ABSOLUTISMLouis XIV & Peter the Great

OCT. 13, 2015 Warm Up Review Vocab. Notes/Discussion over Absolutism Videos Absolutism and English Civil War test

Oct. 21/22 Project due Thursday/Friday

STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO: Identify the characteristics of Absolutism Analyze the cause and effects of

absolutism Identify Louis XIV and Peter the Great

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WHAT IS ABSOLUTISM? During this time in Europe, rulers

wanted to be absolute monarchs Absolute monarchs believe that ALL

power within their state’s boundaries rests in THEIR hands

They justified this power through the divine right, or the idea that God created the monarchy and the monarch is God’s representative on Earth

Absolute monarchs only answer to God, not subjects

HOW DID WE GET HERE? During the Middle Ages, the nobility

had gained power but now these factors led to an increase in the monarch’s power:Decline of feudalismRise of citiesGrowth of national kingdom (centralized

authority)Growing middle class supported monarchs

because it stabilized businessBreakdown of Church authority

CRISIS LEADS TO ABSOLUTISM 1600s were a period of turmoil: religious

wars & territorial conflicts

Increase in taxes to fund armies

Civil Unrest

Monarchs increase power to stabilize kingdom: religion, social events, increased court size, new bureaucracies

LOUIS XIV“L’etat, c’est moi”“The State; It is I”

or “I am the State”

KINGS LEADING UP TO LOUIS Henry IV – Edict of Nantes – Religious

Toleration devoted reign to stabilizing France

Louis XIII (Henry’s son) – very weak, but appointed Cardinal Richelieu as ministerCardinal became virtual rulerMoved against the Huguenots, weakened

nobles, got involved in Thirty Years’ War to help weaken the Hapsburgs

LOUIS XIV OR ANOTHER CARDINAL TAKES THE THRONE Became King at 5 – Cardinal Mazarin

ruled until he was old enough and helped end the Thirty Years War

Mazarin was not well liked because he increased taxes and centralized power

Eventually people rebelled against him, but it was unsuccessful

Cardinal Mazarin dies in 1661

LOUIS XIV TAKES CONTROL At 23, Louis takes throne Weakened nobles by excluding them

from councils Created government agents called

intendants who collected taxes and administered justice

Appointed a financial minister – Jean Baptiste Colbert- helped business in France

1685 cancelled the Edict of Nantes many Huguenots fleeing France

LOUIS IN LUXURY Spent a lot of $ to surround himself in

luxury Every meal was a feast Had many servants to keep the palace

running Controlled nobility through pointless

rituals and forcing them to live at court

VERSAILLES Palace 11 miles southwest of Paris Palace stretched for 500 yards Was like a royal city Louis was a huge patron of the arts

Palace of Versailles video

LOUIS XIV & WAR 1660 – 20 million people in France (4x

England, 10x Dutch) Army had 400,000 during wartime 1672 Louis invades Spanish

Netherlands- ended by 1678 with France gaining a few towns

Tried to start a few other wars, but alliances had formed to stop France

WAR OF SPANISH SUCCESSION Charles II of Spain died promising his

kingdom to Louis XIV’s grandson Philip of Anjou

1701: England, Austria, Dutch republic, Portugal, and several German and Italian states united against France and Spain

War went until 1713 – Treaty of Utrecht: Philip was allowed to continue to rule Spain as long as the two never united

LOUIS XIV DEATH & LEGACY Died in bed in 1715 France was powerful Also left a lot of debt Resentment for abuse of power – will

affect his descendants

PETER THE GREATBringing Russia to the West

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WHERE DID WE LEAVE OFF? Ivan III (claimed Russia was 3rd Rome)

Increased Russian territoryCentralized power

Ivan IV “The Terrible”Struggled with boyars (nobles)- blamed

them for killing his wife1st Tsar to call himself oneOrganized own police forceExecuted the boyarsHis son was incapable of ruling

PETER I “THE GREAT” Romanovs restored power to Russia

Created a law codePut down rebellions

Peter I shared throne with half brother, but eventually gained sole power

RUSSIA AT THIS TIME… Land of Boyars (nobles) and serfs Unfamiliar with western Europe Religiously different from Europe since

they adopted Eastern Orthodox

PETER VISITS THE WEST 1697 “Grand Embassy” Tour of Europe Brought 200 servants and 55 boyars Kept identity secret Goal: To learn as much about European

culture as possible

RULING ABSOLUTELY New Goal: WESTERNIZATION Many disagreed with policy Brought Church under his control-

abolished office of the patriarch Reduced power of the boyars Put low ranking families in power by

granting them land – owed EVERYTHING to him

Hired European officers Soldiers were now committed for life Imposed heavy taxes to pay for

everything

WESTERNIZING Introduced potatoes – a staple of the

Russian diet Beards must be cut or pay a tax Started and edited Russia’s first

newspaper Invited women to social gatherings to

raise their status in society Ordered the nobles wear western

fashions

NEW CAPITAL: ST. PETERSBURG Wanted a seaport with easy access to

the West Chose a place on the Baltic Sea

“Window to the Sea” Forced serfs to build the city

25,000-100,000 died because of bad working conditions

IMPACT OF PETER THE GREAT Reformed culture and government in

Russia forever Now a power to be reckoned with in

Europe

Peter the Great Video