Absolutism

What is Absolutism?

• Absolutism is a form of monarchical power that is unchallenged by any other authority.

• A monarch can be a king, queen, emperor, czar, etc.• Characteristics of Absolutism:• 1. Divine Right – the belief that God gave a monarch the

authority to rule.(In previous periods, kings and other rulers were often given control/power by a pope).

• 2. Control of foreign policy, domestic policy, armies, finances (spending/taxing etc.).

Spain

• In 1468, the Christian Kingdoms of Aragon and Castile unite when King Ferdinand marries Queen Isabella

• Country emerges as the world’s first super power because of its trade and wealth from colonial possessions (gold and silver from the Americas)

• During the 1500s, Spain was the world’s leading power but became “second-rate” by 1715.

• Rather than develop an economy they essentially stole their wealth from the America’s…when that ran out…….

Extending Spanish Powerc4 s 1 p. 110

A. Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand 2. Absolute monarchs, believed in divine right 3. Roman Catholic4. Strengthened The power of the

Inquisition. 5. Financed Columbus’s expedition.

King Philip II• King of Spain from 1554 to 1598• Son of Charles V of the Holy Roman

Empire.• He believed in divine right• King Philip II had spent large amounts

of money on the country’s military.• He was intent on seeing Catholicism

spread around the world (was even married to Mary Tudor for a few years).

• Religious enemies: • 1. Ottoman Empire (a Muslim empire) • 2. Protestants in the Netherlands (who

were supported by England)• 3. England (Queen Elizabeth’s country

was protestant and he couldn’t stand it!!!)

King Philip II versus Queen Elizabeth I• King Philip II decided to go to war against

England, whose ruler was Queen Elizabeth I • England supported the Protestant religion

(especially in the Netherlands), • The king sent the armada (Spanish fleet) to

crush England• The attack failed.

The Armada• 1588. The Armada sailed from Spain with

130 ships and 20,000 men. • A storm combined with the smaller faster

English ships severely hampered the Spanish fleets ability to fight.

• This defeat prevented Philip from ever invading England.

• This would start Spain’s slow decline from Superpower status. And begin England's ascent.

Economic Decline

• By 1600’s Spanish power and prosperity slowly declined due to lack of strong leadership.

• Economic problems and wars drained the treasury.• Neglect of farming methods as well as inflation due

to gold & silver. • By late 1600’s France replaced Spain.

France: Background

• was part of the Roman Empire• The region was invaded by a Germanic

tribe called the Franks during the early Middle Ages

• Notable for the Hundred Years’ War (1337 – 1453)

• Control of the region was contested between two royal families:

• The House of Valois• The House of Plantagenet• Fighting also erupted between French

Catholics and French Protestants (called Huguenots) in the second half of the 1500s

• Eventually, the country was taken over by a royal family called the Bourbons

France under Louis XIVc.4 s.2 p. 114

“ Balance of power “• What do we mean when we say this term?Section Objectives.• How did France rebuild after it’s wars of

religion?• How did Louis XIV strengthen the throne?

France: Louis XIV• Rebuilding France:

1560’s – 1590’s religious civil war being fought between Huguenots (French protestants) & the Catholic majority.

St. Bartholomew’s day massacre. Huguenots & Catholic’s gathered at a wedding and violence erupted…led to the massacre of 3,000 Huguenots. This led to a complete breakdown of French society.

HENRY IV (good king Henry)• 1589, A Huguenot Prince became King.• He became Catholic in order to preserve the peace.• Issued Edict of Nantes- allowed for protestants to

peacefully worship.• His goal “A CHICKEN IN EVERY POT”. ----what did he mean? -----*He rebuilt French government and infrastructure.

Limited the power of Nobles. (brings more power to the throne)

King Louis XIV (reign 1643 – 1715)

• House of Bourbon Called the “sun king”• Longest reign of any European monarch• Characteristics which make him an absolute

monarch…• 1. believed in divine right (like his great

grandfather was Philip II)• 2. never met with the Estates General

(representatives of France’s three social classes)• 3. hired government officials (intendants)• 4. raised a professional army• 5. Increased trade to raise money for the crown• 6. Encouraged French culture• 7. Built the Palace of Versailles• 8. waged many wars• 9. persecuted French Huguenots (protestants)

England’s Tudor Family

King Henry VII

King Henry VIII

King Edward VI

Queen Mary I

Queen Elizabeth I

House of Stuart

King James I (Reign: 1603-1625)

King Charles II(Reign: 1660-1685)

King Charles I (Reign: 1625-1649)

King James II(Reign: 1685-1688)

English Civil War (1642 – 1649)

Parliament

• Supporters were called Roundheads

• Included many Puritans• Oliver Cromwell and

Thomas Fairfax were key leaders of the New Model Army

King Charles I

• Cavaliers – supporters of Charles I

• Charles was arrested in 1647

The war began because of the disagreements between Charles I and parliament over how to rule the country.

The Commonwealth

• Charles I is executed in 1649

• England did not have a monarch between 1649 and 1660

• Oliver Cromwell controls England during most of this time

Restoration of the Monarchy

• Oliver Cromwell died in 1658• In 1660, parliament, which is no longer under

the control of the Puritans, ask Charles I’s son, Charles II, to return to England as their king

• Charles II works well with Parliament during his entire reign.

• Charles dies in 1685• In 1685, Charles II’s brother, James II, becomes

King

The Glorious Revolution• King James II attempts to restore Catholicism to

England.• Parliament reacts and forces James II to abdicate

the thrown.• William and Mary, of the Netherlands, are invited

by parliament to become the monarchs of England• Mary is the daughter of James II, but is protestant• William and Mary agree! -

this is called the Glorious Revolution

The English Bill of Rights

• Before William and Mary became the ruling monarchs, they agree to sign the English Bill of Rights

• With respect to the monarch…• A monarch could not collect taxes without

parliament’s approval• A monarch could not interfere with debates in

parliament• A monarch had to follow laws created by parliament• A monarch could not be Catholic

The English Bill of Rights

• Guaranteed citizens the right to trial by jury• Citizens were no longer subjected to excessive

fines or cruel or unjust punishments• Habeas corpus – no person could be put into

prison without first being charged a crime

The English Bill of Rights

• Guaranteed citizens the right to trial by jury• Citizens were no longer subjected to excessive

fines or cruel or unjust punishments• Habeas corpus – no person could be put into

prison without first being charged a crime

Austria

The Thirty Years’ War (1618 – 1648)

• Background: Peace of Augsburg (1555) – was a treaty signed among the German Kingdoms which allowed each kingdom to decide if they would be Catholic or Lutheran

• Religious unrest erupted again in the early 1600s

• This factor, in part, contributed to the Thirty Years War (which was primarily fought in present-day Germany)

• Another factor was a rivalry between two royal families:

• The Hapsburgs and the Bourbons

• Ferdinand II, king of Bohemia, caught a case of “absolutism” and attempted to seek more power in the lands he ruled

• Ferdinand was a Catholic and tried to suppress the Protestant movement in Europe

• In addition, he attempted to usurp noble powers.

The Thirty Years’ War (1618 – 1648)

The Thirty Years’ War (1618 – 1648)

• Many countries became involved in the war for both religious and political purposes

• One of the most deadliest conflicts in European history

• By 1648, a several treaties were signed called the Peace of Westphalia

• Results:• France gains land• Hapsburgs lost territory (mostly in

present-day Germany)• Present-day Germany was divided

into 360 separate kingdoms• The Netherlands won independence

from Spain

The Hapsburgs• Royal European family• Many family members were Holy

Roman Emperors (controlled modern-day Germany)

• Catholic family• Ruled Spain• Rule Austria• After the Thirty Years’ War, the

family gained a region called Bohemia

• They also got Hungary and parts of Poland and Italy

Maria Theresa• Daughter of emperor Charles VI

• Strong Austrian Ruler.

• Mother of Marie Antoinette.• (wanted Alliance w/ France).

Prussia• Became a strong protestant country

after the Thirty Years’ War• Controlled by the family

Hohenzollern

RUSSIA

Peter the GreatCatherine the Great

Russia: Background• Largest country in the world• East Slav people became Russians,

Ukranian, and Belarusian• People adopted the Orthodox Christian

religion from Byzantine Empire in 988 a.d.• Region was invaded by Vikings, mongols,

huns, and others• The system of feudalism emerges during

the middle ages and lasts till the 20th century

• Ivan IV becomes the first czar in 1547

Peter the Great• Ruled Russia from 1682 – 1725• Westernization – idea of taking ideas,

culture, and other aspects from western Europe

• Goals:– Build up the military– Expand the size of the country– Centralize his power

• Autocratic ruler – a person with unlimited power

• Examples of this:• Controlled Russian church• Forced nobles to serve in government• Forced serfs (peasants) to work certain jobs

Catherine the Great

• Ruled from 1762 – 1796• Using page 132, explain

how she became a Czarina of Russia?

• What did she accomplish, which Peter the Great could not?

Topic Two

• Absolutism: meaning and characteristics• Spain: background and Philip II• France: background and Louis XIV• England: Tudors, Stuarts, Cromwell, and

Parliament• Austria• Prussia• Russia: Peter the Great and Catherine the Great

Europe in the 16th and 17th Century

• Basically there were two forms of governments:• 1: Absolute Monarchy (Spain, France, Russia,

Austria and Prussia)• 2: Constitutional State (England and Holland)