1 Rise of Absolutism Definition: not arbitrary or despotic rule - at least in theory 17th and 18th centuries France Austria Prussia Russia

2 Before Absolutism:

3 Causes: Impact of religious wars Theorists: What’s going on when they’re writing about their theories? Jean Bodin Six Books of the Commonwealth Thomas Hobbes Leviathan Jacques Bossuet Politics Drawn from the Holy Scripture

4 Characteristics of an Absolute state: Monarchs: expanded their territory controlled of the nobility created a centralized bureaucracy were able to raise funds created a large standing army ruled without a representative assembly In Prussia, Austria and Russia: gave rights to nobles over the peasantry, leading to serfdom no strong middle class existed to challenge power of rulers Which characteristics foreshadow 20th century dictatorship? 4

5 Revenues vs. Expenses 50% of the revenues were spent on... ? Sometimes it went up to 80% of the revenues being spent on... during times of war. War of the Spanish Succession War of the Austrian Succession r a i s i n g a n d s u p p o r t i n g t h e i r a r m i e s

6 Country / /14 Britain70,00075,000200,00040,000250,000 France 400, ,000330,000180,000600,000 Habsburg 50,000100,000200,000300,000250,000 Prussia30,00039,000195,000190,000270,000 United Prov. 73,000130,00040,000na Size of European Armies

7 The use of art and architecture to promote absolute power = Baroque Habsburg Schonbrunn Austria Bourbon Versailles France Portrait of Louis XIV Purpose: Used for image- building

8 How does France become an Absolutist state? Henry IV ( ) and the duke of Sully, his finance minister - corvee, paulette Louis XIII ( ) weak but important minister - Cardinal Richelieu generalities, intendants, Huguenots, realist, politique approach to the Thirty Years’ War promotes idea raison d’etat

9 Taxes corvee - a labor tax paid by lower classes; labor is for the state and usually maintaining roads taille - tax on land collected from the peasantry; nobles and clergy were exempt paulette - a tax on the nobility to assure their office would be passed on to their heir

10 Louis XIV r Cardinal Mazarin goes after the nobility. Leads to... The Fronde Louis XIV “foreign plotter”

11 Louis XIV’s reign L’etate, c’est moit - “I am the state” Uses Versailles to domesticate the nobility Religion: One king, one law, one faith; imposes religious uniformity 1685 Revocation of the Edict of Nantes Permits papal bull Ad Sacram Seden bans Jansenists Expansion wars -

12 Moliere plays made fun of the aristocracy, church society and bourgeoisie - but praised Louis XIV What to do at Versailles... Hall of Mirrors... eat, drink, hunt, attend events, eat, drink, hunt, attend events...

13 Economic policies of Jean Baptiste Colbert: Mercantilism Louis XIV’s finance minister resources are limited so state must control them favorable balance of trade is when exports exceed imports passes protectionist laws - high tariffs promotes internal trade - improves roads, removes internal tariffs created the French East India Co.

14 Was Colbert successful? couldn’t keep up with Louis XIV’s spending: wars and Versailles Revocation of Edict of Nantes results in exodus of strong middle class of Huguenots French Revolution begins in 1789

15 Louis XIV’s Expansionist Wars: Ends with... War of Spanish Succession Charles II of Spain Charles the Sufferer dies. Philip of Anjou Louis XIV’s grandson Philip V of Spain Grande Alliance formed to maintain the balance of power Results: Treaty of Utrecht England Treaty of Rastadt Holland and HRE Philip V - new King of Spain - no more Habsburg rule of Spain. Spanish Netherlands becomes Austrian Netherlands. England gets Gibraltar Louis XIV dies 1715

16 Treaty of Utrecht/Rastadt 1714

17

18 18th century Wars global and dynastic rivalries and alliances expansionist goals vs. balance of power idea Spain, Dutch Republic, Sweden, HRE and Ottoman Empire Britain, Russia and Prussia

19 Absolutism in Central Europe Austria - Habsburg Dynasty Leopold I (r ) Prussia - Hohenzollern Dynasty Frederick William the Elector (r ) King Frederick I (r ) Frederick William I (r ) soldier king Frederick II (r ) - Enlightened Monarch

Frederick William The Great Elector The the Great Elector Brandenburg-Prussia (Brandenburg, contains city of Berlin) City of Danzig in Poland cuts through Finishes Thirty Years’ War in bad shape - only 8,000 in Prussian Army, increases to 30,000 approx. Works with Junkers - nobles - appoints them to top levels in army and bureaucracy gives nobles rights over peasants = imposes serfdom Prussia receives many of the Huguenots that fled France. Why are European powers interested in Prussia? Can keep Sweden in check and later can keep France in check.

Frederick III becomes King Frederick I ( ) Crowned King of Prussia 1701 in return for helping H.R.E./Austrian Habsburg against the French in War of Spanish Succession. Worked on beautifying Berlin, promoting science and the arts. Frederick William I ( ) “The Soldier King” increases army to 80,000 + state serves the military instead of military serving the state heavy recruiting to enlarge his army but does not engage in war Frederick II or Frederick the Great

22 War of the Austrian Succession Cause? Frederick the Great invades Silesia Why Silesia? A wealthy province with textile, mining and metallurgical industries. France and Spain join Prussia against Austria - Why was this a mistake for France? Results: Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle 1748 stalemate except Prussia keeps Silesia

23 Austrian Habsburg Dynasty Leopold I (r ) Leopold I (r ) Faces two enemies: France and Ottomans Treaty of K[C]arlowitz begins rule over Hungary Control the Hungarian Magyars - nobles - Calvinists Joseph I (r ) Charles VI (r ) Pragmatic Sanction 1713 Maria Theresa (r ) Frederick II invades Silesia 1740 The Habsburg dynasty will secure their dynasty through marriage alliances and not by maintaining a strong standing army.

24 War of the Austrian Succession

25 Diplomatic Revolution 1756 A sudden reversal in alliances Prussia’s victory in keeping Silesia makes Austria run to France to form an alliance. Prussia then allies with Britain New alliances: France, Austria and Russia vs. Britain and Prussia

26 Seven Years’ War French and Indian War Cause: Frederick II invades Saxony Britain and France fight continental as well as overseas wars in North America India Results: Treaty of Paris

27 Treaty of Paris 1763 ends Seven Years’ War and French and Indian War Significance: Britain takes overseas lands away from France Financial problems due to expense of war

Russia BEFORE Peter the Great Mongol influence autocracy v. absolutism Romanov Dynasty begins 16th c. until serfdom officially established in Russia 90% of serfs will be bound to the land

29 Russia’s Peter the Great r Expansion Westernization Reforms: Table of Ranks Holy Synod

30 Expansion of Russia under Peter the Great - Great Northern War and the Treaty of Nystadt 1721

31 Coming up next: Enlightenment - a reaction to absolutist rule Enlightened Monarchs: Joseph II - Austria Frederick II - Prussia Catherine the Great - Russia