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The Age of Empires

The Age of Empires. Land and Sea Absolutism Constitutional Monarchs Enlightened Despots and more. What is an Empire?? Review Conrad- Demerest Model. I. Necessary preconditions for the rise of empires: state-level government high agricultural potential in the area

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The Age of Empires

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  1. The Age of Empires Land and Sea Absolutism Constitutional Monarchs Enlightened Despots and more

  2. What is an Empire?? Review Conrad-Demerest Model • I. Necessary preconditions for the rise of empires: • state-level government • high agricultural potential in the area • an environmental mosaic • several small states with no clearly dominant state (power vacuum) • mutual antagonisms among those states • adequate military resources • II.  The primary reason a state succeeded in empire building was an ideology supporting personal identification with the state, empire, conquest, and militarism • III.  The major rewards of empire: • economic rewards, reaped especially in the early years and redistributed to the elite and often to all levels of the citizenry • population increase, often supported by the government and its ideology • IV.  Empires fall because: • the ideology of expansion and conquest fueled attempts at conquest beyond practical limits • failure to continue conquest indefinitely and to continue to bring home its economic fruits eroded faith in the ideology that supported the empire • revolutions toppled the empire

  3. So what? • What constitutes a land empire? • What constitutes a sea empire?

  4. Definition of Absolutism Divine Right of Kings • king was God’s representative on earth • obedience to king = obedience to God • King could do no wrong

  5. Characteristics of Absolutism • Title was inherited • Decisions of king were final • King controlled lawmaking body • King controlled all foreign affairs • People had no voice

  6. Louis XIV1643 • Most powerful ruler in French history • “L’etat, c’est moi” • Sun King • Economic, political and cultural advances • Mercantilism • CONTROL • Spain, Austria, Prussia, Russia all looked up to France as model

  7. Versailles

  8. And some more… • Philip II (Spain) • 1556-1598 • Strengthened Catholic power • Peter I (Russia) • 1696-1725 • Westernization • Russian Expansion

  9. And still others…Japan • Tokugawa Ieyasu • 1687 • Unified Japan • Tamed the daimyo • “What is good for me is good for my son.” • Great stability for Japan

  10. And still others…China • Kangxi(1661) • Manchu Dynasty • Reduced government expenses • Gained support of intellectuals by offering jobs • Policy of isolationism

  11. And still others…Gunpowder Empires • Suleiman the Lawgiver (1520-1566) • Ottoman • Sultan: supreme military and political ruler • Janissaries • Abbas the Great (1587-1629) • Safavid • Limited the power of “red hats” • Punished corruption in government; promoted officials who proved loyalty • Modernized military

  12. ENLIGHTENED DESPOTS (still absolutists, but with “a heart”) • Catherine the Great (1762-1796) • Russia • Commission to review laws • Religious toleration • Akbar (1556-1605) • Mughal • Religious freedom • Governed through a bureaucracy of officials

  13. Constitutional Monarchies • England and Netherlands • Characterized by • limited powers • individual rights • representative institutions • Prominent merchant class and unusual prosperity • Both built commercial empires overseas with minimal state interference • Constitutional monarchy in England evolved out of a bitter civil war, 1642-1649 • SEA BASED

  14. So, what are some commonalities?

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