Eastern Europe in the Age of Absolutism: Brandenburg-Prussia & Austria

1. Eastern Europe in the Age of Absolutism:Brandenburg-Prussia & Austria AP European History

2. Eastern Europe: Land of lords and peasants • In Eastern Europe: powerful nobility, weak middle class, serfs • 1400 – 1650: Serfdom reintroduced by princes and “landed nobility” • Due to population decline as a result of the PLAGUE • Lords solve econ. problems by exploiting serfs (peasants) - • By 1500 – serfs throughout East • Lords take peasant lands – enslave serfs • Restrictions on movement – runaways hunted! • Demands made for unpaid serf labor

3. Political Reasons for Serfdom • Weak monarchs could not resist powerful lords • Kings don’t protect peasants • Peasants had less political power in Eastern Europe • Uprisings failed BUT STRONG KINGS ARISE. . . (the point of our story!!!!)

4. AUSTRIA rises in 17th century!!! • Problems: struggles with Turks / 30 Years’ War / Internal Issues (fighting btw. nationalities) • 30 Years’ War failed to renew HRE – but - • Protestants wiped out, 1620 at White Mountain – centralization under Catholicism • (nobility decimated so lands given to soldiers!) • Ferdinand III creates standing army (1637-57) • Now – Austria turns East for land

6. Austria and the Turks • Ottomans – from central Asia to Turkey (Anatolia) – followers of Islam – determined foes of Catholic Hapsburgs • The Sultanate – peaks 1520-1566 • Under Suleiman the Magnificent • Sultan was absolute head of state • Little private property – except slaves • Male children in conquered Christian lands in Balkans! (Janissaries) • Habsburg Victory • Final Turk attack on Vienna in the 17th century - turned back in 1683 (Polish king – Sobieski helps); • Treaty of Karlowitz, 1699 = Hungary, Transylvania, Croatia & Slovenia incorporated into Austrian Empire • “Sick man of Europe” = beginning of the end for Turkey in late 17th century

7. Hussar, King Sobieski (Poland), Pancerni, Light Calvary, Dragoon, Infantry, Ensign, Infantry Officer Deli, bannerat, visir, porte-wuntschuk, spahi, artillery, janissary, peik, captain of Janissaries, solak

9. Austrian Power • Habsburg Family Possessions • Austria – Bohemia – Hungary • Union of rulers: not law or people --- Slavs, Hungarians, Croats, Serbs, Romanians, Czechs, Poles, Italians, Germans • Pragmatic Sanction, 1713 • Declared by Charles VI (1711-1740) • Hitherto, only males can rule HRE • BUT he has no son – only daughter Maria Theresa • SO -- argued for no division of Austrian properties; land should be passed intact to a single heir = Maria Theresa = Empress of Austria, 1740; her husband, Francis-Stephen of Lorraine elected HREmperor, 1745

10. Frederick William Frederick III (King Frederick I) Frederick William I 1640 1688 1713 1740 An Eastern European Anomaly:Brandenburg – Prussia *stronger absolutism than Austria *unites German people in 19th century!!! • Hohenzollern Family • AT FIRST “Elected” to lead as “first among equals” BUT the Elector of Brandenburg is relatively “helpless” • SO prestige without power BUT • In 1614 inherits territory on the Rhine • In 1618 inherits Prussia from cousin • By 1640 Frederick William will raise Brandenburg-Prussia to new heights

12. Frederick William - The Great Elector 1640-1688 Devastation of 30 Years’ War helps Fred. Wm. increase family power over Estates (aka Nobility) weakened by war • Ignored traditional representative rights: RULEDABSOLUTE LY • Used military force and taxation to: • Weaken the (feudal) Estates: Junkers • Weaken the authority of towns • Example: Opposition leader in Königsberg was simply arrested and imprisoned for life!

13. Frederick William - The Great Elector • Permanent Standing Army est. 1660-1688 • War Commissariat = oversaw taxation, growth and training for military / eventually became a branch of civil gov’t. that directly answered to the Elector • Permanent taxation without consent • Soldiers doubled as tax collectors and policeman • Revenue triples • In 1688, Prussia had 1 million people; 30,000 person permanent army -- and was at peace • Many soldiers French Huguenot immigrants – welcomed as hard workers

14. Frederick William, The Great Elector • But – needs war for unity --- so: • Fighting Sweden / Poland over Baltic • Fighting Louis XIV’s expansionism • Fighting Tartars of Crimea

15. King Frederick I, 1688-1713 • “the ostentatious” - Weak imitator of Louis XIV • Granted title of King by Holy Roman Emperor in 1701 (after helping with War of Spanish Succession!)

16. Characteristics of Prussian Bureaucracy • Efficient • Honest • Successful • Paradoxically, most militaristic BUT almost always at peace!!! • “Sparta of the North” rigidity / discipline / obedience “to keep quiet is the first civic duty” • Tried to develop the economy

17. King Frederick William I, 1713-1740 • Fuses Prussian bureaucracy and militarism • 1740 army = 80,000 men • Separate laws for military and civilians!! • Officer corps (remember these are primarily Junkers) = highest ranking social class • Monarchy and Junkers join together to form a unified political entity • HOWEVER Frederick William I uses the military as a Prussian unifier NOT to wage foreign wars!!