Absolute Monarchs in Europe

Chapter 21

What is Absolutism?

• Political belief that one ruler should have total (ABSOLUTELY ALL) power– Despot-RulerDespot-Ruler with total power– Absolute Monarch Absolute Monarch - King or Queen with total

power

What is Absolutism?

• Based on the Divine Right Divine Right of Kings– God created the monarchy– Monarch is God’s representative on Earth– Monarch answers only to GodGod.

Not to His/Her subjects

Louis XIV• Frances most powerful

ruler – Sun KingSun King– “I am the State”– Built Palace at Versailles Palace at Versailles

to show his power and make other monarchs jealous

Causes of Absolutism• Long-term causes

– Decline of FeudalismFeudalism– Rise of cities and

middle class– Rise of nationalismnationalism– Loss of Church

authority

Causes of Absolutism

• Short-Term Causes– Religious/territorial conflicts– Build-up of armies– Increasing taxestaxes– RevoltsRevolts by peasants or nobles

Religious Wars

• Conflict between CatholicsCatholics & ProtestantsProtestants (Huguenots) led to EIGHT civil wars civil wars in France form 1562 - 1598

Religious Wars

• Thirty Years War Thirty Years War in Germany

(1618 – 1648)

Key royal house

= HapsburgHapsburg

Religious Wars

– Started when Bohemian ProtestantsProtestants revolted against the Catholic HapsburgHapsburg rulers

– Conflict over religionreligion, territoryterritory & powerpower of ruling families involved almost all major Euro. powers

Religious Wars

Effects: – Devastated Germany’s EconomyGermany’s Economy– Weakened Spain and Austria– Strengthened FranceFrance– START OF MODERN STATE SYSTEM IN

EUROPE.

Some Absolute Monarchs

• Maria Theresa– Austria– Only inheritedinherited the

throne after other European powers agreed to recognize her as heir

Some Absolute Monarchs• Frederick the

Great– PrussiaPrussia

– Believed that a ruler should be like a fatherfather to his people

Some Absolute Monarchs

• Philip II– Spain

– Defended CatholicismCatholicism & helped stimulate art and literature

Some Absolute Monarchs• Ivan the Terrible

– RussiaRussia

– Took Power from the BoyarsBoyars (nobles) after accusing them of poisoning his wife

There were Alternatives

• United provinces of the NetherlandsNetherlands– Religious tolerance– Elected governors

depended on landownerslandowners & merchantsmerchants for power

There were Alternatives

• England– Parliament struggled with absoluteabsolute rulers

over money, religion and individual rightsindividual rights

There were Alternatives• England

– Conflict eventually led to the English Civil War Civil War between PuritansPuritans and Royalists Royalists

(Parliament) (the King)

There were Alternatives• England

– English Civil War• After the Puritans won

Their leader, Oliver Cromwell

became a military dictatormilitary dictator

There were Alternatives

• The MonarchyMonarchy was restored after his death…but it WAS NOT absoluteabsolute

There were Alternatives

• England

– Glorious Glorious RevolutionRevolution• William & Mary

came to power• They agreed to a

Constitutional Constitutional MonarchyMonarchy, where laws limit the rulers power

Effects of Absolutism

• Short term effects– Rules about social gatherings social gatherings & religion

controlled the spread of ideasspread of ideas– Huge building projects– New government bureaucraciesbureaucracies– Loss of power for nobility & legislatureslegislatures

(Parliament)

Effects of Absolutism

• Long term Effects– French RevolutionFrench Revolution– Western European influences on RussiaRussia– English political reforms influence U.S. U.S.

DemocracyDemocracy

• French Spanish

• British German