Central & Eastern Europe: 1600s & 1700s Mr. Meester AP European History Pages: 438-443

Central & Eastern Europe Post-1648 Most of Central and Eastern Europe was less economically developed than in the West War and the Treaty of Westphalia had devastated and fractured the Holy Roman Empire 3 powerful dynasties would emerge as regional leaders after 1648 They would pattern their political systems after France with various degrees of success.

Poor Poland The nobility of Poland was highly independent The Monarch in Poland was elected The legislature was also highly dysfunctional The weakness of Poland’s government would lead to its disappearance. King John III Sobieski

The Austrian Habsburgs The 30 Years’ War had been a turning point in Austrian Habsburg power They began focusing on expanding their influence outside the Holy Roman Empire Spanish Habsburg possessions Ottoman possessions Governing the empire was difficult Leopold I of Austria

The Pragmatic Sanction Charles VI had no male heir to the Austrian throne and feared for his empire He spent most of his reign working for the acceptance of the Pragmatic Sanction Upon his death he believed it established his daughter Maria Theresa legal heir to the Austrian Habsburg Empire Unfortunately for Maria he didn’t leave her an army or money in the treasury Maria Theresa Archduchess of Austria

The Prussian Hohenzollerns The rise of Prussia as a state would begin with the Hohenzollern family Their holdings were large, but scattered from their home territory of Brandenburg Frederick William would begin to use the army to consolidate power Had to deal with the Junkers Frederick William the Great Elector

Prussian Royalty & Power The Great Elector’s son Frederick I was able to gain a royal title Frederick William I was highly effective in organizing the bureaucracy & military Frederick the Great would be the first to use this military in Silesia Poor Maria