Absolute Monarchs in Europe

1. Absolute Monarchs in Europe Chapter Five

2. What is absolutism? • Period of time when Europe’s monarchs got stronger • Monarchs ruled with absolute power • Divine Right Theory • Idea that God had chosen the monarch to rule • Everyone believes the theory during this period • If you question the king, you question God

3. Europe During the Age of Absolutism

4. Strengths of Absolute Monarchies • Efficiency • Decisions are made by one person • Nationalism • Promoted a common culture and identity • Stability • The ruler stays in power until death • Wealth • No resistance means a large and powerful empire

5. Weaknesses of Absolute Monarchies • Undemocratic • No collaboration of ideas • Individual rights • Often violated • Stability • If the ruler was poor, it could affect the country for decades

6. How to achieve more power? • Monarchs gained power generally in one of two ways: • Raising taxes • Increased their overall wealth and treasuries • Waging war • Victory often led to riches

7. Absolute Monarchy-Spain • Phillip II (reign: 1554-1598) • Fought to protect and expand Catholicism • Took control of Portugal when its king died without an heir • Created an army of about 50K soldiers

8. Spain’s Golden Age • 1600-1700s • El Greco • Expressed the deep Catholic faith in Spain • Diego Velazquez • Reflected pride in the Spanish monarchy • Miguel de Cervantes • Wrote Don Quixote

9. El Greco

10. Velazquez

11. Don Quixote

12. The Fall of the Spanish Empire • Inflation and Taxes • Spain suffered from a severe economic decline • Wars cost Spain too much money • Had to declared bankruptcy

13. Absolute Monarchy in France • Religious Wars and Power Struggles • Henry of Navarre-converted to Catholicism • Survived the 1572 St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre (of Huguenots) • Edict of Nantes (1598) • Henry’s declaration of religious toleration • Allowed Catholics and Huguenots to live in peace • Louis XIII and Richelieu • After Henry died, his son took over • Louis XIII Henry of Navarre

14. Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu • Louis XIII was a weak King • Had an extremely powerful minister for support-Cardinal Richelieu • Richelieu took two major steps towards power • Moved against the Huguenots and all Protestants • Weakened the Nobles power and relied on the middle class instead

15. Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu

16. Louis XIV Comes to Power • Louis XIV, the Boy King (1643) • Was not the true leader until 1661 • Cardinal Marazin ran the country • Louis Weakens the Noble’s Authority • Excluded the Nobles from his council • Economic Growth • Minister of Finance-Jean Baptiste Colbert • Gave tax benefits to companies • Believer in mercantilism and self-sufficiency

17. The Sun King’s Grand Style • King Louis spent much money on his personal life (servants, food, etc.) • Especially the Palace at Versailles • Louis Controls the Nobility • Forced Nobles to be at the palace • Making them dependant on the King • Forced them from their homes • Patronage of the Arts • Palace was the center of European arts

18. Louis XIV “The Sun King”

19. The Palace at Versailles

20. The Palace at Versailles Bedroom of Louis XIV

21. Louis Fights Disastrous Wars • Attempts to Expand Boundaries • France had four times the population than England by 1660 • Gained territory in the Netherlands through warfare • A European alliance helped to stop French aggression and expansion • Wars cost France a tremendous amount of money

22. War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714) • Fought over the possible unification of Spain and France under one monarch • France and Spain vs. England, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Netherlands • Ended with the Treaty of Utrecht • Thrones of Spain and France remained separate • England gained a colony and greater access to the Atlantic Slave Trade

23. War of Spanish Succession

24. Death of Louis XIV and Legacy • Louis died in 1715 • Positive Legacy • France much more powerful • At the top of art, literature • Military leader of Europe • Negative Legacy • Constant warfare and construction • Deep debt • Unfair tax system

25. Central Monarchs Clash • The Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) • Fought between Protestants (Hapsburgs) and Catholics in the Holy Roman Empire • Naval warfare expanded its destruction • Helped to shape colonial formation of future nations • First 12 years, Protestants are successful • Next 18 years, Catholics eventually gain the advantage

26. Hapsburg Crest – Dual Headed Eagle Spain Austria

27. The Thirty Years’ War

29. The Peace of Westphalia • Ends the Thirty Years’ War • Hapsburgs of Spain and Austria weakened • France was strengthened • Religious wars in Europe ended • German princes were independent of HRE • Peace negotiation to end war started • Beginning of Modern States • Ended the idea of a Catholic empire

30. States Form in Central Europe • Economic Contrasts with the West • Serfdom still strong in eastern Europe • Weak Empires • Ottoman Empire • Holy Roman Empire • The rise of Austria and Prussia • Due to the end of the Holy Roman Empire

31. Austria Grows Stronger Gains Hungary and Bohemia Wiped out Protestantism Maria Theresa Inherits the Throne Fought constantly with Prussia Limited the labor that nobles could force peasants to do States Form in Eastern Europe (cont)

32. Prussia Challenges Austria • The Rise of Prussia • Became a rigidly controlled, highly militarized society • Controlled by the King and the Junker class – landowning nobles • Frederick the Great • Very practical leader – ruler as father • Atheist- established religious toleration • Very aggressive in foreign affairs

33. Frederick the Great

34. Prussia Challenges Austria (cont) • War of Austrian Succession • War between Prussia and Austria (1740) • Fought for control of Silesia (iron, textiles) • France helped Prussia, England and Austria • Prussia wins in 1748, becoming a major European power

35. The Seven Years’ War • Austria, France, Russia vs. Prussia and Britain • 1756 – Frederick attacked and Austrian ally, beginning the war • War did not change European territory • France lost all colonies in North America and India to Britain

36. Russian History • Russia Contrasts with Europe • Economically • Still heavily reliant on serfdom • Socially • Mongols kept Russia isolated from Renaissance and Age of Exploration • Geographically • Ports froze during winter • Size of Russia was a problem • Religious differences • Europe: Catholic or Protestant • Russia: Orthodox

37. The Absolute Rulers of Russia • The First Czar • Ivan IV (“The Terrible”) • became czar (caesar) in 1533 • Took control over the nobles • Rule by Terror • Police force organized to track down and murder “traitors” to Ivan • Killed many nobles (boyars) and gave the land to new, more loyal nobles

38. Ivan IV

39. The Absolute Rulers of Russia (cont) • Rise of the Romanovs • After Ivan IV’s death (1584), there was a power vacuum • “Time of Troubles” – nobles struggling for power • 1613 Michael Romanov was chosen as the next czar • Romanov Dynasty 1613-1917

40. Peter the Great Comes to Power1689-1725 Peter visits the West • Wanted to learn about European customs and manufacturing techniques

41. Peter the Great

42. Peter Rules Absolutely • Peter’s Reforms • Russian Orthodox Church under state control • Reduced the power of landowners • Hired European military officers • Westernizing Russia • Introduced potatoes • Women’s status increased • Nobles had to give up traditional dress • Advanced education

43. Peter Rules Absolutely • Establishing St. Petersburg • Wanted to establish a seaport • Make it easier to get to Europe • Warm water port – would not freeze in winter • Built on a swamp • 25-100K people died to build the city • Became a very important port city

44. St. Petersburg The Cathedral of the Spilled Blood

45. Parliament Limits the English Monarchy • Monarchs Defy Parliament • King James’s Problems • Offended Puritan members of Parliament • Fought over money • King Charles I Fights Parliament • Wanted money, Parliament refused each time – he dissolved Parliament • Parliament forced him to sign the Petition of Right – took power from King • He did, but then just ignored it

46. King James and Charles I

47. English Civil War • War Topples a King • Parliament tried to limit the powers of King Charles I – starts a war instead • English Civil War (1642-1649) • Royalists (Cavaliers) vs. Roundheads • Puritan Roundheads won • Tried, convicted and executed Charles I • Never had a monarch been tried and executed

48. English Civil War (cont) • Oliver Cromwell’s Rule • General during the war who now led the country • Established a republican government • Had to squash a rebellion in Ireland • Puritan Morality • Sought to reform society • Abolish sinful activities – sports, theater • Religious toleration for all except Catholics • Cromwell ruled until death, gov’t collapsed

49. Oliver Cromwell

50. Restoration and Revolution • Charles II Reigns • Restored the Monarchy of England • Reformed the legal system • James II and the Glorious Revolution • King James offended many b/c of his Catholicism • Parliament worried of a Catholic line of Kings • James’s Protestant daughter Mary and her husband William were asked by Parliament to overthrow James • William invaded, and James fled – Bloodless Revolution known as the Glorious Revolution