absolutism in early modern europe - lcps.org · absolutism in early modern europe. ... louis...
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Philip II of Spain- Son of Emperor Charles V (ruler of Holy Roman Empire from 1520-1555)
- Devout Catholic- Ruled Spain 1556-1598- Married at one time to Mary Tudor ofEngland
- Not tolerant of people of other religions
- Forced Marranos (ex-Jews), Morriscos(ex-Muslims) to flee Spain
- Fought Protestant revolt in the Netherlands (1560s)
- Battle of Lepanto (1571)
Maria Teresa of Austria
-Holy Roman Empress (r. 1740-1765)
-Member of the Habsburg dynasty
-Devout Roman Catholic
-Wanted religious uniformity
-Inherited throne from father Charles VI (r. 1711-1740)
-Pragmatic Sanction (1718)
-Mother of 16 children, including the future queen Marie Antoinette of France
Frederick William, the Great Elector of Prussia-Ruled Prussia from 1640-1688 as Duke and Elector (one of 7 in the Holy Roman Empire)
-Controlled Brandenburg also
-Member of the Hohenzollern dynasty
-Lutheran (Protestant)
-Created a permanent standing army
-Exempted nobles (Junkers) from taxes; taxed townspeople and peasants instead
Frederick William I, aka the Royal Drill Sergeant
-Frederick William I was the second king of Prussia (1713-1740)
-Centralized government, strengthened army (see e.g., his special regiment, the so-called Potsdam Giants)
-Not exactly the model of an enlightened ruler; in fact, he was rather crude and bigoted
Frederick the Great of Prussia
-Great military strategist-Patron of the Arts-Flutist and Composer of music-Francophile-Friend of Voltaire-Skeptic in matters of religion; pursued policy of religious toleration-King of Prussia (1740-1786)-Expansionist; set off several wars (including the War of Austrian Succession (1741-1748), in which Prussia seized Silesia)-Ally of Great Britain during the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763) – the first real world war-An enlightened despot?
Ivan the Terrible of Russia
-Ruled 1547-1584
-Unsettled childhood
-Reformer at first; tried to diminish the power of the boyars (nobles)
-In 1560 his rule changes; he institutes a reign of terror
-Cause?
-A role model for Stalin?
Peter the Great of Russia (r. 1689-1725)-Member of the Romanov Dynasty
-His main goal: to modernize Russia
-Great Embassy to the West (1697)
-Westernization (e.g., he makes the boyars adopt western dress, cut beards)
- Strengthens army
-Builds St. Petersburg, a new capital on the Gulf of Finland
Catherine the Great of Russia (r. 1762-1796)-Originally German
-Converted to Russian Orthodox faith, learned Russian upon marriage to the future Czar Peter III
-took over after husband died under mysterious circumstances after only ruling for six months
-Expanded Russian territory
-Continued program of modernization, westernization
-Allowed nobles to repress peasantry