Transcript File

The Age of Absolutism
Philip II
Louis XIV
Peter the Great
Frederick the
Great
Queen Elizabeth
Renaissance
Begins
1350
1420
Age of Exploration
Begins
Reformation
Begins
1550
1517
Absolutists begin
To reign
Europe during a period of crisis:
• RELIGION:
– Religions were becoming highly
militant, especially the Calvinists
& the Catholics.
– FRANCE: Wars on religion
(1562-1598)
• Persecuting Protestants
• Huguenots = French Calvinists
[Protestants]
• The King, Henry of Navarre is a
PROTESTANT!
King Henry of
Navarre
1572 – St. Bartholomeu’s Day Massacre
Slaughtering of the Huguenots, while Huguenot
Henry of Navarre marries French princess Catherine
King Henry Navarre’s Solution
 He Changes to Catholicism in order to keep the
people happy
 “France is worth a mass”
 He then declares the EDICT OF NANTES:
Catholicism is the official religion of France, but
Huguenots could worship
 In the end he is stabbed to death over religion
 Henry has 3 sons who will rule poorly
Europe during a period of crisis:
• ECONOMIC & SOCIAL:
– INFLATION – influx in gold and silver coming in from the
Americas.
– WITCHCRAFT – because of the Inquisition there was an
increased worry of witches.
– THIRTY YEARS WAR – Dispute in Germany over the Peace of
Augsburg (1555).
Thirty Years War
In short:
all European powers ended up being
involved, and it destroyed the Holy Roman
Empire
PEACE OF WESTPHALIA: German states
could determine their own religion
“It is God who establishes kings.
They thus act as ministers of God
and His lieutenants on earth. It is
through them that he rules. This is
why we have seen that the royal
throne is not the throne of a man
but a throne of God himself.”
~ Western Civilization, Margaret L. King, 2000
How to solve this continual crisis?
• SOLUTION  ABSOLUTISM
• What is it?
– System in which ruler holds total power
– Idea of divine right of kings- God gives rulers
the power to rule, so they can’t be wrong
– Needed someone strong enough to solve all
of these problems of crisis in Europe:
CENTRALIZATION
Philip II of Spain
• Dealt with the religious crisis
• Known as: the most CATHOLIC king.
• First goal: consolidate all lands given to him,
and to do this he enforced strict Catholicism:
•
•
•
•
Spain
Netherlands
Possessions in Italy
Possessions in the Americas
• When Philip died he had the most populous
empire in the world, and he was the most
bankrupt.
Elizabeth of England
• Becomes leading Protestant
nation
– New Act of Supremacy: naming
her “only supreme governor”
• Feared Spain and France
allying so she sends out Sir
Francis Drake
• Philip II thinks of invading
England:
– Extend Catholicism
• The famous Spanish Armada is defeated
France and Absolutism- Henry’s
Sons
Louis the BAD Ruler
• Louis XIII- Louis
was actually a very
weak king
• He needed
Cardinal Richelieu
help to rule
• Believed in
Absolute Rule
Louis the 13th
Cardinal Richelieu
• Before Louis comes to
the throne, Richelieu:
– Revokes Edict of
Nantes
– Sets up spies against
the nobles to weaken
their Gov’t power
• He believes in Gov’t by
the middle class,
intendants
Louis XIV of France
• Best example of an
absolute monarch –
Sun King. “L’état
c’est moi”
• His court was the best
example of culture in
the world.
• His court was imitated
throughout Europe.
• Builds PalaceVersailles
Louis XIV
Threats to Louis XIV’s Life!
• The Nobles Attack!!
– During religious war (30 yrs war) Louis was in
the street
– A noble threatened Louis’s life and scratched
his face with a sword
• Louis NEVER FORGOT THIS and hated
the nobles because of it
Cardinal Mazarin
• Louis XIV came to
the throne at age 4
and was thus
Mazarin was his
“kingmaker”
• As a ruler
– Raised taxes
– Ended 30 yrs war
– Strengthened Gov’t
Palace at Versailles
• Louis XIV built this grand palace for himself with his
people’s taxes.
– It cost and estimated $2.5 billion in 2003 dollars.
• This palace is the embodiment of his absolute power.
• It took 36,000 workers and 6,000 horses
• Served 3 purposes:
– Personal household of the king
– Chief offices of state were here
– Power subjects came to find favors
LET’S TAKE A TOUR. . . .SHALL WE. . . .
FIELD TRIP!!!!
Hall of Mirrors:
• Considered the
most beautiful
room
• 17 tall mirrors
on one side
• Windows open
to the garden
• Statues,
chandeliers,
and painted
ceiling
Gardens at
Versailles:
– Still kept fully intact today
– Originally built with:
• 5,000 acres of gardens, lawns, and woods
• 1,400 fountains
Fountains at Versailles:
*Because so much water was needed to run them, it was
only done for special events.
*However, when the king would walk the garden the
servants would turn them on for Louis, and turned off
when he walked away.
Bedroom at Versailles:
*Chief valet awoke Louis at
8:30
*100 nobles awaited
outside his canopy bed to
be able to dress him.
*Only 4 would be allowed
the honor of handing
Louis his slippers or
holding his sleeves for
him.
Louis the Sun King
• 500 Servants
• Wanted everything
around him to be
fancy- feasts, people
fighting to dress him,
• Patron of Arts– Ballet, Art and Musicto Glorify the king
Louis controls the Nobles
• Because of his run-in with the nobles
when he was young (riot during which he
was threatened with a sword), he distrusts
the nobles- takes away much of their
political power
• Strengthened the Middle Class Intendantsthe civil service who collect taxes & police
• Solution- invite nobles to your palace
(Versailles) and make sure that you can
watch everything they do… have power
over them through keeping them CLOSE!
Louis’s Help Ruling
• Jean Baptiste Colbert- Minister of
Finances
– Mercantilism- tries to make France selfsufficient
– No Trade= no gold leaving the country
– Import Tariff
– Colonies for Natural Resources
Good Try Louis
• Louis aimed to expand France by invading
the Spanish part of the Netherlands
• Ended up getting in the war of the Spanish
Succession
• Thanks a lot Louis!
• This warring brought about dismal losses
and heavy taxing
• Upon his death, France was extremely
ecstatic
Germany After the 30 years war:
• Over 300
“Germanies”
• 2 most
powerful
states:
– Prussia
– Austria
Frederick the Great of Prussia
• Built foundation for
a newly made state
of Prussia.
• Known as: Royal
Drill Sergeant:
– Created the 4th
largest army
(40,000) in
Europe
Frederick the Great with
Voltaire
Frederick plays papa to his
people
• Frederick wanted to be a protective
leader to his people
• He encouraged religious toleration
and reform within Prussia
• Aimed to be honest and responsible
• Great legacy is his military strength
and his expansion of Prussia’s power
Peter the Great
• A czar during the Romanov
Dynasty
• Peter was a giant man- 6 feet
tall, and had a HUGE temper.
• Was known to knock people
unconscious if they defied
him
• During a trip to the West,
nobles tried to rise up and
take over the throne- Peter
came back and taught the
rebels a lesson!!!
Peter the Reformer!
• Took a trip to the West and borrowed much of what he
saw from the Europeans.
– Etiquette
– Culture – beards shaved
women don’t have to cover
their faces
Modernized the army (210,000 men) and navy.
• To rule more effectively he set up a “police state” and
governed through provinces.
• Made Russia as important as Europe by his death.
– St. Petersburg – window to the west
= Travels of Peter