The Age of Absolutism

1. The Age of Absolutism

2. A. The problem of political disintegration in 16-17th Centuries. • France - Wars of Religion • England - the English Revolution • Holy Roman Empire (Germany and Austria) - 30 Years War. • B. Causes of disintegration • Competition between the aristocracy and the monarchy - this was often the mainspring behind the religious wars. • C. Ways of Uniting States • Two alternatives evolved: • Constitutionalism and Absolutism

3. Absolutism and Constitutionalism. • Constitutionalism • Does not require a written constitution • Requires a set of rules about government which government respects • It also implies a balance in power between the government and its subjects - this was provided in England by power of subjects in Parliament. • Absolutism • Sovereignty - the power and right to rule, resides exclusively with the King • The idea of the Divine Right of Kings became important • Absolute Monarchs were limited in actual power and were not "totalitarian". • Very practical - Developed modern ways of government • State bureaucracies • Committee structures of government • Standing armies

4. Poland - A failed state • Poland - Nobles became too powerful. • Poland was a very large state in Eastern Europe. • The "Noble Republic" - the nobles elected the kings. • Any noble could veto any law in the parliament. • Consequences? • Complete collapse of central government. • The enserfment of the peasant population. • The eventual disappearance of Poland from map of Europe.

5. III. Spain - Absolutism Attempted • The dominant country of the late 16th century, • Based on military power and New World wealth • King Philip II (b. 1527-d.1598, ruled. 1556-1598) • Marks of absolutism in his reign. • Centralizing control • Central source of authority • Attempted state control of the Church • Bureaucratic systems • The building of a new capital city and palace as the center of power [in this case Madrid and the Escorial palace]. • Use of council/committee system of government. • Spain declined after 1600: due to economy and bad government.

6. Decline of the Spanish Empire • Defeat of the Spanish Armada, 1588 • loss of middle class: Moriscos and Marranos ( Moors and Jews a century earlier) • Inflation • Taxation • large number of privileged people who hated work • Religion overshadowed politics • Defeat in 30 Years’ War: politically and economically disastrous • 1640 -Portugal reestablished independence. • Treaty of the Pyranees (1659): marked end of Spain as a Great Power • loss of parts of Spanish Netherlands and territory in northern Spain to France • Population in 1660 had declined to 5.5 million from 7.5 million in 1550 • Charles II (1665-1700): one of worst rulers in Hapsburg history • No heir to throne resulted in War of Spanish SuccessionSpain lost most possessions at Treaty of Utrecht (1713)    

7. IV. France - Absolutism Triumphant • France provided more of model for the rest of Europe. • Importance as a country was based • Wealth, • Geographical centrality, • Size of its population - France had largest population in Europe (17 million): Accounted for 20% of pop • Influential culture.

8. A. French Wars of Religion and Henry IV • Results of the Reformation in France • Catholic and Protestant nobles use religion to challenged central government authority. • Lax and inefficient rulers. • Noble wars virtually destroyed the country • Henry VI (1598-1610), formerly King of Navarre. His famous line was   "Paris is worth a mass" [when he converted to Catholicism so that could inherit the throne of  France]. • Edict of Nantes 1598 quieted country. Allowed toleration to the Huguenots.

9. B. Louis XIII (1610-43) • Government run by Cardinal Richelieu (1585-1642) • Richelieu's Actions: • He broke power of nobility and made it clear there was only one law - the King's. • Estates General meets for last time in 1615. • Began administrative reform and centralized control over regions. • Sent out Intendents. • He fought Habsburg Dynasty • Made France a great power • Fought for Protestants in Thirty Year's War) • Also opposed Huguenots • Defiant of King's power and began the road to oppression • Removed their right to fortified towns. Peace of Alais (1629) • Began dictionary to standardize the French language

10. C. Louis XIV (Ruled 1643-1715) • Cardinal Mazarin (1602-1661) controlled France while Louis XIV a child effective ruler at first - continues policies of Richelieu.

11. The Fronde 1649-52 • Aborted revolution directed against Mazarin • revolt by nobles sick of absolute claims. • Psychological effect on Louis XIV, determined to be powerful

12. Louis XIV (r. 1643-1715) – the “Sun King” • L’état, c’est moi (“the state is myself”)   • Best model of absolutism in Europe • Louis comes to power in 1661. • Government under Louis XIV • It is often seen as one of the first modern governments. • System of councils -real ruling of the country • Intendants - royal officials in provinces gives central control of the entire country. • Establishment of a standing army which Louis used in a series of expensive wars.

13. Influence of Louis XIV's Government and Style • Versailles and Louis' government were admired throughout Europe. • Versailles Palace: became a pleasure prison for the French nobility • Copycat palaces were built all over Europe: Vienna/Schonbrunn, St. Petersburg, Berlin. • French became the language of many courts - e.g. Russia (ref. Tolstoy: War and Peace).

14. Versailles

15. Schönbrunn Palace

16. Nymphenburg

17. Louis XIV and Religion • The Position of the Church as State within a State-Divine Right was important in Louis' ideas. • -It is important to realize the power of the Church in France. It was like a state within in a state -largely independent of Rome-tax free-Church Courts had power over parts of life, for instance marriage and wills.-Louis supported the Church fervently.1685 - Edict of Fountainbleau—revoked Edict of Nantes, Repressed Jansenism (a kind of Calvinism within Catholic Church) 1/4 mill Protestants left - (New Rochelle)

18. Absolutism and Religion • Absolutism did not allow, in France, liberty of conscience. • Affects French Enlightenment thinkers. • Anti-clericalism even from those who support monarchy. • Louis XIV' successors tried to maintain the same system.

19. Absolutist Fiscal Policy • Main problem was that nobles would not pay tax. • France remained under-taxed. • So other solutions were sought. • Jean-Baptiste Colbert (1619-1693) – Finance minister. • Promoted mercantilism especially- “bullionism” • His goals was self-sufficiency for France; • Built roads & canals • Gov’t supported monopolies • Cracked down on guilds

20. Colbert's aim was to have a trade balance in France's favor • Established Mercantilism. • It centralizes economy • Close government control. • Relieves the need for direct taxes. • Expansion abroad - emphasis on exports and getting bullion into the country. • Trade is needed especially by absolutist governments as it enables indirect taxes to be raised - which are necessary without parliaments. • Worldwide Effects of Fiscal Policies • Expansion of Mercantile empires in India, North America and above all the West Indies. This was encouraged by governments. • Development of Slave trade.

21. By 1683, France leading industrial country: • textiles, • mirrors, • lacemaking •   foundries for steel making and firearms • Weaknesses: • Poor peasant conditions (esp. taxation) resulted in large emigration • Louis opted for army instead of navy; France later lost naval wars w/ England •  War in later years nullified Colbert’s gains • Louis at war for 2/3 of his reign

22. Wars of Louis XIV: • Initially successful but eventually ruinous to France • Creation of modern army • William of Orange (later King William III of England) thwarted Louis’ expansionism • War of Devolution (First Dutch War), 1667-68 • Second Dutch War (1672-78) – Invasion of the Dutch RhinelandPeace of Nijmegan (1678-79): France took Franche-Comté from Spain • League of Augsburg (formed in 1686): HRE, Spain, Sweden, Bavaria, Saxony, Dutch Rep.War of the League of Augsburg (1688-97) – ( King William’s War): ended in status quo •  William of Orange (now king of England) brought England in against France.

23. War of Spanish Succession (1701-13) – (Queen Anne’s War) • In the will of Charles II (Hapsburg king): all Spanish territories to grandson of Louis XIV • Grand Alliance: England, Dutch Rep., HRE, Brandenburg, Portugal, Savoy             Battle of Blenheim (1704)Treaty of Utrecht (1713):  Britain was biggest winner: • Gained asiento from Spain- to sell slaves to Spanish colonies • Gained Gibraltar and Minorca. • Partitioned Spanish possessions: • Belgium given to Austria •  Louis’ grandson enthroned as King of Spain • Prevented unification of Bourbon dynasties.Kings recognized in Sardinia (Savoy) and Prussia (Brandenburg) • Costs of Louis XIV’s wars: • Destroyed French economy, • Depopulation, • Weakened Louis XIV.

24. Treaty of Utrecht Map

25. The Theoretical Elaboration of Absolutism • Bishop Bousset (1627-1704) • Politics Drawn from the Very Words of Scripture, 1679. He was tutor to Louis XV • His basic justification was Divine Right: God makes a King absolutely sovereign. • Jean Domat, (1625-1696), in Public Law, 1697 • Attempted to set Absolutism in context of law of nature and law of God. • Thomas Hobbes, in Leviathan, 1651, • Provided a more modern justification based on Nature. • Other justifications were offered by later writers.-Voltaire praised Louis XIV as being an effective ruler.

26. Absolutism in Other States • Some of the Older States Faded • The Holy Roman Empire (the state which nominally included Germany and surrounding areas) faded. • So did Poland and the Ottoman Turkey. • Three new powers come to occupy central Europe in the 18th century.

27. Austria • Absolutism without a nation-state. Maria Theresa 1740- • War of the Austrian Succession (1740–1748) involved almost all the major European powers, • Started with the pretext that Salic “Frankish law” precluded female inheritance. • Maria Theresa inherited her fathers Charles VI, Habsburg dominions in 1740, namely becoming Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, Archduchess of Austria, and Duchess of Parma, Piacenza, and Guastalla.

28. Concluded with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle of 1748. • Maria Theresa survived sacrificing only the territory of Silesia to Prussia. • Sparked the beginning of German Dualism between Prussia and Austria • Start of German Nationalism

29. Prussia • Copied France • Prussia became an important state under Frederick I (1688-1713). • Military emphasis: • The upper class become the officers in the army.-300 other states in Germany remain divided. Frederick the Great of Prussia (1740-1786)continued the trend.

30. Russia • Peter the GreatCatherine II the Great of Russia (b.1729-r.1762-d.1796) German-born Tsarina, who emulated absolutism, but gave over the peasants to the nobility

31. Others • ItalyRemained divided with inefficient old-fashioned governments and some republics. • Large population, • Politically insignificant.

32. X. Conclusion • Absolutism is the political actuality of the Ancien Regime. • Development of Early Modern, not medieval Europe. • Background to French Revolution and also to the Enlightenment