throwback in what ways do you think the protestant reformation and exploration strengthened the...
TRANSCRIPT
Throwback
• In what ways do you think the Protestant Reformation and Exploration strengthened the kings of Europe?
Sources of power
• Monarchs were able to get so much power because the Protestant Reformation weakened the Church and colonization brought money
Absolutism in Europe• The Theory of Absolutism
– Absolute Monarchs• Kings or Queens that had absolute
power within their borders. Their goal was to control every aspect of society
– Divine Right• The idea that God created the
monarchy and that the monarch acted as God’s representative on earth.
Absolute monarchy persisted in France until 1789 and in Russia until 1917.Today only Swaziland and the Vatican are absolute monarchies
Absolute Monarchy
• Structure– Monarch rules as executive without the check
of legislative or judiciary
• Acquisition, Use, and Justification of Power– Monarch gains power through family and
sometimes “God.”
• Citizen Participation– Citizens listen to and respect monarch
Absolute Monarchy• Benefits
– Clear decision-maker– Stability with clear leader
the future
• Disadvantages– Lack of citizen participation– Lack of citizen choice and rights– Infrequent/erratic changes in leaders
• Example Countries– France and Spain PRE-ENLIGHTENMENT
Saudi Arabia today
One theme = CONTROL!!!1. Control the government
-Centralize & create bureaucracies
-Reduce power of representative bodies
2. Control the nobility-Increase size of court; regulate social gatherings
-Reduce nobles’ power in the government
3. Control economics-Great works
-Economic policies centralized
4. Control power-Divine right & regulate religion
Decline of feudalism
Rise of cities
Growth of national kingdoms
Growth of middle class
Wealth of colonies
Breakdown of Church authority
Economic and religious crises
Revolts
Regulated worship, social gatherings, and economy
Increased size of court
Created new government bureaucracies
Reduced power of nobles and representative bodies
Absolute Monarch
Rise of Absolutism
Growing power of Europe’s monarch
• When Europe emerged from the middle ages the monarchs power grew– The decline in feudalism and the rise of cities, a
growing middle class.
• Decline in the churches power also allowed the monarchs to gain more power
Crises Lead to Absolutism
• Religious and territorial conflicts between states led to almost continuous warfare.
• Governments were forced to create large Armies and levy even heavier taxes– These changes led to peasant revolts
• To stop revolts the monarchs imposed order by increasing their own power.
A Powerful Spanish Empire
• Philip II’s Empire– Philip II
• Inherited Spain, the Spanish Netherlands, and the American Colonies from Charles V
• He was a very hard worker but very suspicious of other people so he worked alone
• He was aggressive for the sake of his empire– Took over the Portuguese Empire (Portugal, parts of Africa,
India, and the East Indies.– The mines in America allowed Philip to keep a standing army
of 50,000 soldiers
Louis XIV
Louis XIV Comes to Power
Louis XIVThe most powerful ruler in French history
Louis, the Boy KingCardinal Mazarin
Ended the 30 years warHe increased taxes and strengthened the central
government, which led to noble rebellions and they failed for 3 reasons
Its leaders distrusted one another even more than they distrusted Mazarin
The government used violent repressionPeasants and townspeople grew weary of disorder and fighting
Louis XIV Comes to Power
• Louis Weakens the Noble’s Authority– Cardinal Mazarin died and 22 year old Louis
took over• He weakened the power of the nobles by excluding
them from his councils
• He increased the power of the government agents called Intendants
– Collected taxes and administered justice
Louis XIV Comes to Power
• Economic Growth– Jean Baptiste Colbert
• Believed in the idea of Mercantilism– Wanted France to become self-sufficient and produce all products
they need.
• To expand manufacturing in France they gave government funds and tax benefits to French Companies
– Also placed high tariffs on imported goods
– Colbert died:• Louis announced a policy slowed France’s economic progress
– Canceled the Edict of Nantes
The Sun King’s Grand Style
Louis spent a fortune to surround himself with luxury.Each meal was a feast
Louis Controls the NobilityOutside Louis canopy bed stood 100 of the most privileged
nobles at courtWaiting to help the great king dressOnly 4 would be allowed to assist him
Outside in the hallway lesser nobles waited in the palace halls and hoped Louis would notice them
Having nobles at the palace increased royal authority in 2 ways;It made the nobility totally dependent on LouisTook them from their homes, thereby giving more power to the
intendants
Versailles
Tour Versailles
“Among the rights that the laws give the sovereign should be included [the right] to display all the signs of grandeur and majesty necessary to make manifest the authority and dignity of such wide-ranging and lofty power, and to impress veneration for it upon the minds of all subjects. For although they should see in it the power of God Who has established it and should revere it apart from any visible signs of grandeur, nevertheless since God accompanies His own power with visible splendor on earth and in the heavens as in a throne and a palace...
He permits that the power He shares with sovereigns be proportionately enhanced by them in ways suitable for arousing respect in the people. This can only be done by the splendor that radiates from the magnificence of their palaces and the other visible signs of grandeur that surround them, and whose use He Himself has given to the princes who have ruled according to His spirit.” – Jean Domat, Jurist
Louis’ Private Chapel
Nave
Hall of Battles
King’s Chamber (one of them)
Furniture
Louis as Apollo
Louis as Sun King
Other Absolute Monarchs in Europe 1500-1800
• Phillip II of Spain
• Maria Theresa of Austria
• Frederick the Great of Prussia
• Peter the Great of Russia
• Catherine the Great of Russia