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th 17 Century’s Search for Order Absolutism in France and Eastern Europe Constitutionalism with the English and Dutch The 17th Century • Revolutionary transformation – Crisis in agriculture and industry • Spain, France, Germany, England – Armies grew to the biggest point since Rome • Burden fell to the population- taxation – Urban disorder and peasant revolts – Princes struggled to free themselves from obstacles to gain sovereignty • Freedom from church interference • Freedom from competition with private armies • Ultimate authority resting with the State – Two systems emerge: absolutism and constitutionalism The Absolutist State • Sovereignty is embodied in the ruler – Ruled by divine right and answered to God – “L’etat, c’est moi!” Louis XIV – Controlled rivaling authorities • Rooted out feudal legacies • Regulated religious sects • Abolished some traditional liberties – Unlike medieval kings who bargained with nobles for financial support, they established bureaucracies that found alternative financing – Armies became the symbol of the absolutist state Absolutism vs. Totalitarianism • Totalitarianism is a 20th century phenomenon – Seeks to direct all aspects of culture (art, education, religion, economy, politics, etc.) toward the state’s interests – Total regulation • Absolutism foreshadowed Totalitarianism in 2 ways: – Glorification of the state over all aspects of culture – Use of war and expansionist foreign policy to divert attention from domestic ills France: Henry IV, Sully, Richelieu • Henry IV inherited an enormous mess – Starvation, war, pillage and plunder – Henry promised a “chicken in every pot” – Tried to gain protestant support by appointing protestant Maximilien de Bethune, duke of Sully as chief minister – He tried to keep France out of war • Brief but successful war with Savoy in 1601 – He and Sully helped France get back on its feet The King is Dead • Henry was assassinated in 1610 by a “crazed fanatic” • Queen-regent Marie de Medici ruled for their son Louis XII • Feudal lords and princes began to assert control • Marie appointed Cardinal Richelieu to the council of ministers who eventually became the prime minister and had tremendous influence over the young king – Pressed for total subordination to the monarchy • Leveled castles to put down feudalism • Beheaded rivals (duke of Montmorency, Godson of Henry • Appointed royal commissioners to each of the 32 districts – Appointed by and answer to the king – Were not locals from the district – Became the eyes and ears of the king Strengthening the Monarchy • Henry had drawn up the Edict of Nantes which allowed protestants to maintain heir religions and their own garrisons • Louis saw this as a state within a state and called for a unification of faith • Battle ensues- LaRochelle – Protestant district with ties to the English and Dutch – The city fell and the Catholic liturgy was reinstated • First mass was celebrated by the cardinal himself • “Where the interests of the state are concerned, God absolves actions which, if privately committed, would be a crime.” • Richelieu was succeeded by the regent for Louis XIVCardinal Jules Mazarin The Fronde • Mazarin was not as strong as Richelieu • Period of civil wars • 3 results: – Government would have to compromise with the social elites and the bureaucracy – Economy was devastated – Was a traumatic experience that left a mark on the young Louis XIV Louis XIV: The Sun King • Longest reign in European history (1643-1715) • Responsible for the “complete domestication of the nobility” • Built the Royal Court of Versailles – The Great Hall of Mirrors • Candles illuminated the ceiling which contained allegorical paintings of the king’s victories – Kept the nobility close at hand – Never called an estates general • Nobility had no means of united expression • Appointed Jean-Baptiste Colbert the controller general of finances Mercantilism • Rigorously applied to France by Colbert • A nation’s international power was based on the amount of gold they possessed – To accomplish this he insisted that France sell everything abroad and buy nothing in return • Required self-sufficiency – Subsidized and granted royal privileges to industry – Created a powerful merchant marine • Invested tremendous funds in shipbuilding and the training of sailors • Helped make Canada and eventually Louisiana part of the French empire The Edict Revoked • Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes in 1685 – Destruction of Huguenot churches, closing of schools, baptism of Huguenots and the exile of pastors • French Religious toleration was never meant to be permanent • Toleration was never a popular policy among the aristocrats Eastern Europe • Serfdom had been reinstated between 1400 and 1650 • Tragic reversal of trends – Peasants were losing their free status – Lords began taking over peasant land and imposing stiffer labor obligations • Up to 6 days a week with no pay – Prior to this they were paying fairly negotiated rents – Local lord took over the legal system – In Poland, nobles could legally inflict the death penalty at will – Subjugation became hereditary again Possible Reasons • Can you imagine ay reason why this may have happened at this time? – Consider the depression of the 14th and 15th centuries – Consider the prosperity in the 16th and 17th Austria and Prussia • Strong kings began to emerge in the 17th • War and the threat of war aided their consolidation • Eventually the political power of the nobles was reduced but the power over their peasants was their compensation – First rulers began imposing taxes indiscriminately – Second they created permanent standing armies – Third they conducted relations with other states The Hapsburgs in Austria • Came out if the thirty years war impoverished • Their effort to get rid of the protestants and turn the HRE into a real state was a failure • While the family retained the ancient title the power was broken up among 300 separate political jurisdictions • Ferdinand II defeated the protestant bohemians and gave their land to Catholic nobles • This helped him establish absolutism • Ferdinand III further consolidated the provinces • Suleiman the magnificent and the Ottoman Empire • Promoted a sense of unity in the Hapsburg Empire • Yet the absolute rule was on shaky ground Quiz • Describe the transition to absolute rule in Prussia. Constitutionalism • Limitation of government by law – Balance between authority and power of the government – And of rights and liberties of the people • Constitution may be written, unwritten, or partly written • Constitutionalism is not the same as a democracy • Could be a monarchy or a republic – Could be seen as a step toward democracy England’s Decline of Absolutism • Elizabeth I had incredible personal power • 17th century was different – Little political stability • Civil war, executed king, military dictatorship, restored son of murdered king – James Stuart, cousin of Liz and King of Scotland became James I and set the century off to a bad start • Lacked the diplomacy and mystique of the Tudors • Lectured the house of commons on the divine right of kings • Gentry owned the majority of the nation’s wealth and had gained considerable liberty under the Tudors – James and his son Charles I tried to tighten reigns on the house of commons and the gentry in general Religious Issues • Puritans posed a problem because they pushed for further reform or “purification.” – Vestments, stained glass, lavish ceremonies • Many Englishmen were attracted to the tenets of Calvinism’s social strategy – The protestant ethic • James and Charles were both Calvinist in philosophy but were sympathetic to Roman Catholicism – People feared the country would return to Catholicism • The Book of Common Prayer was revised to include things that seemed Roman to the Scottish Presbyterians – They revolted and Charles had to call parliament in session to get cash to raise an army English Civil War • • • • Ireland remained Catholic Scotland remained Presbyterian England was Anglican with Catholic sympathy Charles’ hands were tied because he had no army and parliament didn’t trust him – History of bad taxes, Ship money, etc. • 1649 he was beheaded for treason • A commonwealth was established and puritan Oliver Cromwell became the protectorate Military Absolutism • Cromwell becomes head of government • He gives parliament new powers • Granted religious toleration to all Christians except Catholics – Considered Irish Catholicism as sedition • Crushed rebellions there and granted land to Scots • Navigation Acts – English goods on English ships – Colonial trade – Aimed at the Dutch • Cromwell died in 1658 The Restoration • After Cromwell’s death the English were fed up with military rule • They recalled Charles II from exile • He was a relaxed guy and allowed parliament to handle doctrinal matters – English had to receive communion in the Anglican church • Hard to enforce • He agreed to work with parliament and convene it regularly The Secret Deal • 1670 Charles entered secret agreements with Louis XIV • Charles had his name put on the French Payroll to the tune of 200,000 pounds per year – Charles had to relax laws against the Catholics, join the French against the Dutch, and convert to Catholicism • The deal leaked out and England was resentful toward the French and the Catholics – Parliament passed a bill precluding a Catholic successor – Charles dissolved parliament James II • Charles’ brother James succeeded him • Louis’ Revocation of the Edict of Nantes instilled fear in the English • James then appointed Catholics to positions in the army, in the universities, and the government • He then issues a declaration of religious tolerance to everyone – Including Catholics and protestant dissenters Almost a Catholic Dynasty • James’ wife gave birth to a son (baptized Catholic) • The English knew that this meant the restoration of Catholicism • They offered the throne to James’ daughter Mary and her husband the Dutch Prince William of Orange • James and his wife and son went to live with Louis • William and Mary were crowned in 1689 The Glorious Revolution • By accepting their crown from parliament Bill and Mary accepted their authority – The king would rule with the consent of the people • A bill of rights was enforced • John Locke’s Second Treatise of Civil Government – Life, Liberty, and Property – When these are no longer protected the government has failed and the people have the right to overthrow it. Quiz • Answer #1 and chose either #2,3, or 4 – 1. Saint Simon faulted Louis for encouraging the nobles extravagance. Is that a justifiable criticism? – 2. Using 3 examples from the reading, how did absolutism decline in England in the 17th? – 3. Using 3 examples from the book, describe Puritanical Militarism. – 4. Describe the rule of the Stuarts citing three of them in particular.