Chapter 16 Part 1 AbsolutismVConstitutionalism. Absolutism in Western Europe 1589-1715 Absolutism:...
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Transcript of Chapter 16 Part 1 AbsolutismVConstitutionalism. Absolutism in Western Europe 1589-1715 Absolutism:...
Absolutism in Western Europe 1589-1715
Absolutism: the traditional assumption of power (heirs to the throne) and the belief in “divine right of kings”
Louis XIV was the quintessential absolute monarch
Characteristics of Western European
Absolutism The Ruler of a country was
sovereign The Ruler is not subordinate to
national assemblies The nobility is under the control of
the ruler Will be different in Eastern Europe Nobility could still put obstacles in the
way
Characteristics of Absolutism in Western
Europe Bureaucracies in the 17th century
were often composed of career officials who owed their appointments to the king and were loyal to the king Often upper middle class bourgeoisie
(nobility of the robe) Control over the Church Maintained large standing armies
No more reliance on nobles or mercenary troops
Characteristics of Absolutism in Western
Europe Use of secret police to weaken political
opponents Those who did not overtly oppose the
state were usually left alone
In contrast to the totalitarian regimes of the 20th century which required active participation and enthusiastic support
The difference? Financial, technological resources
The Philosophy of Absolutism
Jean Bodin: Believed that only absolutism could provide order and force obedience to the government
His POV: the religious wars in France in the late 16th C.
Was among the first to provide a philosophical basis for absolutism
The Philosophy of Absolutism
Thomas Hobbes wrote The Leviathan
Had little faith in human nature People were naturally nasty and
brutish Without strong government control
and micromanagement chaos would result
Did NOT believe in “Divine Right” But too authoritarian for
constitutionalists
Philosophy of Absolutism
Bishop Jacques Bossuet: BIG advocate of divine right
Since the king was placed on the throne by God, he owed nothing to anyone else.
Was a favorite of Louis XIV
French Absolutism 1589-1648
In the 17th Century:
Population of 17 million = 20% of Europe’s population
Largest country in Europe
Huge #’s helped make France the strongest European nation (bigger armies possible)
17th Century French Society
Divided into 3 estates based on rank and privilege
First Estate: The Clergy = 1% of the population
Second Estate: The Nobility = 3-4 % of pop
Third Estate: Everybody else from the Bourgeoisie to the landless peasants
Taxes
The Clergy and Nobility did not pay taxes
The peasants and urban workers had little money
The Bourgeoisie supported the whole country
Henry IV 1589-1610
Established the Bourbon Dynasty after surviving the War of the Three Henrys
Was a Politique: converted to Catholicism to gain popular support
But issued the Edict of Nantes: religious freedom for Huguenots and gave them the right to live in fortified cities
Henry IV
Laid the foundation for France to become the strongest European power in the 17th Century
Strengthened the social hierarchy by strengthening existing institutions: Parlements, the Treasury, Universities and the Catholic Church
Henry IV
The First French King to take an interest in France colonizing in the New World
Encouraged trans-Atlantic trade
Henry IV
Weakened the Nobility of the Sword They were not allowed to influence
the Royal Council
Many of the Nobility of the Robe (who had purchased their titles) became high government officials and were intensely loyal to the monarch
The Duke of Sully: French Finance Minister
His reforms enhanced the power of the monarchy
Mercantilism: increased the role of the state in the country’s economy to achieve a favorable balance of trade with other countries
Granted monopolies in the production of gunpowder and salt
Sully and Mercantilism Encouraged the silk industry,
tapestry industry Only the government could operate
the mines
Reduced the Royal debt With systematic bookkeeping and
budgets Reformed the tax system (more
equitable) Improved transportation: roads,
bridges, canals Even began to build a canal linking the
Mediterranean to the Atlantic!
Henry IV was assassinated in 1610
By a fanatical monk who was upset with the Edict of Nantes
Henry’s death = a crisis in power Henry’s widow (now Marie de
Medici) ruled as regent until their son came of age
Louis XIII 1610-1643
His regency was a mess Feudal nobles and princes increased
their power Some increased their influence at
court Some convinced Louis XIII to exile
his own mother and assume power for himself
Cardinal Richelieu 1585-1642
Laid the foundation for absolutism in France
Richelieu –in spite of being a cardinal- was also a politique…put the state ahead of religious matters
Richeleau introduced the Intendant System
The Intendant System Was used to weaken the Nobility (Sword) Replaced local officials with intendants
(civil servants) who reported directly to the king
Were generally middle class (of the robe) One Intendant per each of France’s 32
districts Intendants were responsible for policing,
finance and justice in his district Intendants were NEVER placed near
their hometowns Government was more efficient and
centralized
Richelieu also continued with Mercantilism
Built on Sully’s achievements Increased taxes to fund the military But new tax system not as successful
as Sully’s Continued to sell government offices Farmers and peasants were
ruthlessly exploited
Richelieu and the Huguenots
Tweaked the Edict of Nantes with
The Peace of Alais (1629): Huguenots were still able to practice their religion freely BUT
No more fortified cities and Protestant armies
The Thirty Years’ War France supported Gustavus
Adolphus in the 3rd phase of the war
France declared war on the Spanish in 1635 (ended in 1659 with the Treaty of the Pyrenees) and also entered the Thirty Years’ War against the HRE’s Hapsburg army (Westphalia in 1648)
Kept to the same foreign policy of keeping Germany divided
Louis XIV 1643-1715
The Sun King because he was the center of French power just as the sun is the center of the solar system
Personified the idea that the sovereignty of the state resides in the ruler
“L’ e’tat, c’est moi” “I am the state”
Louis XIV
Was a strong believer in Divine Right
Had the longest reign in European History (72 years)
Inherited the throne at age 5 France was the major power in
Europe during his reign…largest pop = largest army
French culture dominated Europe
French became the international language for over two centuries and the language of the well-educated
Was the epicenter of literature and the arts until the 20th century
The Fronde (1640’s)
Cardinal Mazarin controlled France while Louis XIV was a child
Some of the nobles (of the Sword) revolted against Mazarin when Louis was between 5 and 14 years
Mazarin was able to defeat the nobles due to the competition among themselves
Louis never forgot the humiliation and will keep a close watch on the nobility throughout his reign
The Government under Louis XIV
Kept the aristocracy out of the government by recruiting his closest ministers from the middle class
Curtailed the powers of institutions that could pose a danger to the throne (the Parlements were afraid to cross him)
Louis XIV never called the Estates General together
Would arrest officials who were critical of the government
Control of the Peasants
Peasants about 95% of the population
Kept only about 20% of their incomes after tithes to the Church, government taxes, and feudal rents.
The Corvee caused more hardship: forced labor. Required peasants to give one month’s labor a year to the crown (road building, etc)
Idle peasants conscripted into the army
Rebellious peasants were executed or used as galley slaves
Versailles
Was the grandest and most impressive palace in all of Europe
Baroque: reinforced the image of Louis XIV as the most powerful absolute ruler in Europe
Was originally a hunting lodge for Louis XIII
Architecture of the palace: Marquis Louvois
The Gardens: LeVau The royal court = 600 people Cost of maintenance = 60% of all royal
revenue
Versailles
Became a pleasure prison for the French nobility
Louis required nobles to live at Versailles several months a year so he could keep an eye on them
Nobles were entertained: many hunts, tournaments and concerts
Elaborate theatrical productions by Racine (tragedies) and Moliere (comedies)
Religious policies of Louis XIV
Louis XIV considered himself the head of the Galician Church
He WAS very religious but would not allow the Pope to exercise political power when it came to the French Church
The Edict of Fontainebleau
When Colbert died: Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes
200,000 Huguenots fled to the New World, England, the Netherlands
Colbert was the champion of mercantilism…was a finance minister
Also
Louis XIV supported the Jesuits when they wanted to crack down on the Jansenists
Jansenists were Catholics who held some Calvinist ideas