Absolutism and the Absolutism and the “Ancien Regime”“Ancien Regime”

-Key Concepts--Key Concepts-

I. The Emergence of the Modern I. The Emergence of the Modern StateState

Old Feudal Notion Old Feudal Notion of the Stateof the State

The Modern The Modern Conception of the Conception of the StateState-- “governed” and -- “governed” and “those who “those who govern”govern”

Role of great wars Role of great wars of the 16of the 16thth and 17 and 17thth centuriescenturies

II. A Definition of AbsolutismII. A Definition of Absolutism The exaltation of the The exaltation of the

ruler as the embodiment ruler as the embodiment of the stateof the state-- “L’etat c’est moi” = “I -- “L’etat c’est moi” = “I am the state!”am the state!”

The role of divine right The role of divine right theorytheory

Absolutism is not Absolutism is not totalitarianism, but totalitarianism, but there are some there are some similarities between the similarities between the two.two.

New scale and feel to New scale and feel to political life—looming political life—looming presence of the statepresence of the state

III. The Tasks of the Absolutist III. The Tasks of the Absolutist StateState

To Secure ObedienceTo Secure Obedience To Exert Control over To Exert Control over

Economic LifeEconomic Life To Protect its Territory To Protect its Territory

and the Expansion of and the Expansion of its Claimsits Claims

--Louis XIV as military --Louis XIV as military herohero

--Peace of Utrecht --Peace of Utrecht (1713)(1713)

To Create a State To Create a State BureaucracyBureaucracy

III. The Tasks of the Absolutist III. The Tasks of the Absolutist State (cont)State (cont)

To Enlist the Service of To Enlist the Service of the Churchthe Church

--Revocation of the --Revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685)Edict of Nantes (1685)

-- “One King, One Law, -- “One King, One Law, One Faith”One Faith”

To Employ Culture to To Employ Culture to Exalt the StateExalt the State

--French Classicism--French Classicism

--Moliere--Moliere

III. The Tasks of the Absolutist III. The Tasks of the Absolutist State (cont)State (cont)

To Gain the Loyalty of To Gain the Loyalty of the Nobilitythe Nobility-- “Nobles of the Sword”: -- “Nobles of the Sword”: The Old Aristocracy with The Old Aristocracy with landed wealthlanded wealth-- “Nobles of the Robe”: -- “Nobles of the Robe”: The New Aristocracy The New Aristocracy with commercial tieswith commercial ties

Size of the nobility in Size of the nobility in various European statesvarious European states

Implicit and structured Implicit and structured social inequalitysocial inequality

IV. Creating a “Spectacle”IV. Creating a “Spectacle”

To be seen was the To be seen was the supreme social duty of supreme social duty of the nobilitythe nobility

To shine at court was To shine at court was to keep the rest of the to keep the rest of the world at a distanceworld at a distance

The monarch created The monarch created the spectacle, or the spectacle, or theater, for this social theater, for this social dramadrama

The importance of The importance of Baroque Capital CitiesBaroque Capital Cities

V. Features of Baroque V. Features of Baroque PlanningPlanning

Center of the City was Center of the City was the Palacethe Palace

Broad, straight Broad, straight avenues radiated out avenues radiated out from the Palacefrom the Palace

Along these avenues Along these avenues were built the were built the important government important government buildingsbuildings

Aristocratic passion for Aristocratic passion for parading along these parading along these avenuesavenues

VI. Paris: A Model City of VI. Paris: A Model City of Baroque AbsolutismBaroque Absolutism

The role of Queen’s The role of Queen’s Course (1616)Course (1616)

The symbolic The symbolic significance of the significance of the straight linestraight line

The Queen’s Course as The Queen’s Course as the “Theater of the the “Theater of the Universe”Universe”

Louis’ disdain for Paris Louis’ disdain for Paris and his removal to and his removal to VersaillesVersailles

--The “Fronde”--The “Fronde”

VII. Versailles: A Model VII. Versailles: A Model Palace of Baroque Palace of Baroque

AbsolutismAbsolutism

““You gaze, you stare, you try to You gaze, you stare, you try to understand that it is real, that it is understand that it is real, that it is on earth, that it is not the Garden on earth, that it is not the Garden

of Eden”of Eden”--Mark Twain--Mark Twain

Versailles Palace features . . .Versailles Palace features . . .

Baroque planningBaroque planning LawLaw OrderOrder UniformityUniformity Conformity to the Conformity to the

King’s willKing’s will Geometry reigned Geometry reigned

supremesupreme

A. The Grounds and GardensA. The Grounds and Gardens

The triumph of The triumph of man over natureman over nature

Acres and acres of Acres and acres of formal gardensformal gardens

The symbolism of The symbolism of geometrical geometrical patternspatterns

Massive canal and Massive canal and 1400 formal 1400 formal fountainsfountains

B. The Palace SquareB. The Palace Square

Symbolism of the Symbolism of the Exterior ViewExterior View

Stables for the Stables for the King’s HorsesKing’s Horses

Central point of Central point of Versailles was Versailles was always the Kingalways the King

C. The King’s BedroomC. The King’s Bedroom

Center of the Center of the PalacePalace

The Significance of The Significance of the daily ritual of the daily ritual of the King’s Risingthe King’s Rising

D. The Hall of MirrorsD. The Hall of Mirrors

The difference between The difference between Baroque interiors and Baroque interiors and Baroque urban planningBaroque urban planning

The role of movement, The role of movement, tension and theatricalitytension and theatricality

The significance of The significance of optical illusions—the optical illusions—the trick of the ceilingtrick of the ceiling

The deep emotionalism The deep emotionalism of the roomof the room

The Grand Relief of The Grand Relief of Louis XIVLouis XIV

E. The ChapelE. The Chapel

Mass held at 12:30 Mass held at 12:30 p.m. each dayp.m. each day

The people The people worshipped the worshipped the King while the King King while the King worshipped Godworshipped God

F. Life at VersaillesF. Life at Versailles

Tedious and extremely Tedious and extremely expensiveexpensive

Only those at Court Only those at Court had any influence with had any influence with Louis XIVLouis XIV

Costume parties, Costume parties, masked balls, and masked balls, and gossipgossip

The drama of flirtation The drama of flirtation and the public role of and the public role of the bedroomthe bedroom

The bedroom will be The bedroom will be replace by the salonreplace by the salon

G. An Imaginary WorldG. An Imaginary World

Versailles was the Versailles was the great theater upon great theater upon which the drama of which the drama of absolute power was absolute power was staged.staged.

Ideas were treated as Ideas were treated as realities—the “make realities—the “make believe world” of the believe world” of the powerful and rich.powerful and rich.

Real people, real cities, Real people, real cities, and real problems were and real problems were treated as if they were treated as if they were imaginary.imaginary.

VIII. The Emerging Culture of VIII. The Emerging Culture of CapitalismCapitalism

The difference The difference between mercantilism between mercantilism and capitalismand capitalism

France under ColbertFrance under Colbert—a case study of —a case study of mercantilismmercantilism

Amsterdam—a case Amsterdam—a case study of capitalismstudy of capitalism--orderliness and --orderliness and rationalization rationalization reflected the themes reflected the themes of Baroque urban of Baroque urban planningplanning