Age of

Absolutism

September 2012

Vocabulary

Monarch- King or a Queen

Absolute Monarch- A political system in

which a country is ruled by a monarch,

who has absolute control.

Divine Right : The justification of

monarchy through the word of God -

monarchs used divine right to justify

their power

Answer the following:

How might having a king with total

power be a good thing? Explain your

answer

The Age of Absolutism

A period from 1648 to 1763 when European monarchs began to create powerful nations that placed unlimited power in the hands of the king and his/her advisors

The Rise of

Absolute Monarchs

What is an Absolute Monarch?

European kings had very little

power during the Middle Ages but

slowly gained power during the

Renaissance

Eventually, the kings in Spain,

France, Russia, Austria, & Prussia

had complete control over the

lords & commoners in their nation

Phillip II of Spain

Louis XIV of France

Peter & Catherine the Great of Russia

Maria Theresa of Austria

Frederick the Great of Prussia

How did kings go from having no power in the Middle Ages to becoming absolute

monarchs after the Renaissance?

Middle Ages (500-1300)

During the Middle Ages, Feudalism was very important:

–Feudalism divided society into clear classes (You’re either a poor peasant, a noble, or a monarch & there was little chance to move up)

–Feudalism provided order & protection for the common peasants

Middle Ages (500-1300)

In the Middle Ages, the Catholic

Church had unquestioned power

–Almost everyone was Catholic

in Europe so the pope served

almost like a king

–The church controlled peoples’

actions because church leaders

controlled access into heaven &

could excommunicate people

Renaissance (1300-1600)

But the Crusades, Black Death, &

100 Years War weakened the

power of feudal lords

In the Renaissance, kings gained

power & began to form strong

nations as trade increased, people

moved to cities, a new middle was

class formed, & mercantilism gave

wealthy kings lots of power

Wealth = Power

Protestant Reformation (1517-1550)

During the Reformation, critics

like Martin Luther, John Calvin, &

Henry VIII broke

from the

Catholic Church

This weakened

the power of

the church &

the Pope

Age of Absolutism (1648-1763)

When feudal lords & the pope lost

power, someone had to step up &

lead the people

People looked to their new

wealthy kings to create a sense of

order & act as figures of authority

As a result of this need, monarchs

were able gain almost absolute

(unlimited) power

Age of Absolutism (1648-1763)

Monarchs justified their right to

have absolute power by using the

idea of divine right—kings get

their powers from God, not the

people or a parliament

Age of Absolutism (1648-1763)

European kings were afraid one

nation would become too strong &

conquer the others; So they tried

to keep a balance of power

As a result, lots

of wars were

fought during

this time period Spain France