Transcript File

Central European
Monarchs Clash
Chapter Five – Section Three
Absolutism Objective
Summarize the development of
absolute and constitutional
monarchies in Europe from
1500 to 1800
Chapters in Brief
Germany had suffered from religious wars that ended in 1555.
Rulers of each state agreed that they would decide whether their
lands would be Catholic or Protestant. Over the next decades,
though, the two sides had tense relations. In 1618, a new war
broke out and lasted for 30 terrible years.
In the first half of the war, Catholic forces led by Ferdinand -the
Holy Roman Emperor, won. However, Germany suffered,
because he allowed his large army to loot towns. Then the
Protestant king of Sweden won several battles against him. In the
last years of the war, France helped the Protestants. Although
France was a Catholic nation, Richelieu feared growing Hapsburg
family power.
Chapters in Brief
The Thirty Year’s War ended in1648 with the Peace of
Westphalia. It had been a disaster for Germany. About four
million people had died, and the economy was in ruins. It took
Germany two centuries to recover. The peace weakened the
power of Austria and Spain and made France stronger. Because
of this war, each nation of Europe was seen as having an equal
right to negotiate with the others.
While strong states arose in western Europe, none emerged in
central Europe. The economies there were less developed than in
the West. Most people were still peasants. This region had not
built an economy based in towns. Nobles enjoyed great power,
which kept the power of rulers in check. Still, two important powers
arose.
Chapters in Brief
The Hapsburg family ruled Austria, Hungary, and Bohemia in an
empire that linked many different peoples. Maria Theresa,
Queen of Austria, managed to increase her power and cut that of
the nobles. She was opposed by the kings of Prussia, a new state
in northern Germany. Those kings built a strong state with much
power given to the large, well-trained army. In 1740, Frederick the
Great of Prussia invaded one of Maria Theresa’s lands. The
queen fought hard to keep the territory, but lost. Still, in fighting
this War of the Austrian Succession, she managed to keep the
rest of her empire intact. The two sides fought again beginning in
1756. In the Seven Years’ War, Austria abandoned Britain, its
old ally, for France and Russia. Prussia joined with Britain. The
Prussians and British won. In that victory, Britain gained complete
control over France’s colonies in North America and India.
Conflict Mounts
• 1555 – Peace of Augsburg
(German Prince’s could pick – Catholic or Lutheran)
• 1608 – Lutherans formed the Protestant
Union
• 1609 – Catholic Princes formed the
Catholic League
Conflict Mounts
1. Churches in Germany could be either
Lutheran or Catholic, but no Calvinist
2. After the Peace of Augsburg, the Catholic
and Lutheran princes of Germany watched
each other suspiciously
The Thirty Years’ War (1618 – 1648)
3. The Protestants in Bohemia did not trust
Ferdinand II, who was a foreigner and a Catholic
4. When he closed some Protestant churches,
Protestants revolted. Ferdinand sent an army into
Bohemia to crush the revolt. Several German
Protestant princes took this chance to challenge
their Catholic emperor.
The Thirty Years’ War (1618 – 1648)
Thirty Years War:
conflict over religion and
territory and for power
among European ruling
families
Causes
• Lutheran and Catholic princes felt threatened by the
spreading of Calvinism
• Protestants in Bohemia revolt against the closing
of Protestant churches by Ferdinand II
The Thirty Years’ War (continued)
First Phase
• Hapsburg Triumphs (1618 – 1630)
- Hapsburg armies from Austria and Spain crushed the
troops hired by the Protestant princes.
- they succeeded in putting down the Czech uprising.
- Ferdinand II’s huge army destroyed everything in its path.
Thirty Years’ War (continued)
Second Phase
• Hapsburg Defeats (1631 – 1648)
– the tide of war shifted in 1630
– the Protestant Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden
drove the Hapsburg armies out of northern
Germany
– Cardinal Richelieu and Cardinal Mazarin of
France dominated the remaining years of the
war.
Peace of Westphalia (1648)
Peace of Westphalia ended the thirty years war
Consequences
• it weakened the Hapsburg states of Spain and
Austria
• it strengthened France by awarding it German
territory
• it made German princes independent of the Holy
Roman Emperor
States Form in Central Europe
10.The major powers of Central
Europe were:
- the kingdom of Poland
- the Holy Roman Empire
- the Ottoman Empire
States Form in Central Europe
Contrasts with Western Europe
Economic Development of
Western Europe
Economic Development of
Central Europe
• Serfs won freedom and
moved to towns
• Laws restricted the ability
of serfs to gain freedom
and move to towns
• Serfs gained economic
power due to the
commercial revolution and
capitalism
• Serfs produced large
harvests, so the nobles
could make great profits
Central European Empires
Weaknesses
12.Since the serfs were held down,
it also blocked the development of
strong kings. The result was that
there was not a strong ruler who
could form a unified state.
Central European Empires
Weaknesses
13 In addition, the Holy Roman Empire was seriously
weakened by the Thirty Years’ War. No longer
able to command the obedience of German states, it
had no real power
The Hapsburgs Become More Powerful
Three Steps
• during the Thirty Years’ War, the Hapsburgs reconquered Bohemia
• the Hapsburg ruler centralized the
government and created a standing army
• the Hapsburgs retook Hungary from the Ottoman
Empire
Maria Theresa
1717 - 1780
• the oldest daughter of the Hapsburg ruler,
Charles VI
• mother of Marie Antoinette, future wife of King
Louis XVI
• as empress, she decreased the power of the nobility
• she limited the amount of labor that
nobles could force upon the peasants
Maria Theresa
•Daughter of Charles VI
•Queen of Austria
•1740-1780
•Last name: Hapsburg
15. The heir to the
Hapsburg – Austrian –
throne was Maria
Theresa
The Rise of Prussia’s Hohenzollerns
Three Steps
• building their state from a number of
small holdings, beginning with the
German states of Brandenburg
and Prussia.
• they created a large standing
army
• the Junkers were given the exclusive
right to be officers in the army
Frederick the Great (Frederick II)
1712 - 1786
• Frederick William worried that his
son, Frederick, was not military enough to
rule (true)
• aggressive in foreign affairs
• encouraged religious toleration and legal
reform at home
Frederick the Great (Frederick II)
1712 - 1786
18. Frederick the Great followed his father’s
military policies when he came to power.
According to the theory of government,
Frederick believed that a ruler should be l
like a father to his people
Frederick the “Grrrrrrrrrrr-eat” Quotes
• “A Crown is merely a
hat that lets the rain
in.”
• “Don’t forget your
great guns, which are
the most respectable
arguments of the rights
of kings.”
• “He who defends
everything defends
nothing.”
More Frederick the “Grrrrrrrrr-eat” Quotes
• “If my soldiers were to
begin to think, not one of
them would remain in the
army.”
• “My people and I have
come to an agreement
which satisfied us both.
They are to say what they
please, and I am to do what
I please.”
• “What is the good of
experience if you do not
reflect?”
Even More Frederick the “Grrrrrrrr-eat”
Quotes
• “The greatest and
noblest pleasure which
we have in this world is
to discover new truths,
and the next is to shake
off old prejudices.”
• “Diplomacy without
arms is like music
without instruments.”
Seven Years’ War
1756 - 1763
• Maria Theresa made an
alliance with the French
(false)
• Austria, France, Russia,
and others vs. Britain
and Prussia
• Fought in Europe,
India, and North
America
Seven Years’ War
(continued)
• The territorial situation in
Europe remain unchanged
• France lost its colonies in
North America
• Britain gained sole
economic domination of
India
Essential Question
Describe the Thirty Years’ War
and explain the growth of central
European State.
Answer the question in three complete sentences in your summary section.
Absolutism Objective
Summarize the development of
absolute and constitutional
monarchies in Europe from
1500 to 1800