Tsar 1689-1725• Claimed “divine right” like England• Travelled West—wanted to “westernize

Russia”• Focused on trade & technology—wanted to

build armed forces, increase wealth• Gave himself the title “The Great”

Army

• Peasants—true throughout Russian history—WWI no guns story• 25 years in service—job for

lifetime—good news/bad news