1. Absolutism in Central and Eastern Europe

2. The Elbe River-
Division between
Eastern and Western
Europe?

3. Austria

4. Background
Hopes for an effective Hapsburg Empire in Germany collapsed after 1648
Connection with Spain lost value as Spain declined as a continental power
Austria now needed to forge is own destiny

6. Nothing held these regions together other than the Austrian Hapsburg Dynasty
During the Thirty Years’ War, Hapsburgs rooted out Protestantism, feudalism, and re-Catholicized Bohemia

7. The Turkish Threat Turkish armies began to move up the Danube in 1663
Christian Europe assembled an army and forced the Turks to accept a 20 year truce
Turks renewed their assault in 1683 and besieged Vienna

9. Turks abandoned the siege after two months when relief forces arrived
Austrian counteroffensive developed to drive the Turks from the region
Turks were also driven out of Hungary and it was annexed to Austria

10. Challenges to Unity
Each country within the empire retained its own law, language, political life, etc.
This made it impossible to establish laws and institutions that would be accepted in all territories
Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 said Hapsburg territories were indivisible and recognized only one line of heirs

11. Prussia

12. “Prussia is not a state with an army, but an army with a state”
Mirabeau

13. Prussia in 1648

14. Background Few natural resources or barriers
Came to dominate its region of Europe
Became known for its “militarism” by 18th c.
Played an important role in later German unification

15. Frederick William Succeeded to the throne in 1640
Realized Prussian survival would depend on a strong military
With a military presence, Prussia might be able to be a player in the “balance of power” in Europe

16. The Prussian Military State
Given its limitations, Prussia had to marshal all its resources and manpower to create an effective fighting force
All taxes levied were absorbed by the army
Military skills and tactics were adopted from Western Europe

17. Entire landed aristocracy (Junkers) were recruited into military service
In exchange, the nobility would receive high military rank and absolute control over their peasants
Serfdom therefore expanded in Prussia

18. Sale of noble lands to non-nobles was prohibited by law
Prussian middle class deferred to nobles and was not independent

19. Frederick William I King of Prussia (1713-1740)
Distained any semblance of “culture” since it detracted from the military
Gov’t money that was not spent on the military was a “waste”
Cut expenses of royal household by 3/4

20. Frederick William I
Prussian Coat of Arms

21. Always appeared in uniform
Army went from 40,000 to 83,000 by the time of his death
20K of the 100K population of Berlin were soldiers
Fought practically no wars and therefore left a huge war chest to his successors

22. Frederick II (“the Great”)
Became king in 1740
Death of Charles VI caused Frederick to take advantage and invade Silesia
Annexation of Silesia doubled Prussia’s population and provided new industries
Prussia was now a great power with a population of 6 million and an army of 200K

24. Russia

25. Duchy of Muscovy (княжество Московское)

27. Roots of Russian Absolutism
First Czar, Ivan the Terrible, died in 1584
During the “Time of Troubles” ( ) nobles elected czars who promised to respect nobles’ privileges
Nat’l Assembly elected boy czar Michael Romanov in 1613
Crest of Romanov Dynasty

28. Roots of Russian Absolutism
Romanovs soon began to eliminate representative institutions and establish themselves as absolutists
Peasant revolt led by Stephen Razin in 1671 resulted in repression of the peasantry
By 1675, Russian serfs were no longer “bound to the soil” like they were in Prussia, Poland, Bohemia

29. Peter the Great Became czar in 1682
Spent time as a young man in Holland and England
Became determined to introduce Western technology and governmental organization to Russia
Sought a warm water port

30. Peter the Great
Unsuccessful campaigns against the Ottomans in Black Sea region caused him to look north
Sweden was the main obstacle to Russian expansion there
After initial setbacks, Swedes were defeated at Poltava in 1709
Great Northern War ended in 1721 and earned Russia St. Petersburg