Download Absolutism and Constitutionalism in Western Europe

Chapter Sixteen:
Absolutism in
Western Europe
Definition of Absolutism:
• In an absolutist state, power
resided only in kings who
considered themselves
accountable to God alone.
• Absolute kings created new
state bureaucracies, regulated
the government, and secured
the support of the nobility.
How is Absolute different from
totalitarian?
Absolute Power
• Rule by divine Right
• Secured the favor of
nobility
• Maintained standing
armies
• Looked towards
expansion as a way to
hide domestic issues
• Hereditary
Totalitarian
• Usually remove religion
(i.e. Stalin) or at the least,
rarely use religion for
justification
• Used military – often fed
in to lower class ideals
• Also looked towards
expansion as a way to
hide domestic issues
• By vote or by force
What is better: Absolute
Monarchy or Administrative
Monarchy?
This is an excellent essay
question
Foundations of French
Absolutism: Henry IV, Sully,
and Richelieu
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II.
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Henry IV
Cared for his people
Lowered taxes
Condensed power of the nobility
Overall, gained peace
Sully
Henry IV’s minister
Brought about financial security
Also brought about economic growth
III. Cardinal Richelieu
Ruler of France under Louis XIII
Broke power of the French nobility
Subordinated all groups and
organizations to the French monarchy
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Altered the royal council
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Established an efficient administration
system using intendants, whom
weakened the nobility
- They delivered royal orders, collected
taxes, and recruited men for army
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IV. Through the Edict of Nantes, Henry IV
gave Huguenots (protestants) religious
freedom in 150 towns, but Louis XIII
changed that dramatically
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Re-instituted the Catholic mass
Many protests over high taxes and food
shortages
Usually let riots “burned themselves out”
V. Richelieu sought to break Hapsburg power
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Supported the resisting of the Swedish king
against the Hapsburgs
Acquired land and influence in Germany
VI. Richelieu supported the French
Academy
• It created a dictionary which to normalized
the French language
VII. French government’s ability to tax was
limited by the nobility
VIII. Mazarin continued Richelieu’s policies
• Gave rise to a period of civil wars known as
the Fronde (Fronde means anyone who
opposes the government)
• Rebellion was widespread
• Conflicts hurt the economy and new king,
Louis XIV, thought that absolute anarchy
was the only way
The Absolute Monarchy
of Louis XIV
About Louis XIV
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Known as “Sun King”
Devoted Catholic
Feared the nobility
Enhanced both aristocratic prestige
and royal power
I. Made the court at Versailles a fixed
institution
• Used it as a means of protecting royal
power and as the center of absolutism
• French language and culture became the
international style
• Weakened the aristocracy and separated
power from status
• A centralized state was formed
II. Financial and Economic management
under his minister, Colbert
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Louis’ wars were expensive
- Most farmers ended up paying more taxes
than the nobility
Encouraged French industry and enacted
high foreign tariffs
Hoped to make Canada part of the French
empire
Though France’s industry grew, it’s
agriculture economy suffered under the
burden of heavy taxation
III. The Revocation of the
Edict of Nantes
• In 1685, Louis revoked the Edict of Nantes
• Then destroyed the Protestant churches and
schools
• Many Protestants fled the country
Why?
• Because Louis hated the division of France
• And also most people supported the policy
Louis XIV’s Wars
I. Louis kept France at war for
33 of the 54 years he ruled
• Created a professional army
• Army was modern because the state,
not the nobles, employed the soldiers
• Took personal control of the army
• Martinet created a firm but effective
system of training
II. Louis continued Richelieu’s
expansionist policy
• In 1667, he invaded Flanders and gained
twelve towns
• Strasbourg was taken in 1681 and Lorraine
in 1684
• Fought the Dutch king of England,
William III, and the League of Augsburg in
a war
- His heavy taxes fell on the peasants, resulting in
many revolts
• This led to the War of
Spanish Succession (17011713)
–Attempt to preserve the balance of
power in Europe
–War ended French expansionism
and left France on the brink of
bankruptcy
–Concluded with the Peace of
Utrecht (1713), which forbade the
union of France and Spain
The Decline of
Absolutist Spain in the
17th Century
II. Philip’s minister Olivares
thought that the revival of war
with the Dutch would solve
Spain’s problem
• Led to war with France
III. The Treaty of Pyrenees
(1659) marked the end of
Spain as a great power.
• Ended all French-Spanish wars
• Too much of Spain’s past had been
built upon gold, silver, and slavery
• Cervantes’ novel Don Quixote
characterizes the dreams that Spain
once had
I. Spain had developed an absolutist
monarchy but by the 1590s it was in
a serious decline
• Population decline, intellectual isolation,
and the lack of a strong middle class led to
its decline.
• The Dutch and English began to cut into
Spain’s training
• Their supply of silver began to decline;
which led to bankruptcy