absolutism in austria & prussia
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Absolutism in Austria & Prussia. AP European History Ms. Tully. I. Warfare and Social Change. Serfdom in Central/Eastern Europe. 1050-1300 – Economic expansion in Europe 14thC – Black Death = New economic problems Lords exploited peasantry - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Absolutism in Austria & Prussia
AP European HistoryMs. Tully
I. Warfare and Social Change
Serfdom in Central/Eastern Europe
1050-1300 – Economic expansion in Europe 14thC – Black Death = New economic problems
Lords exploited peasantry Eradication of serfdom in W. Europe, Re-entrenchment in E.
Europe Restricted or eliminated freedom of movement for peasants Lords took over more peasant land Heavy labor obligations – work w/o pay Local lords – control of local legal system
Consolidation of Serfdom
1500-1650 – social, legal, and economic conditions of peasants declined in E. Europe Poland 1574 – Lords could inflict death penalty on
peasants Prussia 1653 – Hereditary subjugation Russia 1603 – Eliminated freedom of movement
Growth of estate agriculture Pop. growth of 16thC – increased demand for commodities Lords seized peasant lands – increase profits Poor East helped feed wealthier West.
Lords had more power in E. Europe Warfare created more
power for local lords Weak kings had to
compromise with nobility
Weakened urban/merchant class in towns – sold directly to foreigners
Eastern monarchs did not oppose growth of serfdom
II. Rise of Austria and Prussia
Atmosphere of wartime emergency allowed monarchs to increase power of central state
Gained political power in three areas Imposed permanent taxes w/o consent Maintained permanent standing armies Conducted relations with other states for their
benefit
The Austrian Habsburgs
Habsburg territory full of different languages, ethnicities, religions Some in HRE, some not Lots of little political jurisdictions
Abandon imperial dominance, focus on consolidation of current territory
Crushed Protestant Bohemian nobility – Ferdinand II Sold their land to new Catholic nobility (new loyalty) Accomplished direct control over Bohemia
Centralized gov’t in German-speaking provinces Created permanent standing army
Austrian Rule in Hungary
After Battle of Mohacs (1526), Hungary divided between Ottomans and Habsburgs
Warfare between the Habsburgs and Ottomans devastated Hungary 1683 – Habsburgs succeeded in gaining control of most of Hungary
and Transylvania 1718 – Complete recovery of Hungary
Hungarian nobility resisted the full development of Habsburg absolutism Protestants Ottomans were nicer Sense of nationalism
Habsburgs advanced the cause of state building in Hungary by forging a consensus with the church and nobility Allowed nobility to keep aristocratic privileges
Creation of standing army under Emperor Leopold Funded by provincial estates
German language and Catholicism helped form collective identity
Vienna became political and cultural center of empire Pragmatic Sanction, 1713
Habsburg lands should never be divided Women could inherit throne
Maria Theresa crowned in 1740
Prussia in the 17th Century
The Hohenzollern family ruled the electorate of Brandenburg and Prussia
The Thirty Years’ War weakened representative assemblies and allowed the Hohenzollerns to consolidate their rule
Frederick William, the Great Elector (r. 1640-1688) Used military power to consolidate Prussia,
Brandenburg, and Rhine territories into one state Struggle between Frederick and provincial estates
Instated permanent tax w/o permission of estates to strengthen military Warfare atmosphere created sense of urgency
Created large, centralized bureaucracy Like Louis XIV, the Great Elector built his
absolutist state on collaboration with traditional elites, reaffirming their privileges in return for loyal service and revenue
The Consolidation of Prussian Absolutism
Frederick William I knows as “the Soldier’s King” (r.1713-1740) Created best army in Europe Transformed Prussia into model military state
Believed that welfare of king and state depended on army
Ironically, Prussia at peace for most of his reign Created rigid civil society, obedience – “Sparta of the
North”