1 / 28

Age of Absolutism (c. 1600-1789)

Age of Absolutism (c. 1600-1789). What is Absolutism?. All power invested in one ruler Product of: Further centralization of Renaissance monarchies Desire for order as result of Wars of Religion Limited by technological constraints, power of nobility, and diversity of national populations.

Download Presentation

Age of Absolutism (c. 1600-1789)

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Age of Absolutism(c. 1600-1789)

  2. What is Absolutism? • All power invested in one ruler • Product of: • Further centralization of Renaissance monarchies • Desire for order as result of Wars of Religion • Limited by technological constraints, power of nobility, and diversity of national populations

  3. Philosophy of Absolutism • Bodin -- Rationalism • Bossuet -- Divine Right of Kings • Hobbes -- Social Contract • Filmer -- Patriarchy

  4. Common Features • Strong, ambitious ruling dynasties • Cooptation of the nobility • Control of religious authority • Large, centralized bureaucracy • Large standing army • Increased taxes

  5. Which nations had the largest armies? • Why do Britain and the Netherlands fluctuate?

  6. France: Foundations of Absolutism • Cardinal Richelieu (1624-42) • Strips Huguenots of political/military rights • Builds standing army • Network of spies • **Intendants • Cardinal Mazarin (1642-61) • Faces severe problems: • Foreigner • Considered a scumbag • Inherits problems of Richelieu • The FRONDE (1648-52)--tax revolt by the nobility

  7. The Fronde (1648-52) • Occurred in two waves • 1648 - tax revolt; nobles and peasants join forces • 1650 - nobles of the sword attempt to overthrow the government • Formative experience for Louis XIV • One of series of noble revolts across Europe in late 1640s

  8. Louis XIV (1643-1714) Builds absolute rule upon foundation laid by Richelieu and Mazarin • “one king, one law, one faith” • “L’etat c’est moi” (I am the state) • Bureaucratic control • Co-optation of the Nobility • Religious Uniformity • Mercantilism • Expansion of Military • Propaganda

  9. Bureaucratic Control • Intendants • Bribes of local officials

  10. Cooptation of Nobility • New privileges to nobles • Creation of approx. 20,000 new nobles • Life at Versailles • Kept nobles close/Spied on them • Favors for those who are close to Louis • Extravagant lifestyle bankrupted nobility: they became dependent on Louis for their lifestyle

  11. Religious Uniformity • “Gallican Church”--Louis had say in appt. of bishops in France • Edict of Fontainebleu (1685) • Prohibited Calvinism • 200,000 Huguenots flee France

  12. FONTAINEBLEU! • FONTAINEBLEU! • FONTAINEBLEU! • FONTAINEBLEU! • FONTAINEBLEU! • FONTAINEBLUE!

  13. FONTAINEBLEU! • FONTAINEBLEU! • FONTAINEBLEU! • FONTAINEBLEU! • FONTAINEBLEU! • FONTAINEBLUE!

  14. FONTAINEBLEU! • FONTAINEBLEU! • FONTAINEBLEU! • FONTAINEBLEU! • FONTAINEBLEU! • FONTAINEBLUE!

  15. FONTAINEBLEU! • FONTAINEBLEU! • FONTAINEBLEU! • FONTAINEBLEU! • FONTAINEBLEU! • FONTAINEBLUE!

  16. Mercantilism Jean-Baptiste Colbert

  17. Military Reforms • Increased size of army • Appointed army and naval officers

  18. Propaganda • Controlled printing presses • Foreign books were made illegal • Stayed out of sight at Versailles • Presented image of self as “Sun King”

  19. Limits of French Absolutism • Half the population didn’t speak “French” • Inadequate infrastructure • Local officials sometimes obstructed policies • Smugglers evaded mercantilist tariffs • Short-term policies • Wars drain treasury • New Nobles loyal to Louis only • Huguenots fled the country

  20. Spain • A Weakened Nation • Economic Problems • Bankruptcy • Weak commercial class • Bloated, overindulgent nobility • Outdated military • Inefficient Government (El Escorial)

  21. Spain • Count de Olivares & Philip IV (1621-65) • Attempted to centralize government • Reforms failed • Nobles too powerful • Expensive, losing wars • Internal revolts +=

  22. Austria • Leopold I (1658-1705) expanded the state • Treaty of Karlowitz (1699) • Consolidation of Hapsburg lands • Weaknesses • Diverse ethnicities, religions, languages • Nobles oversaw courts and police • Local elites retain autonomy and privileges (e.g. Magyars)

  23. Prussia (Brandenburg-Prussia) Prussia = an army with a country • Frederick William -- “Great Elector” (1640-88) • Large standing army • General War Commissariat • 1st modern civil service in Europe • State officials supervise tax collection • “Service State” = Gov’t agreed to protect nobles’ rights to serfs in exchange for nobles’ surrender of their political powers

  24. Johnny 5 says: “the Prussian nobles were known as JUNKERS”

  25. Frederick William I (1713-1740) • Continued centralization • Developed military power • Military = 50% of budget • 80,000 troops • Royal guard of “giants” • Conversion of industries • All young men register for draft • 1st country with reserve forces

  26. Russia • Ivan IV “the Terrible” (1533-84) • Expanded Eastward • Maintained Loyalty through Fear & Serv(serf)ice State • Time of Troubles (1584-1613) • Boyars battled for control • Michael Romanov named tsar in 1613

  27. Russia • Peter the Great (1689-1725) • Goal to make Russia a world power • Import technology/machinery • Port on the Baltic Sea • Westernize culture • Military Reforms • Administrative Reforms • Religious Reforms • Economic Reforms • Cultural Reforms

  28. Wars of Louis XIV (1667-1713) • Four wars • War of the Triple Alliance (1667) • Dutch War (1672) • War of the League of Augsburg (1689) • War of Spanish Succession (1702) • Treaty of Utrecht (1713) • Allowed Bourbon monarch in Spain • France and Spain agreed to remain separate • Territorial Changes • England emerged as leading naval power

More Related