Paths to constitutionalism and absolutism

1. Paths to constitutionalism and absolutism Chapter 13 EQ: What did England And France do that was similar/different in becoming world powers in the 17th century?

2. It’s ALL About England and France People! • The 17th century saw England and France rise as competitive powers…both took remarkable different political directions but did share some similarities in other areas • England develops a limited parliamentary monarchy with increased religious tolerance (not without conflict) • France develops into an absolute monarchy dominated by the Catholic church…the Edict of Nantes was abolished • Both nations served as models…parliamentary government would find adherents in certain European states in future centuries while absolute monarchy would become popular in others

3. James I of England • James I (Stuart) acceded to the throne of England in 1603, but not without problems • England had a heavy royal debt…James tried to raise revenues much to parliament’s dismay • Puritans – distrusted the crown, sought purification of the Church of England, eventually sought “refuge” in America • Personal scandals (he was accused of being gay!) • Peace with Spain…a sign that James was being pro-Catholic • Towards the end of his reign, James was reluctant to support Protestant causes (30 Years War) and people grew suspicious when he tried to arrange his son’s marriage to a Spanish princess (political motivation)…he did end up making war with Spain before his death in 1625

4. Charles I of England • James’ son Charles would have a tougher go fighting with Parliament and the Puritan faction…his first misstep was to issue new taxes and tariffs w/o permission to pay for the war against Spain (several issues similar to what colonists in the US would later be upset about) • Tensions eventually forced Charles to dissolve Parliament in 1629 as he decided to go at it alone as an absolute monarch…he then acquiesced to peace with his Catholic cousins in France and Spain and supported the Arminian faction in the Church of England (they that rejected Puritan reforms and desired continued use of Catholic church practices)…these actions aroused fears that Charles was returning England to full Catholicism • Charles’ actions however, led to war with Scotland in 1640 and he was forced to recall Parliament to raise funds for war…the Catch-22 was that Parliament of course was already angry at Charles but did not want open rebellion and all out civil war • The Long Parliament of 1640, however, did not prevent that civil war…the Puritan faction was furious of Charles’ religious policies…the House of Commons was furious over how the courts were treating citizens and how taxes were being illegally levied and collected…however, Parliament continued to be divided over the religion issue • And now, added to the rebellion in Scotland was a rebellion in Ireland…funds were request by Charles once again…the leadership of Parliament (John Pym) reminded the body that Charles could no longer be trusted and that Parliament should take over rule of England

5. The English Civil War • In 1641, Parliament presented its HUGE list of grievances to Charles, in 1642, Charles INVADED PARLIAMENT! Unfortunately, no one was home, the members had fled…both sides raised armies and prepared for a war, lasting from 1642-1646 • The war was fought over 2 issues • Would absolute monarchy or a parliamentary government rule England? • Would English religion be controlled by the king or would it be a decentralized church system of governance? • Both sides (cavaliers and roundheads) were supported by commoners and the nobility…the distinguishing supporting factors was religion…Catholics favored Charles, Puritans favored Parliament

6. Oliver Cromwell and the English “Republic” • Two factors led to a decisive victory by the Parliamentary forces • Scotland and its rebels aligned with the Parliamentary forces • Oliver Cromwell reorganized and led the Parliamentary army • Cromwell led the armies to stunning victories over Charles loyalist forces…Charles tried to escape to France but was captured, put on trial by the “Rump Parliament” and executed in 1649…this Parliament then abolished the monarchy, the House of Lords and the Anglican Church • Cromwell was granted the title “Lord Protector” and ruled England like a dictator from 1649 until his death in 1658 • Cromwell had his short comings…he was a military leader not a politician…all he knew how to do was fight (he conquered and the quelled the rest of the British Isles)…when Parliament asked to disband his army, Cromwell disbanded Parliament (like Charles)…England largely was ruled in a state of anarchy • By the time of his death and the subsequent rule of his son (“ Tumbeldown or Queen Dick”), the people were tired of the failures and chaos and called for the return of the Stuart monarchy to power

7. CHARLES II and the Restoration • Charles was brought back (Charles in Charge!) in 1660 and returned England to the way it was in 1642…his only problem was he was sympathetic to the Catholics • Parliament during the first part of his reign issued the Clarendon Code which excluded all non-Anglican Church members from religious and political activity in England and virtually banned the practice of their own religion. • England also became embroiled in a commerce “war” with the Dutch as naval battles ensued between British and Dutch trading ships…another issue of displeasure for some English was that Charles accepted help and finances from Catholic France as they fought the Dutch • Charles further angered hits critics with the Declaration of Indulgence in 1672 suspending laws against Catholics and other non-conformists…Parliament responded by passing the Test Act which required officials and royals to an oath against the doctrine of transubstantiation…during the last years of Charles reign (1681-1685) he did not call Parliament and actually forced election of royal friendly Parliament members

8. James II and the Glorious Revolution • Charles’ brother James took over for a brief 3 year rule in 1685…he was EXTREMELY Catholic, demanded the repeal of the Test Act and when Parliament refused, he disbanded them…he also appointed only Catholics to important government positions, imprisoned Anglican church leaders and challenged civil liberty and freedom for all citizens • The straw that broke the camel’s back came when James’ wife gave birth to a Catholic male heir…the hope was he wouldn’t have one so that the line could pass to Mary, his Protestant daughter who was married to William of Orange (Dutch) • Parliament’s solution was simple, “invite” William of Orange to invade England! This threat led James to flee in late 1688…within months, the English throne was declared vacant and William and Mary of Orange were installed through the bloodless “Glorious Revolution” • The result was William and Mary giving concessions to limit their own power and give Parliament more power…Catholics were also now forbidden to be on the throne of England any longer • The close of England’s problem came through the Act of Resettlement in 1701 in which the lineage passed from the Stuart line to the Hanoverian line after the death of Queen Anne (1714)

9. Henry and Sully • France set out in almost a completely opposite path than England – to absolutism and religious persecution • Henry IV set his sights on the nobility and regional governors to prevent the continued practices of selling political offices…Henry also focused attention on economic matters through his finance minister the Duke of Sully (Max de Bethune)…he instituted 2 strong taxes…the gabelle on salt and the corvee on labor (income) • Sully was not merely a financier. He showed considerable technical acumen in his schemes for improving France's roads, fortifications, artillery, and navy…another important act was to create canal systems that connected all of France’s major rivers (Seine, Loire and Rhone) which flowed to three different seas

10. Louis XIII and Richelieu • Henry IV was assassinated in 1610…his son, Louis was too young to rule, so a regency was set in place under Marie de Medici and her advisor Cardinal Richelieu (Armand Jean Plesiss) • Richelieu, a shrewd, Machiavellian politique, was determined to make France into Europe’s primary power…he was anti-Hapsburg, anti-Huguenot (Siege La Rochelle) yet supported Protestant rulers in the 30 Years War if only to stymie the Hapsburgs • Richelieu was also on the forefront of bankrolling France’s explorations of and territorial claims in the New World (Vive le Quebec) • On the domestic front, Richelieu centralized the state, taking away as much power from regional governors and executing defiant leaders…he even toyed with repealing the Edict of Nantes, however he did not wish to spoil foreign Protestant ties

11. Louis xiv, the sun king • When Louis XIII died, his son Louis XIV was only 5 (he was a late birth)…a regency also maintained French power under the rule of his mother (Anne of Austria) and yet another cardinal, Mazarin • Unfortunately, long building resentments led to a series of widespread rebellions in France between 1649 and 1652 known as The Fronde…local states and nobles tried to regain their autonomy from the central crown…they had brief success chasing Mazarin and the crown out of town, but could not maintain orderly control…the crown returned to power and stayed as people realized a strong king was better than a bunch of divided nobles • Louis XIV learned A LOT from The Fronde…one, he learned that propaganda was important…two, he made sure that the same nobles who rebelled would at least gain some measure of wealth from royal exploits…Louis even consulted with nobles before making moves AND he brought all the nobles to court at his opulent Palace of Versailles to keep them distracted

12. Louis xiv, Policies and Accomplishments • One of the most central features of Louis XIV rule was his declaration of divine right…”L’etat, c’est moi”…this idea was drawn from his interpretations of Old Testament rulers (like David and Solomon) who received messages from God and only could be judged by God, not man (or their subjects) • Another important policy was that nobles were barred from holding high offices in Louis’ government…he preferred promoted prominent townspeople, businessmen or religious folk as advisors or bureaucrats • Louis’ crowning achievement was the construction of the Palace of Versailles (which essentially became a prison for the nobility to keep them from meddling in his reign)…court life was designed to be articulate and ordained…their were dress codes, particular daily activities to participate in such as hunting or game play, evening activities such as dinners and galas/masquerades…even when the king went to bed and woke up was a ritual that all court members participated in

13. Louis xiv, Policies and Accomplishments • Louis believed that political unity required religious conformity, from both Catholics and Protestants, which meant that all unequal treaties and treatments had to be repealed • His first target was the Jansenists, a sect of the Catholic church in France that had been opposed to the Jesuit concept of “free will” among the people…they taught the Augustinian belief that human beings are so corrupted by original sin that only divine grace could save them (that which a church or even king could provide) • Louis revoked the Edict of Nantes in 1685, expelling Protestants and actually causing yet another religious war (more in a minute) • In the areas of economy, to help support his expansionist ambitions, Louis promoted the theory of mercantilism (close government control over the import/export economy thru taxation), and appointed his most shrew minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert to the task…Colbert raised not only taxes and tariffs on trade goods but also increased the taille tax on peasant labor • These economic policies allowed France during Louis’ reign to at least be the dominant global player/trader of the age

14. Louis xiv, the war king • Louis fought many wars! • His first wars were fought with Spain over the Belgium and with the Netherlands in an attempt to exert influence • The war with Belgium (Spain) was the War of Devolution, Louis exerted a claim over Belgian territory through his wife Marie Therese, who got passed over for inheritance of the territory when the king of Spain died…Louis only managed small territorial gains from this conflict • In 1670, Louis made an alliance with Charles II of England against the rising Dutch power…he ran into William of Orange (later of England) who saw Louis as a “Christian Turk”, attempting to forcibly convert people to his faith…the war was essentially a stalemate and Netherlands maintained its commercial power…Louis also only managed very small territorial gains as a result of this conflict

15. Louis xiv, the war king • When Louis revoked the Edict of Nantes in 1685 he found himself at war with Protestants from Germany in what became known as the Nine Years War…this war was another territorial battle that also only resulted in one small gain for Louis (Alsace)…the real winner ended up being William of Orange who solidified Dutch boundaries and ended Louis’ ambitions for conquering German states • The War of Spanish Succession was really Louis only victory, albeit a small one…both Louis and Hapsburg Austrian emperor Leopold had claims to Spain when its King Charles II died in 1700 • Louis main concern was to keep the Hapsburgs from dominating Europe, so he wanted to make sure Spain and its territories became French (Bourbon)…the war became “global” when England and Holland moved to block Louis from gaining control over Spain and Spanish territory worldwide • This time, Louis’ armies were ill prepared for war, as previous conflicts drained the treasury and England’s war machine was technologically more advanced…the resulting treaties saw Spanish power globally vanish and France slowly began to slide into decline… • Louis XIV died in 1715, warning his great grandson not to fight wars!