Absolutism: The Time of Kings

Spain, Netherlands, England, Russia, France & German States

Spain

The Rise of Spain

• In 1556, Charles the V– Holy Roman Emperor– King of Spain– Nephew of Catherine of Aragon– Gave title of Emperor and Hapsburg lands to son

Ferdinand I• Turned over power of Spain to his son, Philip II– Husband of Queen Mary of England, Catherine of Aragon’s daughter

“When Spain moves, the whole world trembles.”

• Spain was by far the wealthiest country

• Spain now had land all over the world– American Colonies & European city-states

• Power and $ came from vast imperialism that circled the globe

• To protect all this land and wealth, Spain had largest and best equipped army in Europe.

Philip also fought the Protestants

• Philip was devout Catholic who wanted to strengthen Christendom

• Philip tried to expel Protestants from Spain and overthrow Protestant rulers throughout Europe

• He despised the Dutch, but could not stamp out Protestantism there

• In England, he wanted to marry Queen Elizabeth, his former wife’s ½ sister.

Queen Mary I – “Bloody Mary”

Queen Elizabeth I “The Virgin Queen”

The Decline of Spain• Philip sent huge fleet to conquer England• In 1558 the Spanish Armada LOST to Elizabeth!!

• Spain had no middle-class, so economy faltered.

• England grew strong and Spain weakened.

The Decline of Spain

• Philip sent a huge fleet to conquer England• In 1558 the Spanish Armada LOST to a WOMAN!• Spain had no middle-Class while other

economies were growing from their middle-class – (remember, Spain had kicked out Jews & Moors who

had made up their middle-class)• England and France grew strong as Spain

weakened

The Dutch Netherlands

Differences

SPAIN• Still lived like Middle-ages

• Feudal System in tact

• Catholicism only

• Failing economy

• Monarchy

NETHERLANDS• Post Medieval living

• Busy Cities

• Protestantism growing

• Booming economy

• Republic

The Dutch Rebel Against Spain

• Philip II sent his sister to govern with goals of stamping out Protestantism (1/3 of pop) and raising taxes.

• In 1566, the Dutch rebelled with riots and Philip sent 20,000 troops to destroy Protestantism in the Netherlands

• From 1568-1578, war b/w Catholic Spain and Protestant Dutch ravaged the Netherlands

Dutch Success• By 1600, The United Provinces was the one country

accepting all faiths, including Judaism

• They established a republic

• Dutch built a trading empire by leading a new economic system; CAPITALISM– Formed Dutch East Indies Co.– System of trade, profit, and investment led to many other

countries adopting it– So successful, Dutch replaced Italians as bankers in Europe– Became known as “Commercial Revolution”: capitalism so

successful, it spreads and becomes dominant economic system in Europe

French Politics

From mid 16th to 17th centuries: Difficult and Violent

The Bourbons vs. The GuiseThe Hugueonots v. The Catholics

• By mid to late 1500’s, Calvinism had spread rapidly in France.

• Approximately 1/6 of French were followers of Calvin (Huguenots)

• Catholics, who had once housed the Pope in France, were furious

• Two families, one Catholic, one Huguenot, had caused 9 civil wars in just over 25 years.

The Family Crests

The Violent-side of a Mother

• Catherine Medici really ruled for her 3 week sons• She sided with the Guise family– Not for Religious reasons– For Political ones

• For fear she was losing influence over her son, she ordered the assassination of her son’s good friend and royal advisor, a protestant.

• Catherine sanctioned the bloodiest day in the civil wars between the Guise and the Bourbons.

St. Bartholomew’s Day

• August 24, 1572• Catholics murdered about 12,000 Huguenots

A Protestant Takes the Throne

• Catherine de Medici died in 1589 and member of the Bourbon family became King: Henry IV

• Henry had a hard time convincing Catholics of his ability

• In 1593 Henry became Catholic

“Paris is well worth a mass.”

• The Edict of Nantes (except in Paris)

• Henry then spent the rest of his reign rebuilding France and restoring peace.

• However, he was stabbed to death in 1610 by a Protestant who hated his compromise.

Cardinal Richelieu

• Henry’s 9 yr. old son, Louis XIII, became king

• Real power was held by the Cardinal

• Two Goals:– Increase Power of

Bourbon Monarchy– Make France strongest

state in Europe

Three Threats to French Power

• Problem: Independence of Huguenot cities– Answer: Restricted Edict of Nantes allowed for fortified

cities• Problem: Power of French Nobility– Answer: Ordered to removed fortified castles & private

armies– Answer: Advisors, from middle-class, collected taxes

and handed out justice– nobles not needed.• Problem: Armies of the Hapsburgs (Spain & HRE)– Answer: France Triumphed

Louis XIV

• Versailles• Colbert as Finance Minister• The Arts• War

Colbert’s Economy

• Mercantilism– Policy sought to gain wealth by acquiring gold and

expanding trade– Expand manufacturing to increase exports over

imports• Favorable balance of trade

– Colonies also seen for profit

Palace of Versailles

The Arts

• Lover of the arts, Louis surrounded himself with playwrights, artists, writers, musicians and gardners.

• Many of the pieces hedecorated Versailles withare now in the Louvre.

Wars Cost Louis XIV & France

• War of Spanish Succession– Effort to unite Spain and France (failed)

• Balance of Power

BALANCE OF POWER

Russia

Peter the Great

Russia Under an Absolute Monarch

• Peter Romanov– Czar Peter I• Historically Russia had been isolated from

Western Europe– Middle Ages, looked to Constantinople for religion

and culture– Mongol rule decreased education– Russians unaware of Renaissance, Age of

Exploration & Scientific Revolution

Modernizing Russia

• Peter I travels to W. Europe• Upon return, he rules as Absolute Monarch• Modernizes:– Better treatment of women– New calendar– New Crops– New Palace

Peterhof

Ends Isolationism

• Briefly won access to Black Sea, but lost it Turks

• Seized a strip of land on Baltic coast from Sweden

• Built St. Petersburg there– 1917, named Leningrad– 1991, re-named St. Petersburg

Religion Divides Germany

The Seeds of War

• Despite Peace of Augsburg – 1555 , Catholics and Protestants did not trust one another

• Catholicism or Lutheranism were ONLY religious options, but both wanted control

• Lutherans joined Protestant Union

• Catholics formed Catholic League

Christian Division

• Protestant Flags• Catholic Flag

Ferdinand II

Their King… Ferdinand II was a Hapsburg & HRE (nephew of Charles V and cousin of Philip II)

• Three groups did not like him

– Nationalists– Lutherans– Bourbon King of France

The Spark

• A Czech, Protestant mob rioted because their king was foreign and a Catholic

• Ferdinand sent an army to put down the revolt• Many Protestant princes took the opportunity

to challenge the Catholic Emperor

The Thirty Years War

Power alternates between Catholics and Protestants

Results of The Thirty Years’ War(1618-48)

• German population declined from 20 m to 13.5 m.

• Many died of hunger from villages being burned and plundered, as well as disease.

• Many peasants were forced back into serfdom by marauding armies who destroyed their homes.

• Germany’s economy ruined!!

The Treaty of Westphalia Five Major Terms:

• France took Alsace– fertile land on Rhine• Sweden took two pieces of Germany• German princes free from HRE and can go to war and sign

treaties• Calvinists now equal to Lutherans and Catholics • Dutch Republic now independent

Long-term consequences: • Germany lost all unity• Holy Roman Empire no longer held any authority over the 300

states• Hapsburg states of Austria & Spain declined• France was now strongest state in Europe

Results Absolutism– Revolution!!

• English Revolution

• American Revolution

• French Revolution