The Age of Absolutism

Absolutism• During the Age of Absolutism, monarchs had

absolute power– kings and queens make every decision

• Monarchs goal was to centralize their power• Monarch believed in the divine rights of kings

– idea that power was bestowed from God– everyone must obey God’s pick– similar idea to the Mandate of Heaven of China

Thomas Hobbes was a British philosopher.He wrote in the 1600s that a powerful

monarch was the best way to unify a nation.

Absolutism isa political systemwhere a monarch

has absolutepower over his

or hersubjects.

Historians call this period of absolute monarchs the Age of Kings.

In the Age of Kings,many monarchs hadabsolute power over

their subjects. Peopleoften believed thata monarch’s powercame from God.

The belief that a monarch’s powercame from God was known as

Divine Right Theory.

The king wasGod’s deputyon Earth. The

king’s commandsexpressed

God’s wishes.

Monarchs also gained power due tothe belief in Divine Right.

The king couldnot be

questioned.

Monarchy in France• King Louis XIV

– known as the “Sun King”– believed everything revolved around him – known for saying “I am the State!”

• Persecuted the Huguenots– Huguenots: French Protestants

• Repealed/took back the Edict of Nantes– Edict of Nantes: allowed Protestant worship

• Fought numerous wars and fell into debt• Spent a lot of money on the Palace of Versailles

– more debt

Louis XIV wasa divine ruler

in France.He

was an absolute

ruler.

Louis XIV of France provided a modelfor other absolute monarchs. Under

his rule, the king’s command waslaw. As the monarch said, “L’etat

C’est moi” or “I am the state.”

Louis XIV was called the “Sun King”because of his absolute power.

To control France’snobles, Louis XIV

built a huge palaceat Versailles. Leadingnobles were expectedto spend most of the

year at Versaillesunder the watchful

eye of the king.

Louis XIV built a palace at Versailles.

Louis XIV also demanded that FrenchProtestants convert to Catholicism or

leave France!

Louis XIV chose the sun as hisemblem. The sun gave life

to all things and regulated everythingas it rose and set. Like the sun,

life in France revolved around the king.

Louis XIV’swars cost

Frenchtaxpayers

a tremendousamount of

money.

Monarchy in Russia • Led by Peter the Great and Catherine the Great• Both modernized and westernized Russia• Brought Russia in the mainstream of civilization• Forced men to shave their beards• Forced people to act more “western” • Established St. Petersburg as Russia’s “Window

to the West”

A tsar or czar was the Russiantitle for a king. Russian tsars had

absolute power.

The tsars or absoluterulers of Russia also

were absolute monarchs.Peter the Great forcibly

westernized and modernized Russia. Catherine the Great

continued to modernize Russia.

Peter the Great was an important Russian tsar. He tried to modernize

and westernize Russia.

Russian nobleswere forced

to cut off their beards!

During Peter the Great’s reign,Russian nobles were forced to dressand look Like Western Europeans.

Can you see why St. Petersburggave Peter the Great a “window

on the West”?

Russia is a country on two continents:Europe and Asia. Under Peter and

Catherine, Russia turned towards Europe.