Crisis and Absolutism in Europe

Crisis and Absolutism in Europe

Europe In Crisis: Wars of Religion Section 1 What might have motivated the religious Wars and political conflicts between Protestants and Catholics?

French Wars of Religion • By 1560, Calvinism & Catholicism became extremely militant religions • Tried to win converts & eliminate each other’s authority • Economic, social & political forces also played an important role in these conflicts • Huguenots: French Protestants influenced by John Calvin • Only made up 7% of the French population but 40-50% of the nobility were Huguenots • Powerful threat to the monarchy

French Wars of Religion • Catholics vs. Huguenots • Involved in many civil wars within France (thirty years of battles between the Huguenots & Catholics) • Other factors besides religion: • Towns & provinces resisted the power of the French monarchy and wanted to join the Huguenots to weaken the monarchy

French Wars of Religion • 1589: Henry of Navarre: political leader of the Huguenots • Became King of France (King Henry IV) • Converted to Catholicism (b/c he realized he would never be accepted as a ruler by Catholic France as a Protestant) • His coronation & his Edict of Nantes ended the religion war in France • Edict of Nantes (1598): recognized Catholicism as the official religion of France, but also gave the Huguenots the right to worship and enjoy all political privileges as everyone else

Philip II & Militant Catholicism • King Philip II of Spain (r. 1556-1598): greatest supporter of militant Catholicism • “The Most Catholic King” • First Goal: to consolidate the lands he inherited from his father (Charles V) under strict Catholicism & Spanish Control • Spain, Netherlands, possessions in Italy & the Americas

Philip II & Militant Catholicism • Major problems with the Spanish Netherlands • Many were Calvinists who opposed the fiercely Catholic Spanish rule • Struggle dragged on until 1609 when a truce was agreed upon & northern provinces of Netherlands called themselves the United Provinces of the Netherlands • Spain had seemed to be the most powerful nation of the age; however Philip II went bankrupt from spending too much on war • Power shifted from Spain to France & Britain

England • Like Spain, England developed a strong monarchy • Tudor dynasty (r.1485-1603): brought unity to the country after a long period of decline & disorder. • Tudor monarchs: hardworking, able & popular & greatly expanded the power/authority of the monarchy • Not absolute monarchs; Parliament set limits to their authority

England’s Tudors • Henry VII (1485) • Henry VIII • Edward VI (only 9 yrs old, died shortly after becoming king) • Mary • Protestant nobles tried to stop her from becoming queen, but people support her; she quickly sets out on a crusade to attack Protestants in England (burned 300 at the stake for heresy) • Died childless so her Protestant ½ sister, Elizabeth took the throne • Elizabeth I

Elizabeth I • Became queen in 1558 (25 yrs old) • Very forceful in her actions as queen • Often battled with Parliament • Earned loyalty & confidence of her subjects by using her authority for the common good of her people • Refused to marry (thought it would be best for England)

Elizabeth’s England • Protestants vs. Catholics (problem inherited from Mary’s England) • Repealed laws favoring Catholics • Act of Supremacy: named Elizabeth the “only supreme governor” of both church & state & she ran the Church of England as a Protestant church • Kept it a moderate Protestantism the kept majority of people satisfied

Elizabeth’s Foreign Policy • Moderate Foreign Policy: wanted to avoid war & keep both Spain & France happy by supporting the weaker of the two • Allowed Sir Francis Drake to seize & plunder the Spanish ships sailing the Caribbean • Philip II of Spain wanted to invade England to further expand Catholicism • 1588, Philip II sent his Spanish Armada (fleet of warships) to invade England • England’s more powerful navy (as well as powerful storms) quickly defeated the Spanish fleet. • EFFECT: England would remain a Protestant country & signaled the beginning of Spain’s decline as a sea power.

Section 2 What effect might social, economic, and religious conflicts have on European nations?

Economic & Social Crises In Europe • Major economic problem: inflation • Caused by a great influx of gold & silver from the Americas & a growing population in the 16th century which increased the demand for land/food therefore increasing their prices • Failing economy in Europe

Witchcraft Trials • Traditionally, witchcraft had been incorporated in villages for centuries • However, b/c of the Inquisition & the obsession with militant religions many people were targeted & charged w/ heresy • More than 100,000 were charged/executed as witches • As more were charged, the fear of witches as well as being accused of witchcraft grew • Commoners & women were the main targets • Faced intense torture until they “confessed” to witchcraft • Hysteria eventually faded by 1650 b/c: • Gov were stronger & didn’t want their towns in a frenzy over trivial matters • Attitudes changed as people found it unreasonable to believe in evil spirits haunting the world

The Thirty Years War (1618-1648) • Called “the last of the religious wars” • Religious disputes in Germany caused by: • Calvinism was not recognized by the Peace of Augsburg (1555) • Events: • Began in 1618 in Holy Roman Empire • Struggle between Catholic forces (led by the Hapsburg Holy Roman Emperors) & Protestant nobles (mostly Calvinists) in Bohemia • Cardinal Richelieu of France had Catholic France join Protestant Sweden in fighting the Catholic Hapsburgs • All major powers besides England became involved • Most battles were fought on German soil destroying villages & countryside • Peace of Westphalia: officially ended the war in 1648 • Major contenders gained new territories • France emerged as a dominant nation in Europe • Stated that all German states could determine their own religion • More than 300 states that made up the HRE became recognized as independent states • Brought an end to the HRE as a political entity

Revolutions in England • Series of rebellions in England • After Elizabeth I died in 1603 (ending the Tudor dynasty) her cousin, James I (former king of Scotland), became the new king of England • Causes of the English Revolution • King James I • Believed in the divine right of kings: that kings receive power from God • Parliament disagreed: thought Parliament & the king ruled England together as a team • Religion • Puritans (Protestants in England) disagreed with King John’s strong defense of the Church of England • Many prominent figures in the House of Commons became Puritans • King Charles I (James’s son) • Also believed in the divine right of kings • Added more ceremony to the Church of England (made Puritans believe he was trying to make it Catholic again) • Accepted Parliament’s petition of no taxes without Parliament’s consent & then later rejected it • Angered Puritans (some fled to the Americas & others stayed to fight)

English Revolution • Civil War broke out in 1642 between supporters of the King (Cavaliers or Royalists) & parliamentary forces (Roundheads) • Parliament was victorious mainly b/c of their New Model Army led by Oliver Cromwell (military genius) • New Model Army: made up of extreme Puritans (Independents) who were well trained & disciplined in new military tactics • Results: • Parliament had Charles I executed on January 30, 1649 • Parliament abolished the monarchy & House of Lords • Declared England a republic or commonwealth • Cromwell eventually could not work with Parliament & dispersed it by force • Set up a military dictatorship & ruled until his death in 1658

English Revolution • The Restoration: • After Cromwell died, Parliament set up the monarchy again with Charles II as king (son of Charles I) • Charles was sympathetic to Catholics • Brother, James, heir to the throne was a strong Catholic • Parliament was nervous about James & passed the Exclusion Bill (barred James from the throne) • Created 2 political parties in England: Whigs (against James) & Tories (didn’t want to interfere) • Charles II dismissed Parliament in 1681; died in 1685 & James II became king • Made religion a cause of conflict in England yet again • Had a son with his second wife making a Catholic Monarchy inevitable • Parliament got nervous

Glorious Revolution • Group of English noblemen invited William of Orange to invade England • William of Orange: Dutch leader & husband of James II’s daughter (Mary) • William & Mary raised an army in 1688 & invaded • James II & family fled to France • “Glorious Revolution” occurred with no bloodshed • William & Mary take over England BUT adopt a Bill of Rights • English Bill of Rights: set forth Parliament’s rights • Parliament was given the right to make laws & levy taxes • standing armies could be raised only with Parliament’s consent • Citizens had right to keep arms • Citizens had right to a jury trial • LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR A LIMITED, OR CONSTITUTIONAL, MONARCHY

Section 3 Response to Crisis: Absolutism. What effect would the exercise of absolute power have on a nation?

Response to Crisis: Absolutism • Response was to seek more stability by increasing the power of the monarch • Absolutism: system in which a ruler holds total power • Rulers thought their power came from God & they were responsible to no one except God • Tremendous powers • Made laws • Levied taxes • Administer justice • Control state officials • Determine foreign policy

“Up to this moment I have been pleased to entrust the government of my affairs to the late Cardinal. It is now time that I govern them myself. You (Secretaries & ministers of the state) will assist me with your counsels when I ask for them. I request and order you to seal no orders except by my command. I order you not to sign anything, not even a passport without my command; to render account to me personally each day and to favor no one.”—Louis XIV Louis XIV • Major supporter of absolutism • Became king of France in 1643 (only 4 yrs old) • Chief minister: Cardinal Mazarincontrolled gov. while Louis was too young to rule • Both Cardinal Mazarin & previous chief minister Cardinal Richelieu made great efforts to strengthen the power of the monarchy • Took away all political and military rights of Huguenots • Mazarin died in 1661 & Louis XIV took over at the age of 23

Louis XIV • Ran his government like a machine out of Versailles (equal to our D.C.) • Kept threats to his power (high ranking nobles & royal princes) busy with court life to keep them out of politics • Kept all officials at Versailles where he could watch over them • Complete authority over three main areas: foreign policy, the Church & taxes • Nobles still had more influence on towns & their day-to-day operations • Religious policy: wanted to convert all Huguenots to Catholicism • Ordered destruction of Huguenot churches & closed their schools

Louis XIV • Economy • Put Jean-Baptiste Colbert in charge of finances • Colbert decreased imports & increased exports & granted subsidies to new industries • Built up roads & canals for better trade & communication • Raised tariffs on imports

Louis XIV • Military • Wanted to build up army to 400,000 to make France a major power & competitor • Waged four wars between 16667 & 1713 to increase territory & power of France • Caused many nations to form coalitions to ensure France did not dominate Europe • Died in 1715 • Left France with tremendous debt & surrounded by enemies

Fun Facts about Louis XIV • He only stood 5ft 5in tall so he wore high heals. • He hated cities, but loved the country. • Loved long rides in the country but would only stop if he needed to. • He called himself the “Sun King “ because he believed like the sun, all power radiated from him.

Absolutism in Central & Eastern Europe • After the Thirty Years War there were 300 “Germanies” • Two of them (Prussia & Austria) emerged as great European powers • Prussia • Absolutist Leader: Frederick William the Great Elector • Built large army • Set up the General War Commissariat: levied taxes for the army & agency for civil government • Son became the first official king of Prussia (Frederick I) • Austria • Gained new empire of considerable size (Czech republic, Hungary, Transylvania, Croatia, Slavonia) • Unable to become an absolutist state b/c it was made up of so many different national groups • Austrian Emperor was the Hapsburg emperor (archduke of Austria, king of Bohemia, & king of Hungary) • Each area had its own laws & political life

Russia Under Peter the Great • Ivan IV: first ruler to take the title of czar (Absolutist) • “Ivan the Terrible” • Very ruthless (stabbed his own son to death in an argument) • Expanded Russia’s territory eastward • Crushed the power of the Russian nobility (aka the Boyars) • Dynasty ended in 1598 followed by Time of Troubles • Michael Romanov became new czar in 1613 • Romanov dynasty lasted until 1917

Russia Under Peter the Great • Peter the Great: one of the most prominent leaders in the Romanov dynasty • Became czar in 1689 • Absolutist monarch • Wanted to “Europeanize” Russia • Especially European technology • This would allow him to grow a major army & navy necessary to make Russia a major power • Military • Drafted peasants for 25 year stints of service • Built a massive army • Formed first Russian navy • Divided Russia into provinces • Created a “police state” of well ordered communities

Russia Under Peter the Great • Culture changes: • Peter taught his subjects Western customs & manners • No beards, short coats, women could mingle with men • Needed a port to trade with Western Europe: St. Petersburg • Became the new Russian capital

Section 4: The World of European Culture. How might art, literature, and philosophy be influenced by the turbulence of the period?

European Culture • Mannerism: an artistic movement that emerged in Italy in the 1520’s and 1530’s; it marked the end of the Renaissance by breaking down the principles of balance, harmony, and moderation • Elongated & contorted figures were used to show suffering, heightened emotions & religious ecstasy • Famous mannerist: El Greco (from Crete) • Reflected the religious upheavals of the Reformation

European Culture • Baroque Period: an artistic style of the 17th century characterized by complex forms, bold ornamentation, and contrasting elements • Inspired by the religious revival within the Catholic church • Used dramatic effects to arouse emotions & reflected a search for power (associated with Absolutism) • Famous Baroque artist: Gian Lorenzo Bernini • Italian architect & sculptor • “Throne of Saint Peter” • Famous Baroque artist: Artemisia Gentileschi • Italian painter • “Judith Beheading Holofernes”

European Culture • Golden Age of Literature • William Shakespeare: famous playwright of the Elizabethan Era • comedies & tragedies • Globe theater • Master of the English language • Spanish Literature • Lope de Vega: 1,500 plays • Miguel de Vervantes: wrote novel, Don Quixote

Political Thought • Thomas Hobbes: alarmed by the revolutionary upheavals in Europe • Wrote Leviathan (1651) • Work on political philosophy to deal with the problem of disorder • Claimed that before society was organized, people were nasty & brutish to each other & only cared about their own survival • To save themselves from destroying each other, they established a social contract in which all would be governed by an absolute ruler • Absolute power was needed to preserve order in society

Political Thought • John Locke: Wrote political philosophy work called Two Treatises of Government (1690) • Argued against the absolute rule of one person • Believed that before society was organized, people lived in a state of equality & freedom • Believed we all started out with natural rights • Rights with which they were born: life, liberty, property • Believed government existed only to protect those natural rights • Contract between government & people involving mutual obligations • Gov. protects people & their rights, so the people would act reasonably toward gov. • However, if the contract was broken (gov. didn’t protect people) then the people could elect a new government • Note: people, according to Locke meant the landholding aristocracy, not the landless masses • Not an advocate for democracy, but his ideas would influence our democracy that we enjoy today

Crisis and Absolutism in Europe