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Age of Absolutism in Europe (1600-1800). Age of Absolutism. Absolutism defined Absolutism in Spain (17,1) Absolutism in France (17,2) Absolutism in Britain (17,3) Absolutism in Central and Eastern Europe and the Thirty Years’ War (17,4 + 17,5). Absolutism/Absolute Monarchy.
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Age of Absolutism • Absolutism defined • Absolutism in Spain (17,1) • Absolutism in France (17,2) • Absolutism in Britain (17,3) • Absolutism in Central and Eastern Europe and the Thirty Years’ War (17,4 + 17,5)
Absolutism/Absolute Monarchy • Complete authority in the hands of one monarch • The reigns of absolute monarchs were often characterized by: • A desire to create religious unity (which often led to religious intolerance/oppression) • Expansion and war (associated with a desire to promote nationalism/national prestige) • Prosperity, then decline
Divine Right • Authority to govern given by God • Claimed by most absolutists
Charles V • Charles V inherited the thrones of both Spain and the Hapsburg Empire in 1519. • NOTE: “Hapsburg Empire” = Austria and HRE • Retired to a monastery in 1556 • Empire split • Grandson Philip II inherited Spain and Netherlands
Philip II (1556-1598) • RELIGION -- devout Catholic -- harshly persecuted Protestants with Spanish Inquisition • EXPANSION/WARS -- defeated Ottomans in 1571 -- fought Protestant uprising in Netherlands (Dutch Netherlands ultimately won independence) -- attempted invasion of England, 1588 • PROSPERITY -- Spanish Golden Age was characterized by wealth and expansion of education and culture
Attempted Invasion of England (1588) • The climax of Philip II’s reign came when he sent the Spanish fleet (armada) to invade arch-rival England in 1588. • Why invade England? • Defense of Catholicism against Protestantism (England was Europe’s largest Protestant nation) • Rivalry for colonies/empire in New World
Defeat of the Spanish Armada • As 130 ships, 20,000 men, and 2400 cannons bore down on the English coast, a fierce storm (Queen Elizabeth called it a “Protestant Wind”) thwarted the invasion. • The Spanish Armada was destroyed. • Britain became the world’s great naval power.
Decline of Spain • Defeat of Spanish Armada and rise of England • Economic collapse • Inflation caused by huge influx of gold from America • Overspending on wars and expansion • Destruction of middle class by Philip II (many non-Catholics)
France in the 1500s • Torn by religious wars between Catholics and Huguenots King Henry IV
St. Bartholomew’s Day MassacreAugust 24, 1572 France had religious difficulties Henry IV’s wedding day
Henry IV (1589-1610) • Henry IV, a Huguenot, converted to Catholicism in 1593 after his ascendency triggered religious wars. • Henry issued the Edict of Nantes in 1598: • Declared religious toleration in France • Built royal bureaucracy • Royal officials throughout the country carrying out King’s policies How did Henry IV’s reign end?
Assassination of Henry IV, 1610 Catholic agitator Francois Ravaillac’s assassination of Henry IV showed ongoing religious strife in France.
Louis XIII (1610-1643) • Inherited throne at age 9 • Never actually governed • Who did? His words were never many, as being so extream [sic] a stutterer that he would sometimes hold his tongue out of his mouth a good while before he could speak so much as one word; he had besides a double row of teeth, and was observed seldom or never to spit or blow his nose, or to sweat much, 'tho he were very laborious, and almost indefatigable in his exercises of hunting and hawking, to which he was much addicted....
Cardinal Armand Richelieu • Appointed “Chief Minister” in 1624 and, essentially, led France until his death in 1642 • Attacked/persecuted Huguenots • Gave nobles royal govt. positions to decrease their power • Led France to victory with Protestant side in Thirty Years’ War to make France the preeminent power on mainland Europe. Richelieu referred to the French people as “mules.”
Louis XIV (1643-1715) • Ascended to throne at age 5 • Left governing to Cardinal Jules Mazarin until 1661, then himself ruled • Brought divine right absolutism to France and was France’s greatest monarch
The Sun King • Louis XIV took the sunas his symbol. • After all, everything revolved around him. • Louis was famously quoted as saying: “L’etatc’estmoi.”
Louis XIV’s Accomplishments • Expanded France’s colonial empire overseas • Expanded France’s borders in a series of wars • Controlled nobles expertly • Created a huge bureaucracy -- royal officials (intendants) carried out his wishes throughout France • Economic policies made France the wealthiest nation in Europe
Economic Policy • Louis’ brilliant finance minister, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, helped France to prosper. • Colbert pursued Mercantilist policies, using France’s growing colonial empire to produce wealth. • Colbert also used intendants to dramatically increase the efficiency of tax collection.
Versailles • 10,000+ rooms • Housed countless nobles, who were kept occupied with elaborate entertainment • Nobles competed for meaningless jobs and access to the king.
Louis XIV’s Failures/Mistakes • Bankrupted France with costly wars and Versailles • Persecution of Huguenots • Louis revoked Edict of Nantes in 1685 • Over 100,000 Huguenots fled France • The Huguenots were a key part of the middle/business class, so their departure hurt the French economy badly.
War of the Spanish Succession • Louis attempted to join the thrones of Spain and France when his grandson, Philip V, inherited the Spanish throne in 1700. • England and France’s other European rivals would not allow it and declared war. • The war became the longest and costliest of Louis’ conflicts. • France lost significant territory in the Treaty of Utrecht (1713).
Absolutism in England • James I and the Stuarts • Rise and Fall of Charles I • English Civil War • Cromwell and the Puritan Commonwealth • Stuart Restoration • Glorious Revolution
End of the Tudor Dynasty • Queen Elizabeth I chose not to marry and died without an heir in 1603.
Rise of the Stuart Dynasty: James I • Elizabeth’s nearest relative was King Jamesof Scotland, who, upon her death assumed the throne of England and began the Stuart Dynasty. • King James was staunchly Protestant and believed in divine right.
Charles I (1625-1649) • Son of James I • Tried to bring the absolutism of other European powers to England • How did it go?
Troubles with Parliament • The English Parliament was determined to share power with the King, rather than be dominated by him. • They were used to being consulted by the Tudors. • In 1628, Parliament forced King Charles to sign the Petition of Right. The Petition of Right prohibited the king from raising taxes without Parliament’s consent and from imprisoning people without just cause.
The “Dissenters” • One reason that Charles developed a hostile relationship with Parliament was that it was largely controlled by religious “dissenters” – Puritans who disagreed with the Church of England. • Both James and Charles persecuted Puritans.
The Book of Common Prayer :Enforcing Religious Unity • Archbishop William Laud wrote a new prayer book with religious guidelines by which all Englishmen were required to abide. • The Puritans hated it, believing that the Church of England was becoming excessively “Catholic.”
Charles’ Response • Dissolved Parliament in 1629 • In 1640, however, Charles was again forces to call Parliament to approve a new tax. • Parliament now refused to disband. • The “Long Parliament” • The situation deteriorated . . .
English Civil War (1642-1649) • After Parliament refused to disband, Charles sent troops to arrest its leaders. • They escaped and rallied an army to fight the King. • Supporters of King Charles were known as Cavaliers. • Supporters of Parliament were known as Roundheads.
And When Did You Last See Your Father? William F. Yeames’ 1878 painting portrays the Roundhead takeover of a Royalist/Cavalier house during the English Civil War.
Oliver Cromwell and the New Model Army • Roundhead leader Oliver Cromwell’s New Model Army took on the Cavaliers (led by Charles I. • The New Model Army’s officers were promoted base on merit, NOT their noble status.
English Civil War:Results • Under Cromwell’s skillful leadership, the New Model Army (Roundheads) won spectacular victories over Charles’ Cavaliers at battles like Naseby and Marston Moor • By 1647, King Charles had been captured.
Execution of Charles I • After a “trial” before Parliament, King Charles I was beheaded in Jan. 1649. • He was the first European monarch to be tried and executed by his own people. • What message did the execution of Charles I send?
The Commonwealth:Government by Parliament • After Charles’ execution, Parliament abolished the monarchy and declared England a republic. • Since Puritans dominated Parliament, a series of laws stemming from Calvinist beliefs were enacted. • Education for all • Theater and the celebration of Christmas were banned • dancing was discouraged
Oliver Cromwell, “Lord Protector” • By 1653, England’s “republic” had degenerated into something close to a Puritan dictatorship under Cromwell. • All Protestants were officially tolerated, but Catholicism was banned. • Irish Catholics were harshly persecuted and, sometimes, massacred. • The English grew weary of Cromwell and Puritan rule.
Stuart Restoration • After Cromwell’s death, King Charles II was welcomed back to England to restore the Stuart dynasty. • Charles II was religiously tolerant and accepted the Petition of Right. • BUT he had a “terrible” secret, which he confessed to on his death bed . . . . . . He was a closet Catholic!
How could things get worse after Charles II’s death? • Charles’ successor, James II, was openly Catholic! • Things got worse still when . . . • . . . James II had a son!
Glorious Revolution • Parliament invited James II’s Protestant daughter Mary and her husband William of Orange to rule England. • James II fled in the bloodless (relatively) Glorious Revolution Why was it so “glorious”?
English “Bill of Rights” • William and Mary and Parliament agreed on a series of reform laws. • These laws were intended to prevent England from ever becoming absolutist by protecting the rights of Parliament and the people.
Act of Settlement (1701) • Ensured England would remain forever Protestant by forbidding Catholics from inheriting the throne
Absolutism in Austria and Prussia • Thirty Years’ War • Maria Theresa • The Hohenzollerns and Frederick the Great
Thirty Years’ War • Began as a religious conflict between Protestants and the Catholic Hapsburg/Holy Roman Empire. • Brutal conflict led to countless deaths • Peace of Westphalia splintered Hapsburg Empire • Netherlands and Switzerland gained independence • The German states were left largely independent of Hapsburg rule. It began with a defenestration!
