Feudalismwas based onthe holding of

land. People wereloyal to lords.

Though people ina similar regionspoke the same

language, they didnot think of

themselves asEnglish or French.

It was not until the idea of nationalismdeveloped that people began to think

of themselves as members of a nation-state. With nationalism, people are

loyal to their country or nation. Nationalismbegan in the eleventh century when

England became a nation.

Absolute monarchsor kings and queens

with completepower eventuallydestroyed the oldfeudal system and

took completecontrol over their

subjects. A centralgovernment replacedthe powerful lords of

the Middle Ages.

It is important to remember that thefeudal system was decentralized

because there were many powerful lords,each with his own rules.

A centralized government is morestable because law and order comes

from one person or one group of people.

Absolute monarchsseized absolutecontrol of everyaspect of life in their respectivecountries. Theyeven took poweraway from the

Roman CatholicChurch.

Queen Elizabeth I of England wasan absolute monarch.

Peter the Great, theTsar of Russia,

and King Louis XIVof France were alsoabsolute monarchs.

During theMiddle Ages,

the Popehad been the

strongest authority

in WesternEurope.

Under absolutism,monarchs or kings

challenged the pope’s politicalpower, wealth,

and land.

Absolute monarchs believed thattheir power came from God. They

believed that their decisions could not bequestioned.

They believed in Divine Right Theory.Divine Right Theory was the beliefthat a monarch’s power came from

God.

Absolutemonarchsfrequentlycame into

conflictwith one

another asthey soughtto expand

their territory

As one absolute ruler said, “I amthe state.” With absolutism andthe rise of nation-states, a new

era in world history began.

As the era of the feudal knight ended, the rise of the national

army began.

Questions:

• How did nationalism differ from feudalism?• Define absolutism.• Provide examples of absolute monarchs.• How did absolute monarchs govern?• Define Divine Right Theory.• Why did absolutism and divine right theory

encourage the rise of nation-states?• Why is a centralized government stable?