The Enlightenment and Absolutism
Most philosophes believed that benevolent absolutism was the best option for improving society
Critical thinking turned the art of good government into an exact science
Many absolutist rulers attracted to Enlightenment ideas – tried to govern in an “enlightened” manner
Necessities of state and maintenance too precedence over reform
MCQ Drill1. Enlightened absolutism in the eighteenth century
a) Never completely overcame the political and social realities of the day
b) Was most successful in strengthening administrative systems in the nation-states
c) Was limited to policies that did not undermine the interests of the nobility
d) All of the abovee) None of the above
Frederick the Great of Prussia (r. 1740-1786)
Son of Frederick William I (Soldiers’ King)
Invaded German province of Silesia
Gradual demonstration of Enlightenment thought
Reformed bureaucracy and legal system
No change to social structure
MCQ Drill1. Prussia’s Frederick the Great succeeded in
a) Imposing his strict Protestantism on a Catholic populace
b) Crushing the power of the Prussian nobilityc) Carrying out reforms that pleased the philosophesd) Making Prussia’s scattered lands more unified and
securee) Marrying his sons to the strongest Catholic royal
families
The Austrian Habsburgs
Maria Theresa (r. 1740-1780)
Strengthened bureaucracy & military
Joseph II (r. 1780-1790) Changes to feudal
system violently rejected
Leopold II (r. 1790-1792) reversed many of Joseph’s reforms
MCQ Drill1. The Austrian emperor Joseph II
a) Reversed the enlightened reforms of his mother Maria Theresa
b) Rescinded most of the privileges the Hungarians had enjoyed
c) Stripped the nobility of all its former powersd) Was discouraged by the discontent that greeted his
reformse) Abdicated his throne during a peasant uprising
Catherine the Great of Russia (r. 1762-1796)
German princess Married to Peter III
Determined to rule in Enlightened manner
Continued to bring culture of Western Europe to Russia
Domestic Reform Pugachev’s Rebellion Partition of Poland
MCQ Drill1. The partition of Poland in the late eighteenth
centurya) Occurred after decades of warfare with and between its
neighborsb) Was prevented by the military intervention of
Thaddeus Kosciuszkoc) Showed that a nation in those days needed a strong
king to survived) None of the abovee) All of the above
The War of Austrian Succession (1740 – 1748)
Pragmatic Sanction Challenges from
Prussia and France Worldwide conflict Peace Treaty of Aix-
la-Chapelle
The Seven Years War (1756 – 1763)
New rivalries, three major areas of conflict
Conflict in Europe War in India The French and
Indian War