Download - Enlightened Despotism: Absolutism with a Smile. What was “Enlightened Despotism”? Definition: Absolutist states influenced by the ideals of the Enlightenment.

Enlightened Despotism:

Absolutism with a Smile

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What was “Enlightened Despotism”?

Definition: Absolutist states influenced by the ideals of the Enlightenment Equality of all under law Support for “natural” rights

religious toleration freedom of speech, press right to private property limits on torture/capital punishment

Patronage of Arts & Education

Europe in the 18th Century Exceptions:

France Britain Poland

Enlightened Despotism: Austria Prussia Russia

France: Louis XV, 1715-1774 Problems left by

Louis XIV Lazy, weak Easily influenced Seven Years’ War Enormous Debt





Madame de Pompadour

Louis XV

Great Britain: King & Parliament

Parliament Powerful Aristocracy

Peers (H of Lords) Landed Gentry (H of Commons)

Unequal Representation New cities lack MPs “Pocket Boroughs”

King Hanover Dynasty Relied Heavily on

Prime Ministers (Walpole, Pitt)



George I



George II



George III

Important Prime Ministers



William Pitt, the Elder(1757-61)

•Favored empire•Won Seven Years War



Robert Walpole(1721-42)

•Handled Parliament•Dispensed Patronage

•Peaceful Foreign Policy•Low Taxes



William Pitt, the Younger(1783-1806)

•Maintains Patronage system•French Rev & Nap.

•Deals with George III’s insanity

Partition of Poland Rivalry between Austria/Prussia/Russia

First Partition (1772) Second Partition (1793) Third Partition (1795)

Prussia (West Prussia)

Russia (E. Poland)

Austria (Galicia)



Austria: Maria Teresa War of Austrian Succession

Pragmatic Sanction Prussia gains Silesia

Centralizes tax collection 10 royal districts Modernizes military Very Catholic, not open to

social reforms



Maria Teresa, 1740-1780

Austria: Joseph II “Philosophy = lawmaker of my empire” 6,000 decrees/11,000 laws

Abolished serfdom Free trade No death penalty Equality of all in law Complete religious toleration Restrictions on Catholic Church

Patronizes arts, music (Mozart)

Alienates upper classes, Church, ethnic minorities



Joseph II, 1780-90

Prussia: Frederick II (“The Great”)

Highly educated Friend of Voltaire “King = First Servant of State”

Limits on torture Some freedom of speech/press Complete religious toleration

BUT only goes so far Maintains serfdom Strengthens Junker class Militaristic



Frederick II, 1740-86

Catherine the Great Well-educated Patron of Arts & Literature Friend of Voltaire, Diderot Instruction (1767)

Questioned serfdom Questioned torture/capital

punishment Advocated equality in law

All talk. . . No action!



Catherine II, 1762-96

Catherine the Great (cont.) Strengthened “boyars”

50 districts controlled by nobles Charter of the Nobility (1785) Pugachev’s Rebellion (1774) repression of peasantry

Expands territory West (Poland) South (Crimea, Black Sea)



Emelian Pugachev

Red = Russia (c. 1650) Green = acquisitions of Peter the Great Purple = acquisitions of Catherine the Great



Miscellaneous Nations Sweden: Gustavus III (1771-92)

reasserted power of monarchy enlightened reforms

Spain--Bourbon administrative reforms Portugal

Marquis de Pombal (1699-1782) Limited power of nobles and Church

Netherlands--domination of politics by oligarchs and House of Orange

Final Evaluation How enlightened were enlightened despots? Which went the furthest? What were they most concerned with? What limits on reform existed in these states?