“Laugh at my outfit, and I’ll take off your head!”

 Who were the absolute monarchs?  What effect did the absolute monarchs have on their countries?

 Centralization of power  Rule without limits  Concept of rule by divine right  God created the monarchy and the monarch acted as God’s representative on earth.  Louis XIV of France  Peter the Great of Russia

 R6d0 R6d0

 Ekpo Ekpo

 ifB4 ifB4

Have a great palace!  Versailles: was a symbol of absolute monarchy and Louis XIV’s royal authority  Definition: Palace built by Louis XIV as a symbol of absolute rule and the divine right of the monarch

Have a great Theme!  Apollo, the sun god: represented Louis XIV as the center of all power/authority (Heliocentric)

Dress for Success!  The Outfit and the Courtiers: Louis made detailed rules for dress and behavior as a means of controlling the Nobles! That’s a lot of heel for a guy! Does this dress make me look fat?

Take Absolute Control!  Ends religious tolerance and crushes the Protestants: Louis XIV revokes the Edict of Nantes. Many Huguenots flee France and take their businesses, $ with them! 

Have a sweet ride!

 Palace of Versailles:  a symbol of Royal Power  Moved the seat of government from Paris to Versailles  Centralization of Power:  Required nobles to live at Versailles so he could control them and keep an eye on them!  Many rules of etiquette, fashion, manners – all set down by the king!  War of Spanish Succession  King Charles II of Spain died and promised the throne to Phillip of Anjou, Louis XIV’s grandson  War started because other countries felt threatened by France & Spain joining powers.  Louis’ grandson allowed to remain in power, but thrones of France and Spain could not be united. Real “noble” men wore tights and heels!

Definition:  Became Tzar at the age of 10.  Put Russia through a series of reforms to westernize the country and make it an equal in European power  He was 6’ 8” tall!!!

 Increased the czar’s power  Brought Russian Orthodox Church under state control and ran the church  Reduced power of the wealthy landowners  Landowners:  Reduced power of the wealthy landowners  Newspapers:  Started Russia’s first newspaper  Westernization of Russia & Fashion  Introduced potatoes  Raised women’s status (they could attend the theatre)  Ordered nobles to give up traditional clothes for Western fashions  Advanced education by opening school of navigation and introducing schools for the arts and sciences

 Peter the Great wanted Russians to look more like Western Europeans, so he passed a tax on beards.  The tax payer had to carry a coin on him that verified he paid the tax and read, “the beard tax has been taken“ and "the beard is a superfluous burden". [ [  Men who wanted to keep their traditional beards had to pay 60 to 100 Rubles!  A male serf went for 80 Rubles around the same time!