AbsolutismAbsolutismEurope 1650-1720

Introduction0Rise of the Absolute Ruler0Prime example Louis XIV (r. 1643-1715)

0 Self-proclaimed “Sun King”0 Artists & Architects in France paid to Glorify the monarch

0Absolute rulers vastly increased extent of their power during these years (1650-1750)

0Authority above all challenge0Absolute could do anything

0 Levy taxes, legislate laws, etc.0Loyalty to King personally, not to State

Why Absolutism?0How did Absolutism come to be?

0 Originated in France after 16th Century0 Attempt to establish order & safety after many years of bloody wars

0Sound like Hobbes?0 Absolute Monarch can prove very effective0 Easier administration with rise of larger territorial states

0Ruler viewed as father figure laying down laws without consent0Thomas Hobbes believed only Absolutism could keep state from

lapsing back into State of Nature

Why Absolutism?0Rulers commonly believed to rule with God’s authority &

blessing (Divine Right)0However, Absolute ≠ “Arbitrary”

0 Ruler should look after interests of the people0 Ruler should be Just-- NOT a Despot!0 While ruler may not be subject to approval of people, he is subject

to the Will of God0 Should be opportunities for redress0 Hence, creation of parliamentary-like bodies0 However, armed resistance against King was not permissible

Some Characteristics0Strong ambitious dynasties constantly tried to expand their

imperialistic interests0Monarchs depended on loyalty of Nobility

0 Usually got it through exchanges

0States became increasingly centralized with bureaucracy0Order maintained through large standing army at all times0Kings always needed revenue

0 Depended largely on taxes

Nobles & Absolutism

0Even though some states had parliaments, power increasingly centralized to King

0Nobles usually viewed themselves as equals with King0 Gave loyalty & support because it was advantageous

0However, Nobles rarely had any governing influence over King’s policies

0For sake of order, insurrections put down very savagely

Revenue & Absolutism

0Eastern Europe much the same, but nobility had greater degree of autonomy0 Eastern Europe still dominated by Feudalism

0By choosing nobles for offices, rulers vastly increased size of state & brought great deal of revenue to the crown

0Larger the government >> the more tax revenue could be generated >> the richer the crown was >> the easier it was to woo even more wealthy noble families

King’s Armies

0 Increased taxes & revenue meant more capability to wage war as well

0King no longer had to rely on mercenaries0Wars fought less for religious reasons and more for

dynastic reasons now0Large standing armies maintained even in peacetime

0 Taking up at least 50% of budget0 Armies required to wear uniforms

All for the King0Rulers had complete authority over religious matters

0 Worked especially well with Catholic Church

0However, ecclesiastical authority severely limited0All Art & Architecture of the era was a glorification

of Monarchy0Especially “Louis XIV Style”

Absolutely French0France had become most the powerful State in

Europe0Louis XIII (ruled 1610-43) already further

centralized administration of state with help of Cardinal Richelieu (1585-1642)0 Vastly increased taxing of peasants

0Louis XIV (ruled 1643-1715) ascended throne at 4 years old

0France ruled by his mother (regent) Anne of Austria (1601-1666) & Cardinal Mazarin (1602-1661)

The Fronde

0Anne & Mazarin faced the “Fronde” (1648-53)0 Uprising of nobility & parliament resisting absolute power0 Joined by peasants seeking lower taxes

0The Fronde0 Parliament rose up, with popular support to challenge Crown’s

authority & financial polices0 Royal family had to flee Paris

0 Prince Conde(1621-86) played major role as first a supporter of the King & then against him

0 1651, King returned to Paris & declared his “majority”0 Conde challenged the claim, but failed

0Left France, while Louis recalled Mazarin

More Fronde0The Fronde (continued):0Louis able to calm storm0Put down insurrections0Exiled enemies within Paris Parliament0Gave amnesty to others

0Louis established his authority over Parliament0French resistance to Absolute authority was

broken0Parliament & nobility greatly weakened

Absolutely Louis01661, Mazarin died0Louis XIV took over all aspects of control0France in great financial shape due partly to Jean-

Baptiste Colbert (1619-83)0King adept at procuring revenue, but even better at

spending it0 Soon this would lead to financial crisis

0Louis was a model Absolute ruler0 Viewed himself as God’s earthly representative

0As much as any King before him, he was the State itself (L’Etat, c’est moi)

Louis’ Government0Louis effectively crafted the most complex bureaucracy France had

ever had0Continued to woo nobility0 “Nobility of the Sword” vs. “Nobility of the Robe”0Louis moved court to Versailles

0 Believed King’s legacy was partly in what he built0 Grand Chateau of Versailles constructed

0Believed himself at center of civilization0 Devoted patron of the arts

0Dawning the age of French High Culture

0 Performances done at Chateau, such as Moliere

Louis’ Drawbacks

0On bad side, Louis was religiously intolerant0 Reversed policies of predecessors

0Began campaign to purge Huguenots01685, revoked Edict of Nantes0Many protestants emigrated

0Among persecuted were Jansenists

Absolute Limits0Cannot yet speak of Nation-State0Given plurality of nation at this point, & topography,

Absolute rule didn’t reach all0Still had to deal with Provincial Parlements and local Nobles0King held subject to law of God0Steered away from upsetting people’s most basic rights such

as property

Hapsburg Monarchy

0 In theory, Holy Roman Emperor still reigned over many States, towns, & cities, within HRE0 Empire only a shadow of what it once was

0Hapsburg power increasingly concentrated within native state: Austria--strongest state within the Empire

0Emperor (Leopold I: r.1658-1705)0 Power over armies & foreign policy0 Court also dominated by Nobility

Hapsburgs & Hungary

0HRE weakened by years of turmoil, plurality of people, & incursions on two fronts

0Local government prevailed over Central government0Hungary now a semi-autonomous State

0 Rebellion in which Protestant Hungarians sought help from Turks was put down

0 Hapsburgs regained control over Hungary, but Hungary left fairly on its own

0Prussia now emerging as more powerful Monarchy in Central Europe

Rise of Prussia

0Rather unlikely power to rise within Europe0Hohenzollern family powerful dynasty of Brandenburg

0 Inherited all of Prussia >> even more powerful

0Nobility was powerful0 King had loyalty in exchange for privileges

0Peasants had no freedom—serfdom0King had support of Nobles so long as he did not try to

encroach on administration of their own domains

Prussian Rule0Power of Middle Class also severely limited0Frederick William (r.1640-88), established own

standing army0 Able to grow power & State0 Assurances to nobility that their privileges would

remain intact

0Gained territory, levied taxes, recruited for army, centralized government, etc

0Frederick III actually first “King” of Prussia (r.1688-1713)

Prussia’s Military0Frederick William I (r.1713-40) first to employ

“commoners” within state0Obsessed with development of military0Turned army into impressive body of enforcement

0 Also, world’s first military Reserves

0Military service mandatory for all young men

To Russia & Sweden with love

0Duchy of Muscovy ruled by Ivan III (ruled 1462-1505)0 Another unlikely power to rise0 Became most powerful territory in Russia

0Region then began to expand0 Tsar Ivan IV, Ivan the Terrible (r. 1533-84)

expanded State’s territories and began Absolute rule in Russia0On a brutal note by keeping loyal nobles close to

him & exterminating the rest

0 After Ivan died, Russia lost much of its foothold on the area until the rise of Peter the Great

Absolutism in Russia

0Russia’s Absolutism also anchored by a feudal society0Tsar agreed to maintain serfdom

0 Creating consistent labor supply, in exchange for Noble loyalty

0Russia’s biggest competition at the time was Poland-Lithuania & Sweden

Rise of Peter the Great

0Russia saw rise of Peter the Great (r. 1682-1725)0 Modeled State after those of Western

Europe, establishing first Russian Empire0Peter won where Ivan IV failed before him

in his battles with Sweden, Poland, & Turks

0Russia gained much territory0Peter came to power through bloody

struggle where he killed members of his own family0 So, was not shy about doing what he felt

needed to be done

Peter’s Reforms

0Peter modeled everything about his court after Western Europe0 Included creation of large standing army

0 Also, the building of naval fleet

0Greatly increased complexity of Russia’s government0Had to resist 4 uprisings within Russia which challenged

“Western” ways0 Even executed his son

0Had new capital at St. Petersburg modeled after Western cities

Sweden’s Absolutism0After Thirty Years War, Sweden ruled by Queen

Christina (r. 1632-54)0 Began expanding territory and gain more revenue

0To raise money, Christina sold off great deal of Royal lands to Nobility, giving power to the Nobles

0Absolute rule began about 1680 with King Charles XI (r. 1660-97)0 Able to undermine wealthy nobles with support of

lesser nobles0As well as clergy & peasants

Sweden’s Absolutism Short-lived0King Charles XII (r. 1697-1718) furthered

Crown’s power with0 Vast military0 Reacquisition of Royal lands0 Territorial expansion

0Not enough of a diplomat0 Failed in attempts against Russia

0Charles killed in battle 0 Absolute rule died with him0 As Nobles established parliamentary body

Power in Europe

0Since 1650, religious quarrels subsiding0 Dynastic & territorial interests taking over0 Led to struggles between great powers vying for leverage

0Diplomatically, many believed in maintaining Balance of Power0 Important one power not become too powerful

0 In particular, great fear of French expansionism0 Led to alliances of rivals

0This kind of “Power” politics led to some odd alliances

Threat of French Expansion

0Louis XIV had plan for expansion and thought time was ripe for it

0Louis gained much territory for France, but remaining powers in Europe allied together to stem tide

0Even tried to claim throne of Spain when Charles II (Hapsburg King of Spain) died without heir in 17000 Charles’ will indicated he wanted Philip of Anjou (Louis’s

grandson) to succeed him upon condition he renounce his claim to French throne

Alliances against France0Philip of Anjou ascended Spanish throne to

become Philip V (ruled 1700-46)0 But would not renounce claim to French throne

in spite of Leopold I of Austria (HRE)0France now allied with Spain

0 Led to War of Spanish Succession in Spanish Netherlands

0France greatly strained financially0Louis had to abandon plans for further

expansion0 In fact lost control in Italy & Spanish

Netherlands (Treaty of Utrecht, 1713)0By the end of Louis’ reign, France fading