Absolutism in Western Europe

1. Absolutism in Western Europe

2. Absolutism • Absolutism • Conscious attempt by state sovereigns to extend their legal and administrative power over their subjects & over the vested interests of the social and economic institutions w/i their coun. • Age of Absolutism—1660-1789 (Height of it, but since 1500 rulers had been trying to make the state more powerful) • Difference between absolutism and totalitarianism • Difference between absolutism and despotism • Administrative monarchy –concept of public service and private property • Difference from medieval traditions • Monarch as embodiment of the state • L’état, c’est moi –Louis XIV

3. Appeal of Absolutism • Wanted an end to the turbulence of French religious wars & 30 Years War • Only strong central gov’t could provide domestic order and prosperity. • Rulers insisted it was their duty to teach subjects how to order their domestic affairs, even against their will

4. Theory of Absolutism • Jean Bodin • Late 16th century Political theorist • Bishop Jacques Bossuet • Politics Drawn from the Very Words of Scripture • Divine-right theory • Thomas Hobbes • The Leviathan • Defended absolutism without using religious justifications, based solely on reason

5. 5 Goals of Absolutist Rulers • 1. Control & enlarge the armed forces • 2. Control the administration of the legal system • 3. Control the collection and distribution of taxes • 4. Create an efficient bureaucracy whose allegiance was to the monarchy, not to other social or economic interests within the country • 5. Create a set of institutions strong enough to withstand, if not destroy the private interests that had hindered royal power in the past • The Church • The Nobility • Semi-autonomous regions • Independent representative bodies • These were all obstacles to achieving a strong centralized monarchical gov’t

6. French Absolutism • Henry IV –administrative reforms • Edict of Nantes • Taille—direct land tax levied on French peasantry & non-nobles • Purchase of offices permitted • Richelieu –Fr. Cardinal • Chief minister for Louis XIII • Intendants • Eliminated the political and military power of Huguenots • Created spy network to crush noble plots • Foreign policy –supported enemies of the Hapsburgs • Developed the French Academy, to standardize and promote Parisian French as the official dialect of French

8. French Absolutism • Richelieu –“Where the interests of the state are concerned, God absolves actions which, if privately committed, would be a crime.” • Richelieu is succeeded by Mazarin, another cardinal, trained by Richelieu in statecraft • Intriguing –churchmen are more responsible for influencing state policy and absolutism than kings • Louis XIII succeeded by his son, Louis XIV at the age of 4 • What was the Fronde? • How did it affect Louis XIV?

9. Absolute Monarch –Louis XIV • “The Sun King”, what is the significance of that image? • God established rulers on earth –what political conclusions are inevitable from that position? • Ascended the throne at age 4, tutored by Mazarin, takes no chief advisor upon Mazarin’s death, rules until age 76, his death.

11. Louis XIV’s Efforts to Make Himself Absolute Ruler • Divided France into 36 administrative units • Diminished the power of the regional parlements • Expanded and overhauled the army • Diminished power of private interests • Revoked Edict of Nantes • Didn’t call Estates General • Used Versailles to emasculate nobility • Threatened parlements with exile • Outer provinces had their provincial estates crippled • Collected taxes • Taille • Capitation tax • Gabelle • Aide

12. Center of Absolutism -Versailles • Privileged nobles were encouraged to live at Versailles with their family • Other monarchs sought to imitate Versailles –leading in part to French becoming new language of polite society and diplomacy

13. Versailles

22. Wars of Louis XIV • Le Tellier developed a professional army of 100,000 in peace & 400,000 in war • Louis wanted: • Parts of the HRE—extend French boundaries to the Rhine • To decrease Dutch commercial prosperity • Spanish Netherlands • To dominate European affairs • Prestige and military glory that suited the Sun King • Fought 4 Wars

23. The War of Devolution (1667-68) • France invaded Spanish Netherlands & Franch-Comte • Triple Alliance of England, Holland, and Sweden intervened & forced Louis to withdraw • Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1668) gave France several towns along border of the Spanish Netherlands

24. The Dutch War (1672-78) • Louis broke up Triple Alliance by signing a treaty with King of England • Louis invaded Holland in 1672 • William defended country by opening the dikes and gaining support of HRE, Brandenburg, & Spain • Peace of Nijmegen (1678-79)—France gained Franche-Comte and more towns along border of Spanish Netherlands

25. War of the League of Augsburg (1688-97) • Aka as the Nine Years’ War • Louis tried to push France’s frontier to the northeast into territory along the Rhine R. • William of Orange (became King of England in 1689) formed a new alliance against France • Treaty of Ryswick—France lost most of its gains, but kept Alsace.

26. War of the Spanish Succession (1701-14) • King Charles II of Spain died in 1700 & left crown to Philip of Anjou, grandson of Louis XIV • Leopold, the HRE, challenged the succession for his son Charles • High stakes b/c not just Spain, but also its colonial empire • European powers couldn’t let a Bourbon gain Spain and France

27. War of the Spanish Succession (1701-14) • England, Holland, & HRE vs. French • Peace of Utrecht (1713) & Rastatt (1714) ended the fighting • Recognized Philip of Anjou as King Philip V of Spain, but the 2 thrones would remain separate • Austrian Hapsburgs gained Spanish Netherlands, Naples, Sardinia, & Milan • French lost colonies—Newfoundland, Novia Scotia, and the Hudson Bay area • English gained Gibraltar, Minorca, and the Asiento • Elector of Brandenburg was recognized as King of Prussia

28. French Financial Policy -Mercantilism • Jean-BaptisteColbert –Louis XIV’s chief financial advisor • Maximized exports, limited imports, and built up France’s supply of gold & silver • Encouraged industry, reduced domestic customs barriers, & tried to eliminate the nobility’s ability to interfere with trade. • Expanded gov’t’s role in the economy • Promoted the building of canals and roads & expanded France’s merchant fleet

29. State Finances Under Louis XIV • Haphazard financial system • Nobility & clergy were exempt from most direct taxes & middle class evaded many • Main tax burden fell on peasants & lower middle class • Tax collectors paid for the privilege of collecting the taxes=much corruption and waste • Colbert instituted mercantilist policies

30. Louis XIV’s Religious Policy • Defended idea that the king exercised administrative control over the church in France while recognizing the pope’s authority over faith and morals • Huguenots made up 10% of population by 1660s • Louis probably believed they undermined his political authority • 1685—Edict of Fontainebleau—revoked the Edict of Nantes & approved the destruction of Huguenot churches & closing of schools • 200,000 Huguenots fled to England, Holland & Germany • Weakened the French economy b/c many were skilled artisans

31. The Decline of Spain • Contrast the success of France with the Failure of Spain: • Financial problems • Philip II went bankrupt in 1596 & so did Philip III in 1607 • Army was out of date • Gov’t inefficient • Commercial class was weak • Peasantry were suppressed • Nobility loved luxury • Overabundance of priests and monks

32. Decline of Spain • Reign of Philip IV • De Guzman, count of Olivares—chief minister • Tried to limit power of Church & landed aristocracy • Tried to centralize gov’t • Failed b/c the number & power of nobles was too strong • Undermined their own efforts through costly wars that led to internal revolts

33. Decline of Spain • Foreign wars and expulsion of Moors and Jews stripped Spain of creative and middle class (few people saw money-making jobs as useful) • Inflation and taxes fell heavily on poor • Spanish kings constantly overran budgets and weren’t considered good credit risks by most European bankers • Inbreeding among the Hapsburgs resulted in an impotent and inept heir in Charles II (see following pictures)

34. Philip III Philip IV Charles II