rise of eastern absolutism 1648-1780. rise of prussia treaty of westphalia (1648) ended thirty years...
TRANSCRIPT
Rise of Eastern Absolutism
1648-1780
Rise of Prussia
• Treaty of Westphalia (1648) ended Thirty Years War and weakened role of HRE
• Hohenzollern family ruled Brandenburg since 1400s
• Hohenzollerns controlled disparate lands, with little sense of nation
• Unified lands through administrative efficiency, military might, and personality of leader
Frederick William, the Great Elector (ruled 1640-1688)
• Raised taxes on peasants and urban class to fund large, well disciplined army
• Co-opted nobles: demanded their loyalty, but allowed them to oppress serfs
• Used sons of landed nobles (“Junkers”) as army officers
• Junkers tended to be landed, classist, and deeply conservative
Frederick I (r. 1688-1713)
• Frederick I (later known as Frederick I in Prussia, ruled 1688-1713)
• Son of the Great Elector
• Provided army to HRE during war of Spanish Succession,
• Thereby titled “King in Prussia” in exchange
Frederick William (r 1713-1740)
• Increased bureaucratic efficiency, and increased loyalty to monarch, but not to his person
• Always wore an officer’s uniform: Prussian army grew to 4th largest in Europe
• Army to FW was a symbol of Prussian strength, but not a tool of aggression
Frederick II “The Great” (r 1740-1786)
• 1740: assumed power and almost immediately seized Silesia from Austria, starting the War of Austrian Succession, later allying with France
• Known as “enlightened” despot for his reforms and use of rational conclusions
• Guided Prussia through several wars, and preserved its integrity
Rise of Austria
• Recall that after 1648 Holy Roman Empire was made of over 300 principalities
• Austrian Hapsburgs controlled position of Emperor, but not absolute power
• Treaty of Utrecht (1713) granted Hapsburgs control of Netherlands, much of Italy
The Surrender of Breda, by Velasquez
Rise of Austria: Maria Theresa (r. 1740-1780)
• Hapsburgs consolidated control using new and hereditary lands
• Charles VI had no male heir: won support in family for “Pragmatic Sanction”
• Document declaring daughter Maria Theresa to be legal heir
• 1740: Maria Theresa became empress, and immediately defended reign in War of Austrian Succession, allying with England
• Breathed a spirit of courage and confidence in life, a sort of natural trust in the world
• Reign saw rise of South German Rococo art form: angels, joy, gilt
Rise of Russia
• Peter The Great (ruled 1682-1725) transformed Russia into major European power
• Nearly 7 feet tall, with impressive energy and desire to reform Russia
• Toured western Europe in supposed disguise to learn of western methods
• Childhood similar to Louis XIV’s Fronde experience
• Tamed the “boyar” nobles by creating official government ranks to correspond to privilege
Rise of Russia• Controlled the “streltsy” guards of
Moscow garrison by brutally repressing their rebellion
• Asserted control over Orthodox church through changes in text and ritual and abolished patriarch
• Created modern navy and army
• Attempted to gain a warm-water port, either in north or in Black Sea
• Defeated Sweden to take control of Baltic countries
• Built new capital, St Petersburg: almost a Versailles for Russia