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European monarchs created even more powerful nations in the 1500s & 1600s • Built up state bureaucracies & equipped powerful armies • Ensured loyalty to the crown & used their growing resources for bold ventures home & overseas • Spain, Portugal, and The Netherlands quickly took the lead in obtaining overseas empires
Extending Spanish Power • In the 1500’s, wealth from the Americas helped make Spain the most powerful state in Europe • Spain emerged as the first modern European power • Under Isabella & Ferdinand, Spain expelled the last Muslim rulers and enforced religious unity • Financed Columbus’s voyage to the Americas
Charles V • Charles V ruled an even larger empire from 1519-1556 • Grandson of Ferdinand & Isabella • Also heir to the Hapsburgs, the Austrian rulers of the Holy Roman Empire & the Netherlands • Ruling two Empires involved Charles in constant warfare • Continued a long struggle with France over rival claims in Italy • Devout Catholic, fought to suppress the Protestant Reformation
Biggest enemy was the Ottoman Empire • The Ottomans occupied much of Hungary and their forces advanced to Austria • Hapsburg Empire was too scattered & diverse for only one person to rule • Exhausted Charles V, gave up his titles & entered a monastery in 1556 • Divided his Empire: • Gave Hapsburg land in central Europe to his brother Ferdinand, who became Holy Roman Emperor • Gave Spain, the Netherlands, southern Italy & huge Spanish overseas Empire to 29 year old son Philip
Philip II • Hard working like his father, reigned from 1556-1598 and wanted to expand Spanish influence, strengthening the Catholic Church & make his own power absolute • Devoted much time to government work and further centralized royal power, making all parts of the government responsible to him
Became an absolute monarch, a ruler with complete authority over the government & the lives of the people • Believed he ruled by divine right, authority to rule came directly from God • Saw himself as the guardian of the Catholic Church • Used the Inquisition to turn on Protestants & other heretics
Wars of Philip II • Fought many wars as he advanced Spanish Catholic power throughout the world • Battled Protestant rebels in the Netherlands • At the time the region was made of 17 provinces that are today: Belgium, The Netherlands & Luxemburg • Richest part of Philip’s empire • Both Protestant & Catholic subjects opposed high taxes & the threats to their traditional self-government rule • Riots against the Inquisitor sparked uprisings in the Netherlands • In 1581, the large North Province became known as the Dutch Netherlands • Gained official recognition in 1648 • Southern provinces remained part of the Spanish Empire
Fights with Elizabeth • In 1580, Philip saw Elizabeth as his chief Protestant enemy • Elizabeth supported the Dutch against Spain • Encouraged English captains, Sea Dogs, to plunder Spanish treasure ships • Francis Drake, looted Spanish cities in the Americas • Elizabeth made him a knight, Philip was outraged
To end English attacks and subdue the Dutch, Philip prepared a huge Armada, or fleet, to carry a Spanish invasion to England • In 1588, the Armada sailed with more than 130 ships, 20,000 men, & 2400 pieces of artillery • “Strange freak of weather” favored the other side • Big Spanish ships took losses from the lighter, faster English ships • In the 1600s & 1700s, Dutch, English, & French fleets challenged & surprised Spanish power in Europe & around the world
Economic Decline • In the 1600s, Spanish power slowly declined • Successors after Philip II were less able rulers then he • Costly overseas wars drained wealth out of Spain, almost as fast as it came in
Treasure from the Americas led Spain to neglect farming & commerce • The government heavily taxed the small middle class, weakening a group that normally supported royal power • The expulsion of Muslims & Jews from Spain deprived the economy of many skilled artisans & merchants • American gold & silver led to soaring inflation • Eventually, France replaced Spain as the most powerful European nation
Rebuilding France • From the 1560’s to the 1590’s, religious wars between the Huguenots (French Protestants) & the Catholic majority tore France apart • Two groups, the Catholic Guises & the Protestant Bourbons committed terrible atrocities against each other
On St. Bartholomew's day, August 24, 1572, Huguenot & Catholic nobles attended the same wedding, violence erupted, led to a massacre of 3,000 Huguenots • Next few days, thousands more were slaughtered • St. Bartholomew's Day, for many symbolized the breakdown of order in France
Henry IV • 1589, a Bourbon prince & Huguenot leader, Henry Navarre, inherited the French throne • Knew he would face problems ruling a largely Catholic land, he converted to Catholicism • In 1598 he granted the Edict of Nantes • Gave religious toleration to the Huguenots • Wanted peace for all • Administered justice, improved roads, built bridges & revived agriculture • Led the foundation of royal Absolutism
Richelieu • Henry IV, fell victim to an assassin in 1610, his 9 year old son Louis XIII, inherited the throne • 1624, Louis XIII appointed Cardinal Armand Richelieu as his chief minister • Strengthened the central government
Richelieu destroyed the power of the nobles & the Huguenots • Two groups that did not bow down to royal authority • Defeated the private armies of the nobles & destroyed their castles • Took away the nobles independence but also tied them to the King by giving them high posts at court or in the Royal Army • Richelieu handpicked his successor, Cardinal Jules Mazarin • When 5 year old Louis XIV inherited the throne, Mazarin was in place to serve at the young King’s Chief Minister
From Boy King to Sun King • Soon after Louis XIV became King, disorder again swept in France • In an uprising called the Fronde, nobles & merchants, peasants, & the urban poor rebelled • All for their own reasons • The rioters drove the young King out of his palace • Mazarin died in 1661 and Louis resolved to take over the government himself
I AM the State • Louis believed in Divine Right, like his great-grandfather, Philip II • He took the sun as the symbol of his power • Like the sun stands as the center of the Universe, Louis (the Sun King) was the center of the French nation • Louie is quoted in saying, “L’etat, c’estmoi”- “I am the State”
Bishop Jacques Bossuet, tutor to Louis son, summed the theory of divine right, in his Universal History • Stated that the King was God’s representative on Earth • Louis XIV, never called a meeting of the Estates General, representatives from all 3 Estates: Clergy, Nobles & Townspeople • The Estates General did not meet between 1614-1789 • Unlike the English Parliament, the Estates General played no role in checking royal power
The Business of Government • Followed the policies of Richelieu • Louis XIV expanded the bureaucracy & appointed intendants, royal officials who collected taxes, recruited soldiers & carried out the policies of provinces • Jobs with in the office of intendant & other gov’t jobs went to wealthy middle class men • Louis cemented ties between the middle class & the monarchy • The French Army became the strongest in Europe • The State paid, fed, trained & supplied up to 30,000 soldiers • Louis used this highly disciplined army to enforce his policies at home & abroad
Colbert & the French Economy • Louis found an expert organizer, to be his chief finance minister: Jean Baptiste Colbert • Followed mercantilist policies, to bolster the economy & promote trade • Had new lands cleared for farming • Put high tariffs on goods, to protect French manufacturers • Louis XIV was still short for cash • Huge costs of court & foreign wars
The Splendor of Versailles • In the countryside of Paris Louis XIV turned a royal hunting lodge into the immense palace of Versailles • Spared no expense • Halls & salons displayed the finest paintings & statues, glittering chandlers & mirrors • Royal gardens had millions of flowers, plants, & trees
Versailles became the perfect symbol of the Sun King’s wealth & power • As both the King’s home & the seat of gov’t, it housed at least 10,000 people, from nobles & officials to servants
Ceremonies of Daily Life • Louis XIV perfected elaborate ceremonies that emphasized his own importance • Each day began with, “ la leve’e”, the King’s rising • High ranking nobles competed for the honor of holding the royal was basin or handing the King his diamond buckle shoes • Wives of nobles vied to attend upon women of the royal family • Such ceremonies served another purpose • French nobles were descendants of the feudal lords who held power in the medieval times • If they were at their estates, the nobles threatened the power of the monarchy • By luring the nobles to Versailles, Louis turned them into courtiers, angling for privileged, rather than warriors battling for power • Louis carefully protected their prestige & left them free from paying taxes
Culture • The King sponsored musical events and commissioned plays by the best writers • The age of Louis XIV was the classical age of French drama • In painting, music, architecture & decorative arts, French styles became the model for all of Europe • A new form of dance drama, ballet, gained its popularity at the French court • Louis sponsored the French Academics, which set high standards for both arts & sciences
Successes & Failures • Louis XIV ruled France for 72 years, longer than any other monarch • During that time French culture, manners & customs replaced those of Renaissance Italy, as the standard for Europe taste • In both foreign & domestic affairs, many of Louis’s policies were costly failures
The Wars of Louis XIV • Louis poured vast resources into wars to expand French borders & dominate Europe • At first he did gain some territory, but his later wars were disastrous • Rival rulers joined forces to check French ambitions • Led by the Dutch & English, these alliances fought to maintain the balance of power, a distribution of military & economic power that would prevent any nation from dominating Europe
In 1700, Louis grandson, Philip V inherited the throne of Spain • Louis declared that France & Spain “must regard themselves as one” • Neighboring powers, led by England, were determined to prevent this union • The war of the Spanish Succession dragged on until 1713, when an exhausted France signed the Treaty of Utrect • Philip remained on the Spanish throne, but France agreed never to unite the two crowns
Persecution of the Huguenots • Louis saw the Protestant minority as a threat to religious & political unity • In 1685, he revoked the Edict of Nantes • More than 100,000 Huguenots fled France, fearing persecution • Huguenots, had been among the most hardworking and prosperous of Louis subjects • Their loss was a serious blow to the French economy, just as the expulsion of Muslims & Jews hurt Spain
The Tudors & Parliament • From 1485 to 1603, England was ruled by the Tudor dynasty • Although the Tudors believed in divine right, they recognized the value of good relations with Parliament • When Henry VIII broke away from the Roman Catholic Church, he turned to Parliament to legalize his actions, which approved the Act of Supremacy • Parliament was awarded land
A constant need for money also led Henry to consult Parliament frequently • Henry used many funds fighting overseas wars • To levy new taxes, the King had to seek approval from Parliament • Members of Parliament tended to vote as Henry’s agents instructed, but were still consulted on important matters • Elizabeth consulted Parliament, but controlled it as well • Her advisers conveyed Elizabeth’s wishes to Parliament & forbade discussion of foreign policy or the Queen’s marriage
The Early Stuarts • In 1603, after a 45-year reign, Elizabeth died without a direct heir • The throne passed to her relatives the Stuarts, the ruling family of Scotland • The Stuarts were neither as popular as the Tudors nor as skilled in dealing with Parliament • Stuarts inherited problems that Henry & Elizabeth had long suppressed • The result was, a “Century of Revolution”, that pitted the Stuart monarchs against Parliament
The Royal Challenge • James I (England) & IV (Scotland), was the first Stuart monarch & agreed to rule according to English laws & customs
Soon he was lecturing Parliament about divine right • Repeatedly, clashed with Parliament over money & foreign policy • He needed funds to finance his lavish court & wage wars • Members wanted to discuss foreign policy before voting funds & James dissolved Parliament & collected taxes on his own • Leaders in the House of Commons fiercely resisted the King’s claim to absolute power
Parliament Responds • Charles I inherited the throne in 1625 and like his father, behaved like an absolute monarch • He imprisoned foes without trial & squeezed the nation for money • In 1628, his need to raise taxes forced Charles to summon Parliament • Before voting any funds, Parliament insisted that Charles sign the Petition of Right, which prohibited the King from raising taxes with the consent of Parliament or imprisoning anyone without just cause
Charles did sign the Petition, but then he dissolved Parliament in 1629 • For 11 years, he ignored the Petition & ruled without Parliament • During this time he created bitter enemies • In 1637, Charles & Archbishop Laud tried to impose the Anglican prayer book on Scotland • The Calvinist Scots revolted • To get funds to support the Scottish rebellion, Charles finally had to summon Parliament in 1640 • When it met Parliament launched its own revolt
The Long Parliament • The Parliament that Charles I summoned became known as the, “Long Parliament” because it lasted on & off until 1653 • Its actions triggered the greatest political revolution in history • Parliament tried & executed the Kings chief Ministers, including Archbishop Laud • Members of Parliament declared that Parliament could not be dissolved without consent • Charles lashed back, in 1642 he led troops into the House of Commons to arrest its most radical leaders • They escaped through a back door & soon raised their own army
The English Civil War • The Civil War would last from 1642-1649 • Like the Fronde that occurred about the same time in France, it posed a major challenge to absolute monarchs • In France royal power won • In England the revolutionaries triumphed
Cavaliers & Roundheads • At first the odds seemed in favor of the Cavaliers or supporters of Charles I • Many Cavaliers were nobles, were well trained in dueling & warfare, also expected a quick victory
The Roundheads were composed of country gentry, town dwelling manufacturers & Puritan clergy • They were called Roundheads because their hair was cut close around their heads • The Roundheads found a leader of genius in Oliver Cromwell, a puritan member and skilled general • Organized the “New Model Army” for Parliament • Cromwell’s army defeated the Cavaliers in a series of diverse battles • By 1647, the King was in the hands of Parliament forces
Execution of a King • Parliament set up a court to put the King on trial • Found him guilty & condemned him to death, “As a tyrant, traitor, murder & public enemy” • In January 1649, the King was executed by ax • Execution sent shock waves throughout Europe, for the first time a King was tried & executed by his own people • Sent a signal that no King could claim absolute power & ignore Parliament
The Kingless Decade • After the death of Charles I, the House of Commons abolished the monarchy, the House of Lords and the Church of England • Declared England a Republic, known as the Commonwealth, under the leadership of Oliver Cromwell
Rebels in Ireland • The new Republic faced many problems • Supporters of Charles II, the uncrowned heir to the throne, attacked England by way of Ireland & Scotland • Cromwell led forces into Ireland to crush the uprising • Then took stern measure against the Irish Catholic Majority • In 1652 Parliament passed a law exiling most Catholics to barren land in the west of Ireland
The Levellers • Fighting began with in the Commonwealth • The Levellers thought that the poor men should have as much say in gov’t as the gentry, lawyers, & other citizens • Such ideas horrified the gentry, who dominated Parliament • Cromwell & his generals suppressed the Levellers and other radical groups that threatened property ownership • As challenges grew, Cromwell took the title of Lord Protector in 1653 • From then on he ruled through the Army
Life in the Commonwealth • In the 1650’s laws were made so that Sunday was a day set aside for religious observance • Theaters and taverns were closed, dancing was banned • Puritans felt every Christian rich & poor must be able to read the Bible
The End of the Commonwealth • Soon after Cromwell’s death in 1858, the Puritans lost their grip on England • Many people were tired of military rule & strict Puritan ways • In 1660, a newly elected Parliament invited Charles II to return to England from exile • The Puritan experiment ended with the restoration of the monarchy • Puritan ideas lasted and played an important role in shaping the U.S.
The Stuarts Restored • Young Charles II was a popular ruler • He reopened theaters & taverns and ruled a lively court, like Louis XIV • Restored the Church of England & tolerated other Protestants such as: • Presbyterians, Quakers & Baptists
