Download Absolutism - Walton High




MedievalAbsolute Monarch
Medieval: Weak kings, little power over feudal
lords, ruled only lands belonging to family
o Kings begin to assert power over the nobles
(Sp, Rus, Prus, Eng, Fr, Aus)
o
• By 17th C. king had become an absolute
monarch

Strengthening of Power
Crusades killed many lords
Rising middle class supported monarch for
protection of property and trade
o Gunpowder: monarch had a powerful weapon
against feudal lords
o Reformation: monarch got power from Church
o Awakening nationalism
o
o

Divine Right of Kings
o
Sun Gate a Versailles
Theory justified absolute power
• King ruled by God’s authority
• Obedience to king was obedience to God
• King could do no wrong

1066 William the Conqueror takes
England
o
Strengthens power of king
• Domesday book for collection of
taxed
• Made all feudal lords swear direct
allegiance to him

Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453)
o
o

England claimed the French Throne
Spurred nationalism (proud of
victories, Loss of French territory
made them focus on English land)
War of the Roses (1455-1485)
Civil War over claims to the Throne;
Henry VII (Tudor) crowned king
o Made the king powerful by:
o
• Killing many nobles, thus removing
rivals for power and increasing
wealth as king claimed dead nobles’
property
• Middle class supported king because
of suffering during war
• Tudors were capable rulers
House of York: white Rose
House of Lancaster: Red Rose

Henry VII (1485-1509)
o

Henry VIII (1507-1547)
o

Began the Anglican Church (Church of
England)
Elizabeth I (1558-1603)
o
o

Re-established monarchy's authority over
nobles, furthered trade and prosperity
Protestant
Defeated Spain, thus making England a
world power
Summary
Tudors expanded government authority,
dominated Parliament
o Economic prosperity, England a world
power
o Nationalism, immense popularity
o

After Elizabeth dies, her cousin James I
(Stuart) becomes king
o
Stuarts are unpopular and English people
rebel


8th-10th C. Charlemagne and his
descendants rule
Capetian Rule (10th-14th C)
o Hugh Capet becomes king in 987,
controlled only area around Paris
o Struggled to weaken feudal lords,
seized Normandy from England
(feudal lord), Forced Church into
“Bablylonian Captivity”

Hundred Years’ War
o Spurred nationalism
o Lords died, strengthening monarch’s
power along with wealth from seized
British lands

In the 15th C. French Kings
consolidated power (Louis XI)

Religious Wars
o Civil Wars in France ended when Catholic
Henry IV (Henry Navarre) takes throne
• For 200 years the Bourbons (Henry’s line)
would rule France

Cardinal Richelieu, minister to King
Louis XIII, Guides France (1624-1642)
o Attained supremacy for king
• Destroyed nobles’ castles, transferred local
power from nobles to government officials
o World power for France
• Richelieu led France in 30 Years’ War in
support of Protestants
• Defeated Hapsburg rivals (ruled Austria
and Spain)

Height of Absolutism
o
o
o
o

Ruled by Divine Right, the Sun King
“L’état c’est moi”
Build palace of Versailles, extravagant court
Never convened the Estates-General
Economics
o
Finance minister: Jean Baptiste Colbert
•
•
•
•
o
Better farming methods
Roads and canals
Protective tariffs
Established colonies
Louis revoked Edict of Nantes
• Thousands of Protestants fled France (hurt
economy)


Louis tried to expand France’s borders, to
limited success
After Louis’ death, French are tired of
wars, taxes, absolutism
o
Louis XVI will be overthrown by the French
Revolution

Unification of Spain (11th-15th C.)
o Christians and Muslims in Spain warring, Christian
rule expands

Ferdinand and Isabella
Ferdinand
and
Isabella
o 1469 Ferdinand and Isabella married, unifying
Christian Spain
• 1492 conquered Grenada, last Moorish stronghold
o Increased power by:
• Weakening nobility by destroying castles
• Weakened church by gaining right to appoint Church
officials
• Enacted laws without approval of Spanish legislature
(Cortes)
o Reconquista
• Persecuted and eventually drove Muslims and Jews
from Spain
• Lost merchants and skilled workers
o Foreign Affairs
• Financed Columbus
• Political marriages for their 3 daughters
• Joanna married Phillip of Hapsburg  Charles V
Fear the
Ruff!!

Charles V = Hapsburg: Controlled
Spain, Netherlands, Sicily,
southern Italy, Austria
o 1520, becomes the Holy Roman
Emperor


Fought French, Turks, Protestant
Germans
1556 Renounces the throne and
joins a monastery
o Brother Ferdinand becomes ruler of
Austria and HRE
o Son becomes Phillip II of Spain

Reign of Phillip II
o Unable to suppress Dutch revolt
o Could not stop English raids on
ships in Caribbean
o Armada defeated by Elizabeth I
o Inefficient government, crushing
taxes, and stagnant economy led to
Spain’s decline as a world power

Brief History
o Settled by Norse and Slavs in 8th and 9th
Ivan the
Great
C.
o 10th C. Converted to Eastern Orthodox
by Byzantine
o 13th C. Conquered by Mongols – 200
years

Ivan the Great (1462-1505)
o Grand Duke of Moscow, overthrew
Mongols
o Gained power by: extending land and
limiting power of nobles
o Grandson: Ivan the Terrible, used cruelty
to extend power, first to be called Czar
• Ivan died, civil wars fought for throne
• 1630 Michal Romanov seized throne,
Romanovs would rule for 300 years
Ivan the
Terrible
(He’s
watching
you!!)

Peter the Great (1682-1725)
o
Strengthened position by
•
•
•
•
o
Creating strong, loyal army
Crushing revolts of nobles
Royal governors to replace local officials
Extended control over Church
Westernization of Russia
• Admired Western culture; introduced ideas of
science, education, military, industry
• Ordered males to shave and don western
garments
•
o

Little impression on majority of populace
Sought a warm water seaport, fought
Sweden and gained new seaport and capital,
St. Petersburg
Catherine the Great (1762-1796)
o
o
German wife of czar, deposed him
Fought the Turks
• Gained northern coast of Black Sea, right to
sail through Dardanelles to Med. Sea
Joined with Austria and Prussia to eliminate
Poland (divided it into 3)
o Made Russia into a major power
o

Hohenzollern Rule (15th-18th C.)
o Family of German nobles acquired
Prussia and established
• Autocratic Government
• Well-trained army
• Expanded territory by marriage, war, and
diplomacy
o 500 years Hohenzollerns ruled Prussia
• 1871 Prussia unified German states,
Hohenzollern king became king of
Germany
o Frederick the Great (1740-1786)
• Military genius, aggressive foreign policy
• 1740 seized province of Silesia from
Austria; eventually evolved into the Seven
Years’ War (1756-1763) (Aus, Ger, Fr, Vs.
Pr, Eng)
• Shared in Partition of Poland
• Made Prussia an 18th C. European power
Prussia and Hohenzollern
land in Germany

Hapsburgs Acquired Austria in the 13th C.
o

Ruled Austria for 600 years
Hapsburg Rule
o
Failures: 
• Lost Switzerland in the late 15th C
• 16th C. failed to stop Protestantism in Germany
• 17th C. failed to defeat France in 30 Years’ War
o
Achievements
• Greatly expanded domain through marriages and alliances
• Ended Turkish Siege of Vienna in 17th C. and drove Muslims
from Central Europe
• 18th C. ruled a vast Austrian empire

Rulers
o
Maria Theresa (1740-1780)
• Most European rulers wanted to forbid her rule, she endured
• Lost Silesia to Prussia, but gained part of Poland
• Governed efficiently and promoted Prosperity
o
Joseph II (1780-1790)
• Subjected Catholic Church to state control and seized church
lands
• Weakened nobles by taxing them and cancelled many
obligations of their serfs
• Abolished local self-government

Achievements
o Unified countries and provided strong central Governments

Weaknesses
o Nation depended on ability of one person, often sacrificed nation for
own interest
o Countless wars
o Disregarded needs of common people

Absolutism Attacked
o 18th C. philosophers in the Enlightenment

Enlightened Despots
o Some rulers tried to justify absolutism “Enlightened Despots” Catherine
the Great, Frederick the Great, Joseph II
o Failed because: did not remove class distinctions, autocracy, unfair
taxes, wars
o Could not ensure good government by their successors