The Age of Absolutism

Challenges in 17th Century

17th Century an age of many conflicts and crises

Many causes: religious and state-centered warfare social unrest and widespread peasant revolts.

Challenge to European governments: How to maintain order and give the nation sufficient

power to compete internationally?

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Absolutism

Most common response of European governments: seek more power to deal with the problems strengthen the king.

European rulers tried to attain absolute power and build absolutist states. Monarchs regulated religious sects Abolished many liberties long held by certain areas, groups or

provinces. Created new state bureaucracies. Tried to eliminate control by nobles and traditional representative

bodies, such as parliaments. Absolutism meant that monarchs were claiming

absolute power; Divine Right of Kings.

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Road to Louis XIV

Louis XIV’s consolidation of absolute power was a process that started with grandfather, Henry IV-(ruled 1593-1610)

Issued Edict of Nantes- granted religious liberties to Catholics and Protestants.

Protestant king who became Catholic -“Paris is worth a mass.”

Ended religious wars in France.4

Cardinal Richelieu (1585-1642 ) Until Louis XIII comes of age his

mother led the government. In 1624 she appoints Armand

Jean du Plessis (Cardinal Richelieu) to the council of ministers.

As first minister, Richelieu strengthened the power of the monarch.

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Richelieu’s Policies Oppressive policy toward Huguenots Moved to reduce the power of the French

nobility. Large network of spies. Installed royal commissioners in each district. Richelieu wanted to destroy the fence of

Hapsburg territories that surrounded France. Thus, in the thirty Years War Richelieu

supported the Hapsburg’s enemies even though they were largely Protestant.

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The Practice of Absolutism: France Under Louis XIV

The Reign of Louis XIV (1643-1715) most complete fulfillment of the idea of absolute monarchy in 17th Century Europe.

French policies and wars dominated Europe

Monarchs elsewhere used Louis as a model.

Louis proclaimed himself the “Sun King” Refused to call Estates General He built magnificent palaces and courts as

symbols of his power and magnificence-Ex.:Versailles.

Reigned for 72 years (55 in his own right)

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Versailles

Versailles served three functions Home Seat of machinery of

government Palace/court. Meant that all noble

society was under his roof.

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Louis Consolidates Power

1685 Louis revokes the Edict of Nantes. Forbids Huguenots to leave France, but 200,000

flee to other places in Europe and to America. This is why we have Huguenot Road and

Huguenot Bridge in the Richmond area. They came here.

Closes schools, destroys churches.

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France at War

Louis was almost constantly at war. Waged four wars between 1667-1713.

France most powerful country in Europe. This led other countries to gang up against France to keep France from dominating Europe.

France had a standing army of 100,000 that expanded to 400,000 in times of war.

Compare to U.S. Army today.10

War of Spanish Succession

Most significant of these wars was the War of Spanish Succession (1701-1713) Cause—Charles II of Spain died

in 1700 and left in his will control of the Spanish empire and Spanish crown to Phillip of Anjou, Louis XIV grandson.

Other European powers found this intolerable. Why?

England, Prussia, Dutch, Austria join in the Grand Alliance against France.

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Treaty of Utrecht Louis is forced to sue for peace.

Treaty of Utrecht. France gives up Nova Scotia,

Newfoundland and area around Hudson bay to English.

Louis agrees that Spanish and French crown will never be united.

Austria gets Spanish Netherlands Spain gives England control of slave

trade from Africa. Completes the decline of Spain as a

major power in Europe. Expands the British Empire. Marks the end of French

Expansionist policy.

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Prussia Located in Modern northeastern Germany and

Northwestern Poland At the end of 30 Years War in 1648 Germany was

fragmented with virtually no central government. Each principality was for all intents and purposes

independent. Prussia emerged around Berlin, Germany. Led by Frederick William, created a large, well-trained

army. He levied heavy taxes to support it and created an

efficient bureaucracy to supervise collection of taxes and administration of army.

By 1678 his 40,000-strong army was the 4th largest in Europe.

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Expansion of Prussia

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Frederick the Great 1701 Frederick the Great took

power, was elevated to king status as King Frederick I; kingdom was named Prussia.

In the 18th century it becomes a major European power.

Prussia was a harsh state; peasants heavily taxed and very poor.

Society was rigid, highly militaristic and highly disciplined.

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Development of Russia

The Russian state that emerged starting in the 15th Century had a much different history and tradition than the rest of Europe. Why? Did not have a Roman Catholic tradition Had to deal much more directly with the Mongols Much less touched by the Renaissance Did not experience the turmoil of the Reformation.

Russia not part of the European community before the 18th Century and considered a backwater by those in Europe who were even aware of it.

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Origins of Russian Expansion Ivan III (Ivan the Great: 1440-1505)

increased the size of Muscovy and gained the Novgorod region, giving Muscovy access to the Baltic Sea. 1480 he stops acknowledging the

Mongol Khan as a supreme ruler. Ivan III begins a process of stripping

nobles (Boyars) of their power by requiring that Nobles serve the king in order to keep their land.

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Ivan the Terrible Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible; 1533-

1584) continued this process. Defeated the remnants of Mongol

power and declared himself Tsar Added vast new territories to

Russia in the east All nobles had to serve the tsar

and thus were under his control. Oppressed peasants, tying them

to the land as serfs, perpetually bound to the nobles.

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Rise of the Romanovs

After Ivan’s death in 1598 was a period of chaos.

Nobles were able to regain some power. 1613 Russian assembly of nobles realized

that the chaos was putting them all at risk from Cossacks

Appoint Michael Romanov as Tsar, and the Romanov family rules Russia until 1917 when the Communists take over.

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Peter the Great (1672-1725) Peter the Great takes the throne in 1682

and transforms Russia, determined to westernize it. Why? He wanted to import modern military

methods and technology and modern governmental administration in order to make his country more powerful.

He wanted to adopt mercantilist economic policies in order to strengthen the tax base to support his military,

This required modernizing manufacturing and production.

Attempting to catch up with the power and strength of Europe.

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Window on the West In war with Sweden, Peter captures modern Estonia and

Latvia from the Swedes, Gave Russia a port on the Baltic making it the dominant

power in the Baltic. “window on the west” Also eases travel between Russia and the rest of

Europe. Builds St. Petersburg in NW Russia as a symbolic

window on the West, which remains the Russian capital until 1917.

Peter gained state control of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1721 by abolishing the position of patriarch and placing administration of the church under state control

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Effect of Peter’s Policies

As a result of Peter’s Policies: Western ideas and technology flowed into Russia and

Russians were exposed to Western culture. New class of Russian educated nobility emerged. Split between the nobility and the average citizen

widened and deepened. Russia became a major power, moved much closer to

Europe and was much more a factor in European affairs.

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England and the Emergence Of Constitutional Monarchy

England is the most prominent example of resistance to Absolute Monarchy and the development of Constitutional Monarchy

When Elizabeth I died in 1603 the Crown fell to her cousin James, who becomes King James I of England.

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King James

King James was a strong believer in divine right monarchy

His absolutist notions ran counter to English ideas of due process and no taxation without consent of Parliament.

James I ruled during the early English settlement of America (Jamestown).

Known also for sponsoring a printing of the Bible in English- King James Version.

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Charles I (1600-1649) Charles I becomes king after James dies in

1625. Also believed in divine right monarchy and

just as conservative on religious issues. Charles I was forced by Parliament to

accept the Petition of Right passed by Parliament in 1628

The Petition of Right stated that the King could not: impose cruel and unusual punishments

on prisoners impose military rule during peacetime require homeowners to shelter troops

without consent obtain taxes, gifts, or loans without the

consent of Parliament. 26

English Civil War Charles tried to impose Anglican prayer book

and Anglican organization on the Calvinist Scots.

Scots revolted. Charles needed to put down the revolt, but also

needed the consent of Parliament to raise the taxes to support an army.

So he calls Parliament into session in 1640. Long Parliament. Refused to disband unless

Charles makes concessions. Parliament passed a number of acts to limit

King’s power.

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English Civil War

When Parliament refused to give Charles his army, he made peace with Scots, then moved to arrest Members of Parliament for treason.

Parliament rose in opposition, raising a militia from its supporters

English Civil War. 1642-49. Cavaliers v. Roundheads

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Interregnum

1649 Charles and his Cavaliers are defeated by Puritan forces led by Oliver Cromwell

Beginning of period known as the Interregnum. Charles is beheaded,

monarchy is abolished, House of Lords is abolished and England is proclaimed to be a republic ruled by Parliament.

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Cromwell and the Republic

Cromwell soon finds Parliament inconvenient, dispersed it, and created a military dictatorship

He instituted puritan social policies in England censored the press, closed the theaters and

outlawed sports. Dancing and drinking were considered socially unacceptable.

When Cromwell dies in 1658, a majority in England are ready to end the Puritan experiment

Charles II, son of the slain Charles I, is invited in 1660 to take the throne and return England to monarchy.

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Restoration The restoration of Charles II did

not immediately solve problems that had caused the revolution. Still had to work out state attitude

toward religion and role of Monarch.

Declaration of Indulgence- suspended laws against non-Anglican worship.

Worried Parliament responds in 1673 with the Test Act- Anyone seeking public office must take Anglican sacraments.

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James II 1685 Charles II dies without an

heir and the crown passes to brother, James II, He is Catholic. Parliament is

strongly Protestant. James II passes Declaration

of Indulgence Suspended all laws excluding

Catholics and Puritans from office.

Parliament does nothing. Why does James’ second

marriage and birth of a son change things?

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Glorious Revolution James II Protestant

Daughter Mary is married to William of Orange (Dutch).

1688 Group of prominent English noblemen invited them to invade England and take the throne. James flees and England

has another revolution with almost no bloodshed.

“Glorious Revolution”

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Bill of Rights

1689 Parliament offered the throne to William and Mary as joint Monarchs on the condition that they accept the Bill of Rights.

Terms of Bill of Rights affirmed Parliament’s right to make laws and levy

taxes standing armies could be raised only with the consent

of parliament citizens have right to petition government, keep arms,

have a jury trial and not be subject to excessive bail.

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