The Age of Absolutism

1. The Age of Absolutism 1550-1800

2. Spanish Power Grows Explain the growth of the Spanish empire during the 1500s

3. Rise of Spain • Charles I, son of Ferdinand and Isabella, becomes king of Spain • Charles also became heir to Hapsburg empire • Large empire that contained Holy Roman Empire and the Netherlands • Takes name Charles V • Butted heads with Muslim Ottoman empire in Turkey

5. Rise of Spain (cont.) • Empire to big for Charles V to handle by himself • Splits empire; gives half to his brother, gives half to his son Philip II

6. Rise of Spain (cont.) • Philip II expanded Spain’s influence and ruled as an absolute monarch • Complete authority over government and lives of people • With help of silver from Americas, made Spain foremost power in Europe

7. Rise of Spain (cont.) • Philip believed he ruled with divine right • Belief that his power to rule came directly from God • To expand his empire, Philip saw fit to attack England • Sent over a large armada, or fleet of boats, to England

8. Fall of Spain • English ships faster and outmaneuver Spanish • Marked the beginning of a Spanish decline

9. Arts in Spain • Despite economic troubles, arts flourished in Spain due to Philip II being a supporter • Famed painter El Greco • Miguel de Cervantes wrote Don Quixote

10. Don Quixote • Pg. 509

11. French and English Absolutism

12. Religious Strife • During the 1560s to 1590s, there were religious conflicts going on • Catholics vs. French Protestants, called Huguenots • St. Bartholomew’s Day: Catholic holiday. Huguenots and Catholics gathered for royal wedding. Catholic royals plotted and massacred 3,000 Huguenots: St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre

13. Peace in a Shattered Land • Huguenot prince inherited the French throne: Henry IV • Met with a lot of Catholic opposition; eventually converted to end it • To protect Protestants, he issued the Edict of Nantes which granted religious freedom to Huguenots

14. Peace in a Shattered Land (cont.) • Henry IV set out to repair France • “A chicken in every pot”: a good Sunday dinner for every peasant • Built up royal power • Even though he helped, he expanded the government’s control on everything, setting the stage for later absolute monarchs

15. Cardinal Richelieu • Henry IV assassinated; his nine-year-old son Louis XIII took over • Louis appointed Cardinal Richelieu as his chief advisor • Richelieu spent the next 18 years building up the royal government’s power

16. Louis XIV • Five-year-old Louis XIV eventually took control of France • Disorder and chaos followed soonafter • The Fronde, where peasants, nobles, urban poor, and merchants rebelled against the royal power

17. Louis XIV (cont.) • Louis also firmly believed he had divine right • Used the image of the sun to represent himself; called “The Sun King” • Letat, c’estmoi: “I am the state”

18. Louis XIV (cont.) • Continued to expand the power of the state • Appointed intendants, who were royal officials that collected taxes, recruited soldiers, and carried out his policies • Also built up the French army

19. Louis XIV (cont.) • Louis’ financier, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, bolstered France’s economy • France was made into one of the wealthiest countries in Europe • Louis was also a large patron of the arts

20. Versailles • Louis XIV turned a royal hunting lodge into a giant palace of beauty; this was known as Versailles • Extravagant paintings, glass, and millions of flowers and trees perfectly aligned • Symbol of the Sun King’s wealth

22. Versailles (cont.) • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tS94tgd_Pk

23. Levee • Louis XIV conducted ceremonies that empahsized his importance • One of these was levee (“rising”) • Literally, everyone made a grand ceremony of Louis rising out of bed

24. Levee (cont.) • Two reasons: • To show how amazing he was • Many nobles took part in these ceremonies, and the nobles were usually rivals competing for power and land. With all of them with Louis XIV, they weren’t at home fighting for power or building armies

25. Persecuting Huguenots • Louis saw Huguenots as threat to political unity • Revoked Edict of Nantes; many Huguenots fled • Joke’s on Louis: most of the Huguenots were hardworking subjects that gave a lot to the French economy. Economy starts to decline.

26. Tudors and Parliament • What is Parliament? • England ruled by the Tudors at the time • Again, believed in divine right • Unlike the other Absolutes, the Tudors want to work with Parliament • Despite consulting with them, the Tudors somewhat “controlled” them

27. The Stewarts • After Elizabeth I died, her relative James Stuart took the throne • James I started clashing with Parliament over his “divine right” and absolute power; dissolved Parliament • James also clashed with dissenters, who were Protestants that didn’t follow the Church of England • One group, the Puritans, sought to “purify” the Catholic Church; wanted more democratic church

28. Charles I • After James, Charles I inherited the throne • Charles also behaved like an absolute monarch • Charles called Parliament back to raise taxes • Parliament made him sign Petition of Right: prohibited king from raising taxes or jailing anybody without Parliament’s consent • Charles signed, and then dissolved Parliament again

29. The Long Parliament • Charles calls Parliament back once again to get more funds for wars • This time, Parliament launches it’s own revolt, where they tried and executed many of Charles’ chief ministers • Known as “The Long Parliament”

30. The Long Parliament • Parliament declared it could not be dissolved without it’s own consent • Charles fought back: led troops into Parliament to arrest it’s most radical leaders • Escaped through a back door and raised their own army. Now it is time for a Civil War

31. The English Civil War • Two groups: Cavaliers and Roundheads • Cavaliers were supporters of Charles I • Plumed hats and long hair • Roundheads were the forces of Parliament; everyday people • Hair was cut close around their heads

32. The English Civil War (cont.) • Leader of the Roundheads was Oliver Cromwell • Cromwell was a Puritan member and skilled general • Roundheads win the war, and Charles is executed

33. The Commonwealth • After execution of Charles I, Parliament declared England a republic, known as “the Commonwealth” • Cromwell chosen as leader • New government faced many new threats • Supporters of Charles II, the uncrowned heir, attacked England via Ireland and Scotland

34. The Commonwealth (cont.) • Levellers started fighting for rights for EVERYONE • Crushed; never got their say • Since Cromwell was Puritan, there were various Puritan changes to English society • No theaters • No dancing • No gambling • No pubs • No “fun”

35. End of the Commonwealth • People starting to get really fed up with Puritan and military rule • After Cromwell dies, the Commonwealth dissolves • Parliament invites Charles II to return to England

36. Return of Monarchs • Charles II returns to England and becomes ruler • Avoids mistakes his father, Charles I, made • Encourages tolerance of other faiths • Still believed in divine right and absolutism • Charles II’s brother, James II, takes throne from him

37. Return of Monarchs (cont.) • James II not too popular • Very open about Catholic beliefs and practices • Parliament thought James II would restore Roman Catholic Church • Parliament members asked James’ daughter, Mary, and son-in-law, William, to become rulers, James fled to France • This was known as the Glorious Revolution

38. English Bill of Rights • Before William and Mary were crowned, they had to accept the English Bill of Rights • This asserted that Parliament had superiority over the monarchy • Restated rights given to English citizens

39. Limited Monarchy • Government now in place was a limited monarchy • This means that a monarch’s power is limited by a legislative body, and rulers had to follow Parliament’s law • Very radical at the time

40. Constitutional Government • Rise of constitutional government • Government whose power is defined and limited by law • Cabinet established to help George I (who didn’t speak English) • Handful of Parliamentary advisors to set policy for the king • Leader of cabinet became known as “prime minister”

41. Oligarchy • Despite all these new leaps, Britain still not really democratic • Britain was an oligarchy: a government where the ruling power belong to just a few • Many peasants and people “just getting by” in England • Growing middle class however, which later fuels Industrial Revolution

42. Absolutism in Russia

43. Peter the Great • Peter the Great was a Russian tsar/czar who used his power to put Russia on a path to modernization • Spent hours learning about the Western ideas and cultures

44. Peter the Great (cont.) • Wanted to westernize Russia • In order to do this, he had to establish autocratic authority over Russia • He ruled with unlimited power

45. Peter the Great (cont.) • Improved Russian alphabet and set up various academies • Improved canals and waterways • No mercy for those who opposed his ideas

46. Peter the Great (cont.) • Peter built up the Russian army and navy to make the greatest standing army in Europe • Wanted desperately to trade with West, but there was a problem with his seaports. Any ideas? • Ports kept freezing; searched for a warm-water port that was free of ice all year round

47. Warm-Water Port • Nearest port that would fit this description was in Black Sea • Area under control of the Ottoman Empire • Tried to push through empire, but failed

48. St. Petersburg • Russia fought Sweden numerous times • Finally prevailed and gained land; Peter builds St. Petersburg and models it after Western cities • The “Versailles of Russia”

50. Catherine the Great • Peter had no direct successor • Power struggle for years • Finally, a new monarch appears: Catherine the Great