Enlightenment Ideas Spread Manisha Saha

The challenge of New Ideas Censorship: government and church authorities felt they had a sacred duty to defend the old order. They believed that the old order had been set up by the god. To protect against the attacks of the enlightenment they waged a war of censorship.

Salons: the new literature, the arts, science and philosophy were the main discussion in salons. Some middle class-women worked on salons. The middle- class citizens could meet with nobility on equal footing for discussion and spread Enlightenment ideas. One of the famous salons was run by Madame Geoffrin. In her home she brought the most talented people. The musical genius Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart played for her guests and Diderot was regular for her weekly dinners for philosophers and poets.

Enlightened despots Frederick the great: the king of Prussia Frederick || admired Voltaire’s work and lured the philosophe to Berlin to develop a Prussian academy of science. When Frederick was busy not busy fighting wars he swamps drained and forced peasants to grow new crops such as potato. He had seed and tools distributed to peasants who had suffered in Prussia’s wars. Frederick also tolerated religious differences.

Catherine the great: Catherine || of Russia read the works of the philosophes and exchanged letters Voltaire and Diderot. She made some limited reforms in law and government. She granted nobles a charter of rights and criticized the institution of serfdom. Catherine intended to give up no power. Her political contribution to Russia was not reform but an expanded empire.

Hapsburg emperor Joseph || son of successor Maria Theresa. An eager student of the Enlightenment. Maria Theresa had began to modernize Austria’s government that Joseph continued. He granted toleration Protestants and Jews in his Catholic empire. He ended censorship and attempted to bring Catholic Church under royal control. He sold the property of many monasteries and convents and used the proceeds to build hospitals.

The Arts and Literature Art and Architecture were either in the Greek and Roman tradition or in a grand, complex style known as baroque. Architects and designers developed rococo style. The heavy splendor of the baroque, rococo art was personal, elegant and charming. New kinds of musical entertainment Ballets and Operas were performed at royal courts. Opera houses sprang up from Italy to England to amuse the paying public. The music of the period followed ordered, structured forms well suited to the Age of Reason.

Lives of the Majority Most Europeans were untouched by middle- class culture. They remained what had always been like the peasants living in small rural villages. Their culture is based on old traditions. Villages in western Europe were related more wealthy than those in Eastern Europe. Peasants owned labor services to their lords and could be brought and sold with the land.