West-EuropeanLeadership

Location of Modern Society

1650: Modern or Western Civilization located in 500 mile

radius around Paris

Ireland, Portugal, Spain

outside the zone

Characteristics of a Modern Society

Secular society

Modern natural science

Capitalism first expressed within

Modern state zone

Parliamentary government

Democratic ideas

Machine industry

Establishing West European Leadership

Leadership of Western Europe established after Peace of Westphalia:

- Italian Renaissance faded

- Religious Wars subsided

- Holy Empire in ruins

- Spain in decline

Cleared way for rise of Dutch, English, and French, although France will become the leader for the half century following Westphalia

- Dutch too small

- England dealing with domestic discord

Louis XIV

“The Sun King”

1643: Louis XIV inherited throne at 5 yrs. of age

1661: At age 23 he took over the affairs of state

1715: Died after reign of 72 years

Under his rule France became strongest state in Europe

French culture set the standard

Louis’s Expansionist Policies

In this age the key political question was “What was going to happen to Spain’s possessions?”

- Spain – “sick man of Europe”

- 1665: Charles II assumes Spanish throne

impotent, product of Habsburg inbreeding

Spanish lands in jeopardy

Expansionist policies of Louis: Married sister of Charles II

1) Annex Spanish Netherlands and Franche Comte

2) Take entire Spanish inheritance

Louis’s Plan

Use the small and middle-sized powers of Europe

- these people were most dependent on foreign

assistance – for example:

Republicans in Holland against their prince

Royalists in England against parliamentary

opposition

“Balance of Power” Politics

Louis wanted to create a “universal monarchy” where one state could subordinate all others

To counter this possibility, the balance of power was used

- power evenly distributed among states

- use coalitions to restore equilibrium and balance

- decisive amount of weight or power one state can

hold in controlling the balance of power

Purpose: Preserve Sovereignty

Basic rule: ally (with weaker states) against any state threatening domination

Don’t ally with one that might become dominate – could become a puppet

Each state throws weight where it is most needed to enhance importance

Why was it effective in 17th and 18th century?

Great number of states (both large and small) capable of pursing an independent foreign policy

Alliances made with no thought to ideology or sympathies, especially after end of religious wars – they could freely choose or reject allies

Because of military technology, small states might be important military partners

ex: Denmark: could provide strategic location

Dutch Republic: could provide ships or money

The Dutch will engineer balance of power politics against Louis

The Dutch Republic

Characteristics of the Dutch:

- mostly bourgeois

- only republicans in Europe

- mostly wealthy

- most important in international diplomacy and culture

Dutch had acquired their independence from Spain through diplomacy rather than actual fighting during Thirty Years’ War

In 17th century brought intellectual, artistic, and commercial achievements unparalleled in Europe

Religious Toleration

Stimulated intellectual and commercial life

Early 17th century: Dutch Calvinists divided

- some favored a toned down doctrine of absolute

and unconditional predestination; they found

support in burgher classes and theologian Arminius

Calvinist synod met in 1618 to deal with Arminian heresy

- orthodox sect won out

- Arminians tolerated, Catholic minority granted rights,

Jews welcomed, Mennonites found refuge

Dutch Shipping By 1600: Dutch had 10,000 ships and controlled shipping in northern Europe

throughout 17th century

Accomplishments:

- Got to Pacific by rounding Cape Horn (S. America)

- East India Co. (1602): merchants replaced Portuguese

in India and Far East; founded city of Batavia in Java; killed

group of Englishmen in Spice Islands discouraging their return

- Reached Japan in early 1600s – only western link there after Japanese dispelled others

- Founded Manhattan Island in 1612

- Dutch West India Co.: exploited riches of Portuguese and Spanish in America, founded colonies in Brazil,

captured Cape of Good Hope in S. Africa from Portuguese (modern Afrikaner people)

Bank of Amsterdam

Founded in 1609 – Financial center of Europe until the French Revolution

Accepted mixed money: Solved problems of having money minted in other states and cities because of their uncertain value; they assessed gold and silver content

Minted gold florins: Became international money supply, acceptable everywhere

Deposits guaranteed by Dutch government: this attracted capital from all over Europe

Government

Republic government – did not meet all requirements of a state

High Mightinesses (Hooge Moogende) made up estates general

The 7 provinces each had an elected stadholder = executive

- no stadholder for United Provinces as a whole

- most princes elected same man as stadholder –

usually from House of Orange

- prince usually a feudal nobleman

Politics was a seesaw between burghers and the princes of Orange to whom the country owed its military security

- power of stadholder increased with threats of

invasion; when calm, little power

Peace of Westphalia built confidence of the burghers

Constitutional Crisis: 1650 – stadholder William II died

- no new stadholder elected for 22 years

- time of decentralization; growth of burghers

William III of Orange

Born 8 days after father’s death

Reserved in lifestyle

Spoke multiple languages

Dutch Calvinist

1677: Married Mary Stuart

(niece of English king)

Dutch Conflict with English

1651: English government passed Navigation Act

- used to build colonial power; aimed against Dutch

carrying trade

- goods going into England and its dependencies

must be on English ships

- Dutch carried goods of others; English policy a threat

to their economy

1652-1674: Three wars between Dutch and English

- England annexed New Amsterdam

Dutch Conflict with French

1667: Louis XIV claimed Spanish Netherlands and Franche-Comte by alleging certain rights of his Spanish wife – overran the Spanish Netherlands with his army

Dutch set mechanics of balance of power into motion – Spanish Netherlands served as buffer against France

They allied with the English

Dutch, English, Swedes formed Triple Alliance; forced Louis XIV to withdraw from Spanish Netherlands

1672: Louis XIV again crossed into Spanish Netherlands and occupied 3 of the 7 provinces

Popular support rose for William of Orange (22 yrs old)

He was elected stadholder of 6 provinces; they voted to make stadholderate hereditary in the House of Orange

William attempted to consolidate power by putting down feudal liberties of the provinces, moving toward an absolute monarchy – but was unsuccessful

The United Provinces remained a decentralized patrician republic until 1795

William resorted to a new manipulation of the balance of power to hold off Louis XIV

He formed an alliance with Denmark and Brandenburg and with the Austrian and Spanish Habsburgs

Louis was tired of war and signed Treaty of Nimwegen but it was at the expense of Spain and Holy Roman Empire

- Louis took Franche-Comte and some towns in

Flanders